Jonathan Harris
Elections and appointments
Personal
Jonathan Harris (Democratic Party) is running for election to the U.S. House to represent Florida's 16th Congressional District. He declared candidacy for the 2026 election.[source]
Harris completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Jonathan Harris was born in Honolulu, Hawaii. He began serving in the U.S. Army in 2006. He graduated from Sandalwood High School. He earned a bachelor's degree from St. Petersburg College in 2019. His career experience includes working as an IT professional.[1]
Elections
2026
See also: Florida's 16th Congressional District election, 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.
Endorsements
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2026
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Jonathan Harris completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Harris' responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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Hello, my name is Jonathan Harris. I’m an Information Security Analyst and a proud U.S. Army Veteran with nearly twenty years of service in both Active Duty and the Reserves. I’m also a husband and the father of two amazing daughters who remind me every day why service matters.
I’ve spent my life standing up for others, whether protecting our country in uniform or defending our nation’s digital infrastructure. As I near the end of my military career, I still feel called to serve. But this time, that service means fighting for my neighbors right here at home.
Florida’s 16th Congressional District; from Brandon and Riverview to Bradenton and Lakewood Ranch is full of hardworking, resilient people who deserve leadership that listens and delivers. For too long, Washington has been defined by division instead of results. I’m running because I believe we can do better — and because I want to be part of that change.
A mentor once told me that to make a difference, you sometimes have to be the difference. I can’t change everything alone, but I can stand up, speak out, and serve our community with integrity, compassion, and purpose. - Service and Integrity Above Politics - I’ve spent nearly twenty years serving this country in uniform and protecting our national security in the private sector. That experience taught me that real leadership is about service, not self-interest or party politics. In Congress, I’ll bring integrity, accountability, and a mission-first mindset to solving problems that affect everyday Floridians.
- Putting Families and Communities First - The people of Florida’s 16th District deserve a representative who listens, responds, and delivers. I’ll focus on the issues that matter most to working families; lowering costs, protecting Medicare and Social Security, investing in public education, and expanding opportunities for veterans and small businesses.
- Restoring Trust and Common Sense in Washington - Our politics have become too divided and too disconnected from the people they serve. I’m running to restore honesty, civility, and common sense in Congress to get results without the partisan games. We can disagree without being disagreeable, and we can put people before party to build a stronger future for our community.
I’m passionate about policies that strengthen our communities and support those who serve. As a veteran and cybersecurity professional, I care deeply about veterans’ healthcare, benefits, and national security especially protecting our country from modern cyber threats. I’m focused on lowering costs for working families, supporting small businesses, and making housing and healthcare more affordable. I also believe in investing in education and infrastructure improving our schools, roads, and storm resilience. These aren’t partisan issues they’re priorities that affect everyone in Florida’s 16th District. My goal is to bring practical, service-driven leadership to Washington that delivers real results for our community.
I have a number of mentors that I look up to. It would take a day or two to give credit to all those that have helped or shaped my life until this point.
Integrity, accountability, and a strong moral compass are essential for anyone elected to serve the public. In the military, I learned that leadership is about doing the right thing even when no one is watching. Elected officials should live by that same standard; serving with honesty, humility, and respect for those they represent. Politics should never be about personal gain or party loyalty; it should be about doing what’s right for the people. I believe trust is earned through consistent, transparent, and principled action.
The core responsibility of a member of Congress is to represent the people with honestly, transparently, and with integrity. That means listening to constituents, understanding their needs, and bringing their voices to Washington. It also means crafting thoughtful legislation, conducting responsible oversight of government agencies, and ensuring tax dollars are used wisely. Just as in the military, accountability and service to others come first. An elected official should lead with a moral compass, uphold the Constitution, and always put people before politics.
I would hope that I would leave behind a legacy of selfless service.
Although there may have been plenty of other events when I was younger. September 11, 2001 will forever be the one I most vividly remember. I was 15 years old at the time and on my way to Biology class when I heard the news. This event more than anything else is what made up my mind that I would join the military.
My first job was at Steak n Shake. I started as a bus boy and eventually moved to serving tables. I think I worked there for about two years or so before I moved to another job.
I personally read mostly fiction. My favorite book series right now is Red Rising, by Pierce Brown. I think in many ways I see a lot of myself in the main character Darrow. Even gifted with the strength and speed of a Gold (the ruling class), Darrow still doesn't believe he is good enough in the early stages of the book. As he continues his journey he assumes that mantle of the Reaper and becomes the very thing the ruling class fear. I am anxiously awaiting the 6th book Red God!
I, like most Veterans from the GWOT days, have long struggled with survivors guilt. During my first deployment I lost a friend of mine in an IED explosion. I never understood why he was taken and I blamed myself a bit since I was the driver of the vehicle.
The U.S. House of Representatives is unique because it’s the branch of government closest to the people. Its members are elected every two years, ensuring accountability and a direct connection to the communities they serve. The House holds the constitutional power to initiate revenue bills and provide oversight of the executive branch, giving it a critical role in shaping national priorities. Its structure is based on population which means every voice can be represented. To me, that makes the House the cornerstone of representative democracy: a place where service, transparency, and the people’s will should always come first.
Short answer, no. If this were true I would not be running. I honestly believe that we should be looking for fresh ideas and perspectives. If we keep looking to those who are already in government or politics we limit the ideas and creative solutions introduced into the halls of congress.
First and foremost, I believe that the United States needs to overcome the division we are seeing in politics. It should not be us against them. We have always been strongest when we worked together, regardless of race, creed, or religion. We have continued to show in our past that we can do incredible things, and I believe we can again. Second I think we have a fiscal problem. I am a firm believer that debt itself is not a bad thing, it's only when debt is not properly managed when it becomes a problem. I believe that we need to continue to invest in our country in a way that will maximize the ROI for future generations.
I believe so. As I mentioned before, I believe that it holds Representatives accountable.
I believe voters should be the backstop preventing career politicians from getting into and staying in Congress for 40+ years. However, I know that this does not happen in today's hyper divided political landscape. In response to the I am now and will continue to be in the future a strong champion of term limits for those who serve in Congress
No. I would like to think my own approach would be how I live and work in personal life. I want to get things done. That is the long and the short of it. I do not know politicians personally, but I recognize that who they present themselves to be, might not be who they in person; which is why I would be hesitant to model myself after anyone.
Not yet. I have only begun my journey of speaking with people about my pursuit of public office.
Absolutely. As I stated earlier, the US is stronger when we work together. The reason why this does not happen all the time is because we have different fundamental views on how we should live, and how Government should be run. But governing only through majority is the wrong answer. I believe that even the minority should have a seat at the table when drafting policy. That way when the minority comes to power, they cannot point the finger and say its their fault, not ours. True governance comes from all parties working together to do what's best for the most people possible.
The Constitution gives the House the unique responsibility to originate all bills for raising revenue because it’s the chamber closest to the people. That power should be exercised carefully and transparently. If elected, I would use it to ensure that our tax and spending policies reflect the priorities of working families, not special interests. Every dollar the government collects or spends should serve the public good, strengthen our economy, and support essential programs like education, healthcare, and veterans’ services. Fiscal responsibility and accountability to taxpayers would guide every decision I make.
The House’s investigative powers are essential to accountability, but they should be used responsibly and without partisanship. Oversight is about making sure our government works for the people by ensuring that taxpayer dollars are spent wisely, federal agencies follow the law, and corruption is exposed wherever it exists. As a veteran and public servant, I believe investigations should seek truth, not headlines. The goal must always be transparency, fairness, and restoring public trust—not scoring political points.
I think becoming a Warrant Officer in the Army is one of the proudest moments in my life. Second only to becoming a father. I worked so hard to become just like one of my mentors who was a CW4 when I met him. He recognized the skill and passion I had for Information Technology and gave me purpose, not just in my military career, but my civilian career as well. Stepping into his shoes was truly a proud moment for me.
I believe that the US Government or agencies within the government have been at the forefront of a majority of innovations in the past 20-30 years. I think by building in guard rails during development will only help strengthen the technology and ensure public confidence in the technology.
I believe that if you are able to vote, you should be able to vote and your vote should count. I think if I would implement anything, it would be to try to get all states to adopt independent third party redistricting commission to remove partisan politics from the redistricting process.
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Campaign finance summary
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See also
External links
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on October 10, 2025
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