Joe Kaufman

Joe Kaufman (Republican Party) is running for election to the U.S. House to represent Florida's 23rd Congressional District. He declared candidacy for the 2026 election.

Biography

Email editor@ballotpedia.org to notify us of updates to this biography.

Kaufman was born in Detroit, Michigan, in 1970. He was raised by his grandparents in Westchester, New York. He earned a bachelor's degree in communications from the University of Maryland.^[1]

Elections

2026

Note: At this time, Ballotpedia is combining all declared candidates for this election into one list under a general election heading. As primary election dates are published, this information will be updated to separate general election candidates from primary candidates as appropriate.

General election

The general election will occur on November 3, 2026.

General election for U.S. House Florida District 23

The following candidates are running in the general election for U.S. House Florida District 23 on November 3, 2026.

		Candidate
		Jared Evan Moskowitz (D)
		Oliver Larkin (D)
		Darlene Cerezo Swaffar (R)
	Submit photo	Jared Gurfein (R)
	Submit photo	Raven Harrison (R)
		Joe Kaufman (R)
		George Moraitis (R)

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined.
= 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.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Michaelangelo Hamilton (R)

Endorsements

Ballotpedia is gathering information about candidate endorsements. To send us an endorsement, click here.

2024

Florida's 23rd Congressional District election, 2024 (August 20 Republican primary)

Florida's 23rd Congressional District election, 2024 (August 20 Democratic primary)

General election

General election for U.S. House Florida District 23

Incumbent Jared Evan Moskowitz defeated Joe Kaufman in the general election for U.S. House Florida District 23 on November 5, 2024.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Jared Evan Moskowitz (D)	52.4	196,311
	Joe Kaufman (R)	47.6	178,006

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 374,317
= 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.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

The Democratic primary election was canceled. Incumbent Jared Evan Moskowitz advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. House Florida District 23.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Florida District 23

The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for U.S. House Florida District 23 on August 20, 2024.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Joe Kaufman	35.4	9,503
	Robert Weinroth	20.6	5,524
	Darlene Cerezo Swaffar	19.1	5,118
	Carla Spalding	10.6	2,844
	Joe Thelusca	7.2	1,923
	Gary Barve	7.2	1,923

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 26,835
= 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.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Steve Chess (R)
Rafael Ortiz (R)

Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Kaufman in this election.

Pledges

Kaufman signed the following pledges.

U.S. Term Limits

2018

See also: Florida's 23rd Congressional District election, 2018

General election

General election for U.S. House Florida District 23

Incumbent Debbie Wasserman Schultz defeated Joe Kaufman, Tim Canova, and Don Endriss in the general election for U.S. House Florida District 23 on November 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D)	58.5	161,611
		Joe Kaufman (R)	36.0	99,446
		Tim Canova (No Party Affiliation)	5.0	13,697
	Submit photo	Don Endriss (No Party Affiliation)	0.6	1,612

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 276,366
= 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.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Stuart Reed (Independent)

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Florida District 23

Incumbent Debbie Wasserman Schultz advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. House Florida District 23 on August 28, 2018.

		Candidate
✔		Debbie Wasserman Schultz

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source
= 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.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Florida District 23

Joe Kaufman defeated Carlos Reyes and Carla Spalding in the Republican primary for U.S. House Florida District 23 on August 28, 2018.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Joe Kaufman	44.7	11,659
	Carlos Reyes	33.7	8,794
	Carla Spalding	21.6	5,627

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 26,080
= 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.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2016

See also: Florida's 23rd Congressional District election, 2016

Heading into the election, Ballotpedia rated this race as safely Democratic. Incumbent Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D) defeated Joe Kaufman (R), Donald Endriss (I), and Lyle Milstein (I) in the general election on November 8, 2016. Wasserman Schultz defeated Tim Canova in the Democratic primary, while Kaufman defeated Martin Feigenbaum to win the Republican nomination. The primary elections took place on August 30, 2016.^[2]^[3]

**U.S. House, Florida District 23 General Election, 2016**
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Debbie Wasserman Schultz Incumbent	56.7%	183,225
	Republican	Joe Kaufman	40.5%	130,818
	Independent	Donald Endriss	1.6%	5,180
	Independent	Lyle Milstein	1.2%	3,897
Total Votes				323,120
Source: Florida Division of Elections

**U.S. House, Florida District 23 Republican Primary, 2016**
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Joe Kaufman	73.1%	13,412
Martin Feigenbaum	26.9%	4,948
Total Votes		18,360
Source: Florida Division of Elections

Florida Politcs' Mitch Perry wrote the Democratic primary between Schultz and Canova "one of the most closely watched congressional primaries in the nation."^[4] The race was viewed as a proxy for the ongoing presidential primary.^[5] Bernie Sanders (I) endorsed Canova, while Hillary Clinton (D) endorsed Schultz.^[6]^[7]

**U.S. House, Florida District 23 Democratic Primary, 2016**
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Debbie Wasserman Schultz Incumbent	56.8%	28,809
Tim Canova	43.2%	21,907
Total Votes		50,716
Source: Florida Division of Elections

2014

See also: Florida's 23rd Congressional District elections, 2014

Kaufman ran in the 2014 election for the U.S. House to represent Florida's 23rd District.^[8] Kaufman won the Republican nomination in the primary.^[9] He was defeated by incumbent Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D) in the general election on November 4, 2014.^[10]

**U.S. House, Florida District 23 General Election, 2014**
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Debbie Wasserman Schultz Incumbent	62.7%	103,269
	Republican	Joe Kaufman	37.3%	61,519
Total Votes				164,788
Source: Florida Division of Elections

**U.S. House, Florida District 23 Republican Primary, 2014**
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Joe Kaufman	62.6%	6,299
Juan Garcia	37.4%	3,764
Total Votes		10,063
Source: Florida Division of Elections

2012

See also: Florida's 23rd Congressional District elections, 2012

Kaufman ran in the 2012 election for the U.S. House to represent Florida's 23rd District. Kaufman was defeated by Karen Harrington in the Republican primary on August 14, 2012.^[11]

Campaign themes

2026

Ballotpedia survey responses

Joe Kaufman has not yet completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey. Send a message to Joe Kaufman asking him to fill out the survey. If you are Joe Kaufman, click here to fill out Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey.

Who fills out Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey?

Any candidate running for elected office, at any level, can complete Ballotpedia's Candidate Survey. Completing the survey will update the candidate's Ballotpedia profile, letting voters know who they are and what they stand for. More than 23,000 candidates have taken Ballotpedia's candidate survey since we launched it in 2015. Learn more about the survey here.

You can ask Joe Kaufman to fill out this survey by using the buttons below or emailing info@kaufmanforcongress.com.

2024

Video for Ballotpedia

Video submitted to Ballotpedia Released June 29, 2024

Joe Kaufman completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Kaufman's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I was born in Detroit and raised by my grandparents in Yonkers, NY. I attended the University of Maryland, where I received a Bachelor’s Degree in Speech Communications. Following the 9/11 attacks, I devoted my life to fighting terrorism. Today, I am a Shillman Fellow at the David Horowitz Freedom Center and write for the center’s publication FrontPage. I am also the Chairman of the Joe Kaufman Security Initiative, a non-profit 501(c)(3) devoted to educating the public on matters of national security. I have assisted Homeland Security, the Defense Department, the Secret Service and the FBI in going after the people who threaten us most. I have been instrumental in getting terrorist charities shut down and terror-related individuals placed behind bars. I led the shutdown of a pro-Hamas conference that was to take place this past January at the Coral Springs Marriott. I was also the one who supplied Florida government agencies with information about radical imam Fadi Kablawi, who recently called for a genocide against Jews. I was concerned that the private school Kablawi was affiliated with receives tens if not hundreds of thousands of dollars of taxpayer-funded vouchers. No organization linked to violent hatred against Jews, Christians or anyone should receive a dime of taxpayers’ funds. Because of my unique background, I will have an immediate impact in Congress on issues concerning national security, counter-terrorism, and foreign policy.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

I am concerned about the current state of America. Our debt is out of control. Our foreign policy is in shambles. I am a product of the 70s and 80s, and I remember the gas lines, the hostage crisis, and the surge in food prices. Today is eerily similar, and I want to be part of the change that brings our nation back to greatness. My background in national security is very needed in Congress. I have experience in dealing with the border situation, and I will have an immediate impact on national security and foreign policy. As well, I am married to someone from Peru, so I have first-hand knowledge of what immigrants who arrive here legally have to go through. It shapes my policy and it will help me in office.
District 23 contains one of the largest Jewish populations in the U.S., including a substantial Orthodox Jewish population. Anyone elected to this seat needs to represent this community. As well, there is a fairly large Hispanic population. I represent both, as my wife, daughter and I are a big part of the observant Jewish community. My wife teaches Hebrew and Spanish at one of the most prominent Boca yeshivas, and my daughter goes to Hillel. My wife, as well, grew up in Peru, and we have extended family in and from Venezuela and Cuba. I personally am passionate about and have fought side-by-side with those working to bring democracy to the Hispanic world overseas. As Congressman, I will make it a big part of my mission to do just that.
The greatest thing for the environment is to have a great economy to pay for it. People in Third World countries live in squalor, because their economies are non-existent. Fossil fuels are not the enemy. They have actually allowed for the beautification of the environment. They further have helped us lead an Industrial Revolution, get through two world wars, and feed much of the impoverished world. Calling for their abrupt end is shortsighted. While we work towards cleaner energy, we must not destroy that which has allowed our nation to thrive, both economically and militarily.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

*We live in a time when my daughter needs to know BOGO at the supermarket. But BOGO today is just the regular price 2 years ago. We need an economic atmosphere to end inflation, cut taxes & spending, and achieve energy independence & dominance.

In 2018, I was part of a group sent to advocate for School Vouchers with the Trump Admin and then-Congressman Ron DeSantis. Proudly, Gov. DeSantis soon enacted a major School Choice initiative. I wish to expand School Choice. I am also an advocate for nationwide Vocational Training in high schools.
I moved to Florida to care for my grandmother, understanding seniors' struggles firsthand. I will fight for their Social Security and Medicare, and work to reduce high deductibles & premiums.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

My grandmother Ruth was smart -- both knowledgeable and NY street smart. She was someone you could go to for advice, and I did many times. She was also someone who put others before herself. She was my best friend, and I miss her tremendously. Ruth's mom, my great-grandmother Esther, was a frail woman but was tough. She witnessed terrible horrors in Europe, and she loved being an American. There is an amazing story about her that I would like to tell. My great-grandmother was on a train and witnessed two men threaten to throw a black lady off for sitting in the wrong car. My great-grandmother stood between the men and the lady and told them that, if they throw the lady off the train, they would have to throw her off as well. That day, she saved that woman's life. I had the honor of knowing my great-grandmother Esther till I was 15-years-old. These are the people I look up to, and these are the people I wish to emulate.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

Rocky!

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Honesty, accountability, leadership, empathy, good communication, knowledge, transparency, and fiscal responsibility. These are all characteristics that I have exhibited throughout my life. I was raised by my grandparents with values from those of ‘the greatest generation.’ So when my grandmother Ruth was ill with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), I came to Florida to care for her. I needed to be there for my best friend, my grandma. I am thankful I had a daughter to give her my grandmother's good name. When I was my daughter's age, my grandparents used to take me into Manhattan to see the World Trade Center. We called it the Twin Towers. Next to it, I would look up in amazement. When they fell, I took it very personally and devoted my life to fighting terrorism. I did my part, after my nation was attacked. My accomplishments in this field are why I have received so many endorsements from those in the fields of military and security, and I do not take this lightly. As Congressman, I will have an instant impact on national security and protecting our nation’s borders.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

My background gives me strong counter-terrorism and national security credentials, which of course is immensely important for our country. As well, I have chaired a non-profit for decades, which provides me with the type of leadership skills that are important for Congress. And the fact that I came to Florida to take care of my grandmother shows empathy, which IMO our government is lacking these days. At times, it seems, we care more for those who would wish us harm than we do for our own countrymen and women.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

As a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, I will be responsible for drafting, debating, and voting on federal legislation that shapes national policy and addresses constituent needs. I will represent District 23 by advocating for local interests and providing essential services. My role will include government oversight, accountability, and transparency. Essentially, being a Congressman is being able to uphold the principles of democracy by acting as a voice for the people. I know that our nation and political parties are very polarized today, but I will make every attempt to work across party lines to build consensus. Of course, there are matters that the other side will never agree with and of which I will never compromise. Ultimately, though, we need to do what is best for America.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I would like to be known as someone who worked tirelessly to protect our nation, both inside our borders and overseas.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

When the Iran Hostage Crisis. I was nine years old. I was raised by my grandparents, Ruth and George. My grandfather owned an auto parts store in the Bronx. When he would come home, he would bring with him the New York Daily News and the New York Post, mostly for the Sports sections. I remember on the top of the front page of each would be the day of the hostage crisis -- day 200, 201, 202, etc. It was a message that transcended the news and showed that our nation cared. It moves me to this day. And when Ronald Reagan was inaugurated as President, they were immediately released.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My mom got me a job selling rock t-shirts at the Sunday flea market, located at Yonkers Race Track. The owner would pick me up early in the morning in his van, we would drive to the warehouse to get the inventory, and then we would head for the flea market. At the end of the day, he would pay me in cash and shirts. The shirts I would wear every day at school, and the money I would use to buy Led Zeppelin, Rolling Stones, and Van Halen cassettes. I don't remember how long I worked there for, but I loved every minute of it.

What is your favorite book? Why?

The Bible, the Tenach! My faith guides me in everything that I do.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Leonidas from 300!

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Who can remember, but one song that will always stick in my head is Toby Keith's "Courtesy Of The Red, White And Blue"!

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

I suffered much antisemitism when I was a kid. It ended, when my college dorm roommate greeted me with a large swastika on the wall. That changed my life and turned me into the fighter that I am today -- for my people and America.

What qualities does the U.S. House of Representatives possess that makes it unique as an institution?

The U.S. House of Representatives is special because it is directly connected to the people.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for representatives to have previous experience in government or politics?

To some extent, but many times, government corrupts people. It is one of the reasons why I support Term Limits for members of the U.S. Congress.

What do you perceive to be the United States’ greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?

Bringing down our debt and erasing inflation, when our government offers no fiscal responsibility whatsoever. Keeping the cost of healthcare down, when we are threatened by high deductibles and ever-increasing premiums. Being able to compete with other nations, both financially and militarily, in a world that is growing much more hostile. Is there such a thing as diplomacy anymore?!

Do you believe that two years is the right term length for representatives?

Yes.

What are your thoughts on term limits?

I signed the Term Limits Pledge. While I have much experience and expertise regarding matters of national security to provide to my nation, I will never consider the honor of being a U.S. Congressman to be a lifetime job.

Is there a particular representative, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

There are certain things that I admire from many past and present representatives, but I believe I bring a unique background that is not found in Congress.

Both sitting representatives and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

I just met a wonderful lady who recently had a stroke. She told me how active she was and loved going out and doing things, but now her mobility is limited and she finds herself stuck at home. My mom has a similar circumstance. She was the happiest person I knew, before she found out she had Multiple Sclerosis. Since then, she has lost much of her ability to walk and her life is spent in and out of the doctor's office. These are examples of why it is important for our government to continue to provide funding to those in the field of medicine, who are working on finding cures and new treatments. As Congressman, I will always support such initiatives.

Tell us your favorite joke.

Who would vote for me, if I did that?!

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

As I stated previously, there are matters that the other side will never agree with and of which I will never compromise. That said, where you can negotiate and find compromise, you make every attempt to do so. You just can never compromise your ethics.

The Constitution says that all bills for raising revenue must originate in the House. What role would this power play in your priorities if elected?

I would take this responsibility seriously. Too many government representatives think that the taxpayers' money is their own to do as they wish.

How should the U.S. House use its investigative powers?

The House of Representatives acts like a watchdog for the country. They can use their investigative powers to look into how the government is spending money, if laws are being followed fairly, and even if there's wrongdoing by government officials. By holding hearings and questioning witnesses, they can uncover problems and make sure everyone is accountable to the people. This helps keep our government honest and working for everyone.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Trump Admin ICE Director/Border Czar Tom Homan

Pres. of the Presidential Inaugural Prayer Breakfast Rev. Merrie Turner
Lt Colonel & fmr Congressman Allen West
Trump Surrogate & Natl. Director of The Remembrance Project Maria Espinoza
Ret. US Marshall Commander & star of the show "Manhunters: Fugitive Task Force" Lenny DePaul
Working Mothers for Donald Trump International
Natl. Spokesman of Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) Niger Innis
Global Director of Cyrus Force & senior advisor to the son of the Shah of Iran Reza Pahlavi, John Naimi
Chairman of Citizens for National Security Dr. Ken Abramowitz
Palm Beach County leaders Larry & Sue Snowden and Linda Stoch

Former Mayor of North Miami John Stembridge

What committees interest you?

House Committee on Armed Services, House Committee on Foreign Affairs, House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Anything to do with national security and foreign policy. That is my background, and that is where I am needed.

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

A U.S. Congressman should believe in being clear and open about how the government spends money and making sure the government is honest and accountable. This means supporting laws and actions that let the public see how funds are used, ensuring regular checks on government activities, and -- and this is very important -- protecting those who expose wrongdoing. By doing this, we help build trust in government and ensure that taxpayer money is spent wisely and responsibly.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Campaign website

Kaufman's campaign website stated the following:

“

Dedicated to Our Community!

Serving in public office holds significant responsibility. As a soon-to-be Congressman, I am committed to being accessible and to fighting for our district’s needs. Out of 28 congressional districts in Florida, our district is ranked 24th — near the bottom — in receiving federal funds. I will fight for our community by bringing back these vital resources to the district. I will also prioritize bringing back manufacturing jobs from China, ensuring products are made right here in the USA. By lowering taxes on businesses and workers, we’ll fuel economic growth and prosperity. Additionally, I’m committed to securing our borders, protecting American jobs, and maintaining our sovereignty. Together, let’s build a stronger, more self-reliant America for future generations. I refuse to let my daughter bear the burden of someone else’s irresponsible fiscal and political decisions.

Border Security and Immigration

My wife Emily came to the United States by way of Peru and Israel. She did so the right way – legally. I was with her when she proudly obtained her citizenship. She went through a long process and worked hard for it. Today, there is a huge problem, where individuals cross our borders illegally, in the millions, without background checks. Many are criminals bringing drugs and human trafficking. Others are terrorists seeking to do harm to our nation. I will prioritize making sure that our borders are secure, protecting the most vulnerable, stopping the flow of illegal drugs, and capturing criminals and terrorists.

Debt and Inflation

Out of control spending in Washington, D.C. has driven deficits and debt to unsustainable heights and has placed our nation and our children’s future in peril. It is the reason why the cost of food and goods is skyrocketing. Our 11-year-old daughter is growing up with the understanding that BOGO (Buy One Get One Free) at the supermarket is not just a perk, it’s a necessity. Democrats – and Republicans – should grasp the fact that taxpayer dollars are not their own, and limits to spending are a requirement and not a trivial matter to ignore. We must combat massive government spending with fiscal responsibility with the goal of economic stability.

Education

I am a strong proponent of School Choice, empowering parents, whose children are struggling in the public school system, with more options. Charter schools and educational scholarships for private schools have proven to be effective alternatives. Research also shows that introducing these options has notably enhanced the performance of underperforming public schools, due to competition. I am also an advocate for nationwide vocational training in high schools. With more young people choosing not to pursue college or university, vocational programs offer them the practical skills they need to enter the workforce immediately and successfully.

Energy Independence

America, including Florida, boasts stunning natural landscapes that require funding for preservation. However, abandoning our main energy sources threatens our nation’s wealth and environmental stability and makes us reliant on our adversaries, like Maduro in Venezuela, for needed supplies. Being energy independent is vital. Energy fuels mobility, security, production, and job creation. We can be good stewards of our planet, without sacrificing American jobs and American prosperity.

Israel and Iran

If you ask me where I stand on Israel, my answer is unequivocal – with unshakeable solidarity. Israel is not just America’s ally; she is a beacon of freedom and strength in a tumultuous region plagued by violence. The October 7 massacre perpetrated by Hamas against Israeli civilians was personal for me, as my wife and I have much family in Israel. I will never waver in my support for Israel’s right (and obligation) to defend herself, because as goes Israel, so goes the United States! I look forward to the day that the Iranian regime is gone and its proxies destroyed, so that Israel will finally be able to live in peace with her neighbors. #AmYisraelChai

Military and First Responders

Every day, the exceptional men and women of the US military, law enforcement, and fire departments risk their lives to protect us. They deserve the utmost support. It’s important to show gratitude to troops and first responders with a simple gesture of thanks whenever we encounter them. It is why my family and I proudly display the ‘thin blue line’ on our vehicles and why we mourn the loss of our brave American heroes serving abroad. In Congress, I will fearlessly advocate for the needs of our police, fire personnel, and military forces, whether it’s ensuring access to better equipment, fair compensation, or needed upgrades for fire houses.

Seniors

I initially moved to South Florida to take care of my grandmother, who was battling COPD, a severe respiratory condition. My grandparents had raised me, and it was my responsibility to support her in her time of need. I want the elderly community to understand that I stand by them and will not abandon them in Congress. I do not view Social Security or Medicare as handouts or “entitlements.” These are programs that seniors have earned through their hard work, and they deserve every penny of these benefits. As your soon-to-be Congressman, I will oppose any efforts to reduce these benefits that countless Americans have worked tirelessly to earn.

Term Limits

I believe it is time we shake things up in Washington, D.C. and bring some fresh perspectives to the table. That’s why I am a strong supporter of term limits for U.S. Congress. Serving in public office is a privilege and an honor, but sometimes, politicians get a little too comfortable in their seats. By implementing term limits, we ensure that our government remains dynamic and responsive to the needs of the people. It’s about bringing in new voices, new ideas and new energy to keep our democracy thriving. I embrace term limits for a stronger, more accountable government that works for all of us.

U.S. Constitution (1A & 2A)

For me, the United States Constitution is not just a document; it is the very foundation of our nation’s values and freedoms. The First Amendment is the beating heart of our republic, guaranteeing us the right to speak our minds and practice our faith without fear. The Second Amendment safeguards our individual liberties, allowing us to protect our families and stand strong against tyranny. As your soon-to-be Congressman, I am dedicated to defending and preserving these precious, God-given rights.^[12]

”

—Joe Kaufman's campaign website (2024)^[13]

2016

The following issues were listed on Kaufman's campaign website. For a full list of campaign themes, click here.

“

Reduce regulations that are suffocating economic growth: Overregulation has increased prices, which is an enormous burden on the middle class. It is killing our ability to compete and driving jobs and capital out of our country. We must review the thousands of regulations currently in place and evaluate their necessity versus their detrimental impact. We can have clean air and water without creating a lower standard of living. When you stifle economic growth, you stifle job growth and wage increases.

The National Debt: The national debt is approaching $18 trillion. Each year, we spend more than we take in and are forced to borrow from unfriendly nations or print more money which devalues our currency and severely impacts the middle-class. Everyone knows you can’t spend more than you make. If we do not reverse course, we risk our financial ratings and could suffer severe economic collapse. The solution is to reduce spending and expand the economy, thereby increasing revenues. This can be accomplished by reducing fraud and duplication in government programs, shrinking the size of government, and cutting out wasteful and unnecessary programs. It will not require cuts to essential programs, like Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and Social Welfare.

Health Care: If left as is, Obamacare will destroy the American economy. It was sold as a program to provide health care to millions of Americans, regardless of pre-existing conditions, while reducing the cost to all Americans. It does neither. It was forced upon Americans against their will and by deceit. It will bankrupt the middle-class, destroy millions of jobs, and lower the standard of living for the majority of Americans. And worst of all, it will destroy the medical profession.

Foreign Policy: America should never get involved in any war overseas, unless and only unless there is a direct threat to American interests. In some cases, our involvement has been entirely uncalled for and has done more harm than good, case in point: President Obama’s push to get Islamists placed in seats of power in the Middle East.

Immigration: We must seal our borders. We are the only country in the world that allows people to enter illegally, thus risking the security of our nation. It is an enormous risk. The State Department has recognized that a number of terror cells within the United States have been created due to terrorists entering our country through the Mexican border. Between terrorists and drug dealers, the American residents at the border are at great risk and peril. It is the obligation of the United States Government to put their safety first. Our immigration laws were established for two reasons: to protect the American people and to protect jobs in America. Enforcing these laws now is even more important than it has been in the past. We have had effective immigration laws in place for decades; we just need to enforce them.^[12]

”

—Joe Kaufman's campaign website, http://kaufmanforcongress.com/joe-kaufman-on-the-issues/

2014

Kaufman's campaign website listed the following issues:^[14]

“

Reduce regulations that are suffocating economic growth : "Overregulation has increased prices, which is an enormous burden on the middle class. It is killing our ability to compete and driving jobs and capital out of our country. We must review the thousands of regulations currently in place and evaluate their necessity versus their detrimental impact. We can have clean air and water without creating a lower standard of living. When you stifle economic growth, you stifle job growth and wage increases. "

The National Debt: "The national debt is approaching $18 trillion. Each year, we spend more than we take in and are forced to borrow from unfriendly nations or print more money which devalues our currency and severely impacts the middle-class. Everyone knows you can’t spend more than you make. If we do not reverse course, we risk our financial ratings and could suffer severe economic collapse. The solution is to reduce spending and expand the economy, thereby increasing revenues. This can be accomplished by reducing fraud and duplication in government programs, shrinking the size of government, and cutting out wasteful and unnecessary programs. It will not require cuts to essential programs, like Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and Social Welfare. "

Health Care: "If left as is, Obamacare will destroy the American economy. It was sold as a program to provide health care to millions of Americans, regardless of pre-existing conditions, while reducing the cost to all Americans. It does neither. It was forced upon Americans against their will and by deceit. It will bankrupt the middle-class, destroy millions of jobs, and lower the standard of living for the majority of Americans. And worst of all, it will destroy the medical profession."

Foreign Policy: "America should never get involved in any war overseas, unless and only unless there is a direct threat to American interests. In some cases, our involvement has been entirely uncalled for and has done more harm than good, case in point: President Obama’s push to get Islamists placed in seats of power in the Middle East."

Immigration: "We must seal our borders. We are the only country in the world that allows people to enter illegally, thus risking the security of our nation. It is an enormous risk. The State Department has recognized that a number of terror cells within the United States have been created due to terrorists entering our country through the Mexican border. Between terrorists and drug dealers, the American residents at the border are at great risk and peril. It is the obligation of the United States Government to put their safety first. Our immigration laws were established for two reasons: to protect the American people and to protect jobs in America. Enforcing these laws now is even more important than it has been in the past. We have had effective immigration laws in place for decades; we just need to enforce them."^[12]

”

—Joe Kaufman's campaign website, http://www.kaufmanforcongress.com/issues.html

Campaign finance summary

Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

Joe Kaufman campaign contribution history
Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2026*	U.S. House Florida District 23	Candidacy Declared general	$300,465	$4,497
2024*	U.S. House Florida District 23	Lost general	$166,714	$101,955
2018	U.S. House Florida District 23	Lost general	$139,861	$499,609
Grand total			$607,040	$606,061
Sources: OpenSecrets, Federal Elections Commission *This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* Data from this year may not be complete

External links

Search Google News for this topic

Candidate

U.S. House Florida District 23

Personal

Footnotes

↑ Kaufman for Congress, "About," accessed June 28, 2012
↑ Florida Department of State, "Candidate Listing for 2016 General Election," accessed June 25, 2016
↑ Politico, " Florida House Races Results," August 30, 2016
↑ Florida Politics, "Debbie Wasserman Schultz handily defeats Tim Canova in CD 23," August 30, 2016
↑ NBC News, "Inside the Bernie Sanders Proxy War in Florida," April 14, 2016
↑ Politico, "Sanders backs DNC chair's primary opponent," May 21, 2016
↑ Hillary Clinton 2016 campaign website, "Hillary Clinton Statement on the Resignation of Democratic National Committee Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz," July 24, 2016
↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named cand
↑ Associated Press, "Primary Results 2014," accessed August 26, 2014
↑ The Huffington Post, "Election 2014," November 4, 2014
↑ AP Results, "U.S. House Results," accessed August 14, 2012
↑ ^12.0 ^12.1 ^12.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
↑ Joe Kaufman's campaign website, "Issues," accessed September 24, 2024
↑ Campaign website, "Issues," accessed October 31, 2014

[show]

Florida's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Ashley Moody (R)

Rick Scott (R)

Representatives

District 1

Jimmy Patronis (R)

District 2

Neal Dunn (R)

District 3

Kat Cammack (R)

District 4

Aaron Bean (R)

District 5

John Rutherford (R)

District 6

Randy Fine (R)

District 7

Cory Mills (R)

District 8

Mike Haridopolos (R)

District 9

Darren Soto (D)

District 10

Maxwell Frost (D)

District 11

Daniel Webster (R)

District 12

Gus Bilirakis (R)

District 13

Anna Luna (R)

District 14

Kathy Castor (D)

District 15

Laurel Lee (R)

District 16

Vern Buchanan (R)

District 17

Greg Steube (R)

District 18

Scott Franklin (R)

District 19

Byron Donalds (R)

District 20

Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D)

District 21

Brian Mast (R)

District 22

Lois Frankel (D)

District 23

Jared Moskowitz (D)

District 24

Frederica Wilson (D)

District 25

Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D)

District 26

Mario Diaz-Balart (R)

District 27

Maria Elvira Salazar (R)

District 28

Carlos Gimenez (R)

Republican Party (22)

Democratic Party (8)

[bio-1] Kaufman for Congress, "About," accessed June 28, 2012

[list16-2] Florida Department of State, "Candidate Listing for 2016 General Election," accessed June 25, 2016

[primaryresults16-3] Politico, " Florida House Races Results," August 30, 2016

[4] Florida Politics, "Debbie Wasserman Schultz handily defeats Tim Canova in CD 23," August 30, 2016

[5] NBC News, "Inside the Bernie Sanders Proxy War in Florida," April 14, 2016

[6] Politico, "Sanders backs DNC chair's primary opponent," May 21, 2016

[7] Hillary Clinton 2016 campaign website, "Hillary Clinton Statement on the Resignation of Democratic National Committee Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz," July 24, 2016

[cand-8] Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named cand

[apres-9] Associated Press, "Primary Results 2014," accessed August 26, 2014

[huffpost14-10] The Huffington Post, "Election 2014," November 4, 2014

[ap-11] AP Results, "U.S. House Results," accessed August 14, 2012

[quotedisclaimer-12] 12.0 ^12.1 ^12.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.

[13] Joe Kaufman's campaign website, "Issues," accessed September 24, 2024

[14] Campaign website, "Issues," accessed October 31, 2014

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

	v • e State of Florida Tallahassee (capital)
Elections	What's on my ballot? \| Elections in 2025 \| How to vote \| How to run for office \| Ballot measures
Government	Who represents me? \| U.S. President \| U.S. Congress \| Federal courts \| State executives \| State legislature \| State and local courts \| Counties \| Cities \| School districts \| Public policy

Joe Kaufman

Biography

Elections

2026

General election

General election for U.S. House Florida District 23

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Endorsements

2024

General election

General election for U.S. House Florida District 23

Democratic primary election

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Florida District 23

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Endorsements

Pledges

2018

General election

General election for U.S. House Florida District 23

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Florida District 23

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Florida District 23

2016

2014

2012

Campaign themes

2026

Ballotpedia survey responses

2024

Video for Ballotpedia

Campaign website

2016

2014

Campaign finance summary

See also

External links

Footnotes

Information about voting

2025 Elections

2026 Elections

2024 Election analysis

Trending

Public Policy

Information for candidates

Get Engaged

Services

Additional analysis

SITE NAVIGATION