Florida's 5th Congressional District election, 2026 (August 18 Democratic primary)

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← 2024
Florida's 5th Congressional District
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Democratic primary
Republican primary
General election
Election details
Filing deadline: June 12, 2026
Primary: August 18, 2026
General: November 3, 2026
How to vote
Poll times:

7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Voting in Florida

Race ratings
Cook Political Report: Solid Republican
DDHQ and The Hill: Pending
Inside Elections: Solid Republican
Sabato's Crystal Ball: Safe Republican
Ballotpedia analysis
U.S. Senate battlegrounds
U.S. House battlegrounds
Federal and state primary competitiveness
Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2026
See also
Florida's 5th Congressional District
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Florida elections, 2026
U.S. Congress elections, 2026
U.S. Senate elections, 2026
U.S. House elections, 2026

A Democratic Party primary takes place on August 18, 2026, in Florida's 5th Congressional District to determine which Democratic candidate will run in the district's general election on November 3, 2026.

Candidate filing deadline Primary election General election
June 12, 2026
August 18, 2026
November 3, 2026



A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Florida utilizes a closed primary process, in which the selection of a party's candidates in an election is limited to registered party members.[1][2]

For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.

This page focuses on Florida's 5th Congressional District Democratic primary. For more in-depth information on the district's Republican primary and the general election, see the following pages:

Candidates and election results

Note: The following list includes official candidates only. Ballotpedia defines official candidates as people who:

  • Register with a federal or state campaign finance agency before the candidate filing deadline
  • Appear on candidate lists released by government election agencies

Democratic primary

Democratic primary for U.S. House Florida District 5

Rachel Grage (D), Alexander Hazen (D), Mark Heggestad (D), and Eli Johnson (D) are running in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Florida District 5 on August 18, 2026.

Candidate
Image of Rachel Grage
Rachel Grage  Candidate Connection
Image of Alexander Hazen
Alexander Hazen
Image of Mark Heggestad
Mark Heggestad  Candidate Connection
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
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Eli Johnson

There are no incumbents in this race.

Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Candidate profiles

This section includes candidate profiles that may be created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff may compile a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. For more on how we select candidates to include, click here.

Rachel Grage

Image of Rachel Grage

WebsiteFacebookYouTube

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

The rising cost of everyday living for working families I am focused on reducing the day-to-day living expenses that families face, such as the cost of health care premiums and out-of-pocket expenses, the affordability of insurance, the availability of housing, and other elements that have a direct impact on the financial stability of American households. This is the place where I will be making a difference. I am committed to making it easier for families to plan, reduce uncertainty, and keep the services they need and want within reach. Our government should be loosening the squeeze, not tightening it.

Government Accountability Public servants are responsible for being accountable to the people they serve Accountability is a basic tenet of public service. Elected leaders must be reachable, open about their actions and accountable for their votes. We need regular and meaningful engagement with the community, clear lines of oversight of government activities, and a Congress that is doing its job and acting within its constitutional authority. Representation should require that our elected officials listen, respond, and are accountable to the public they serve.

Strengthening Democratic Institutions and Protecting Rights Mission Statement I support reinforcing our democratic institutions by ensuring that our constitutional processes, checks and balances, and the rule of law are strong We must protect individual rights, the separation of powers, and the limits of government as outlined in our Constitution. Additionally, democratic institutions should operate in a lawful manner, with transparency and oversight. A healthy and vibrant democracy relies on public trust and a well-functioning government, fair representation, and leaders that are respectful of civil liberties as well as the Constitution.

Mark Heggestad

Image of Mark Heggestad

WebsiteFacebook

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Submitted Biography:  ""I’m a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) with a career built on solving complex problems and delivering results. I live on Jacksonville’s Southside with my wife (Darlene) and step daughter (Brianna), and I’m an active member of our local church. My grown son (Matthew) lives in Minnesota. I grew up in a small town where hard work and integrity were daily expectations—values that still guide me. Over the years, I’ve led initiatives across healthcare, government, finance, and other industries—bringing teams together, managing risk, and improving systems that serve real people. My academic background includes a double major in Management Information Systems and Business Management, which has equipped me with the analytical and organizational skills to solve complex problems and drive meaningful change. Whether it’s genetic research or coordinating technology for public agencies, I’ve seen how good governance and smart planning can change lives. Outside of work, I’ve officiated football for over four decades, making fair calls under pressure and earning trust on the field. That same commitment to fairness and accountability drives my approach to public service. I’m running for Congress to bring practical leadership to FL-5. I believe in listening deeply, acting with empathy, and building systems that work for everyone. My goal is to protect democracy, lower the temperature, and create opportunities for all our neighbors.""

Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

"I’m a pragmatic Democrat who believes in building bridges—not burning them. My values span Center-Left and Center-Right, grounded in fairness, opportunity, and a deep respect for our neighbors. As a Democratic Capitalist, I support policies that empower working families, small businesses, and civic institutions to thrive. Love for our neighbors—because strong communities begin with mutual respect.

Lowering the temperature—because we need more listening and less shouting.

Protecting democracy—because every voice deserves to be heard and every vote to count.

Voting information

See also: Voting in Florida

Election information in Florida: Aug. 18, 2026, election.

What is the voter registration deadline?

  • In-person: July 20, 2026
  • By mail: Postmarked by July 20, 2026
  • Online: July 20, 2026

Is absentee/mail-in voting available to all voters?

Yes

What is the absentee/mail-in ballot request deadline?

  • In-person: Aug. 6, 2026
  • By mail: Received by Aug. 6, 2026
  • Online: Aug. 6, 2026

What is the absentee/mail-in ballot return deadline?

  • In-person: Aug. 18, 2026
  • By mail: Received by Aug. 18, 2026

Is early voting available to all voters?

Yes

What are the early voting start and end dates?

Aug. 8, 2026 to Aug. 15, 2026

Are all voters required to present ID at the polls? If so, is a photo or non-photo ID required?

N/A

When are polls open on Election Day?

7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. (ET/CT)

Campaign finance

Name Party Receipts* Disbursements** Cash on hand Date
Rachel Grage Democratic Party $89,025 $19,087 $69,939 As of December 31, 2025
Alexander Hazen Democratic Party $0 $0 $0 Data not available***
Mark Heggestad Democratic Party $6,279 $4,661 $1,618 As of December 31, 2025
Eli Johnson Democratic Party $0 $0 $0 Data not available***
Antonio Merrick Democratic Party $0 $0 $0 Data not available***

Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2026. This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

* According to the FEC, "Receipts are anything of value (money, goods, services or property) received by a political committee."
** According to the FEC, a disbursement "is a purchase, payment, distribution, loan, advance, deposit or gift of money or anything of value to influence a federal election," plus other kinds of payments not made to influence a federal election.
*** Candidate either did not report any receipts or disbursements to the FEC, or Ballotpedia did not find an FEC candidate ID.

District analysis

Click the tabs below to view information about voter composition, past elections, and demographics in both the district and the state.

  • District map - A map of the district in place for the election.
  • Competitiveness - Information about the competitiveness of 2026 U.S. House elections in the state.
  • Presidential elections - Information about presidential elections in the district and the state.
  • State party control - The partisan makeup of the state's congressional delegation and state government.


Below is the district map in place for this election. Click the map below to enlarge it.

2023_01_03_fl_congressional_district_05.jpg
See also: Primary election competitiveness in state and federal government, 2026
Information about competitiveness will be added here as it becomes available.

Partisan Voter Index

See also: The Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index

Heading into the 2026 elections, based on results from the 2024 and 2020 presidential elections, the Cook Partisan Voter Index for this district is R+10. This meant that in those two presidential elections, this district's results were 10 percentage points more Republican than the national average. This made Florida's 5th the 130th most Republican district nationally.[3]

2020 presidential election results

The table below shows what the vote in the 2024 presidential election was in this district. The presidential election data was compiled by The Downballot.

2024 presidential results in Florida's 5th Congressional District
Kamala Harris Democratic PartyDonald Trump Republican Party
39.0%60.0%

Presidential voting history

See also: Presidential election in Florida, 2024

Florida presidential election results (1900-2024)

  • 17 Democratic wins
  • 15 Republican wins
Year 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024
Winning Party D D D D D D D R D D D D D R R R D R R D R R R R D R R D D R R R
See also: Party control of Florida state government

Congressional delegation

The table below displays the partisan composition of Florida's congressional delegation as of October 2025.

Congressional Partisan Breakdown from Florida
Party U.S. Senate U.S. House Total
Democratic 0 8 8
Republican 2 20 22
Independent 0 0 0
Vacancies 0 0 0
Total 2 28 30

State executive

The table below displays the officeholders in Florida's top four state executive offices as of October 2025.

State executive officials in Florida, October 2025
OfficeOfficeholder
GovernorRepublican Party Ron DeSantis
Lieutenant GovernorRepublican Party Jay Collins
Secretary of StateRepublican Party Cord Byrd
Attorney GeneralRepublican Party James Uthmeier

State legislature

Florida State Senate

Party As of January 2026
     Democratic Party 11
     Republican Party 27
     Other 1
     Vacancies 1
Total 40

Florida House of Representatives

Party As of January 2026
     Democratic Party 33
     Republican Party 84
     Other 0
     Vacancies 3
Total 120

Trifecta control

Florida Party Control: 1992-2025
One year of a Democratic trifecta  •  Twenty-six years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

Year 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
Governor D D D D D D D R R R R R R R R R R R I R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
Senate D S S R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
House D D D D D R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R

Ballot access

The table below details filing requirements for U.S. House candidates in Florida in the 2026 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Florida, click here.

Filing requirements for U.S. House candidates, 2026
State Office Party Signatures required Filing fee Filing deadline Source
Florida U.S. House Ballot-qualified party 1% of the registered voters in the geographical area of candidacy $10,440 6/12/2026 Source
Florida U.S. House Unaffiliated 1% of the registered voters in the geographical area of candidacy $6,960 6/12/2026 Source

See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ The Florida Senate, "Fla. Stat. § 101.021," accessed November 26, 2025
  2. ↑ The Florida Senate, "Fla. Stat. § 97.055," accessed November 26, 2025
  3. ↑ Cook Political Report, "2025 Cook PVI℠: District Map and List (119th Congress)," accessed July 1, 2025


Florida's current delegation to the United States Congress
Senators
Ashley Moody (R)
Rick Scott (R)
Representatives
District 1
District 2
Neal Dunn (R)
District 3
District 4
District 5
District 6
District 7
District 8
District 9
District 10
District 11
District 12
District 13
Anna Luna (R)
District 14
District 15
District 16
District 17
District 18
District 19
District 20
District 21
District 22
District 23
District 24
District 25
District 26
District 27
District 28
Republican Party (22)
Democratic Party (8)


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