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Kell Cameron
From Ballotpedia
Kell Cameron (Democratic Party) is running for election to the Florida House of Representatives to represent District 65. He declared candidacy for the 2026 election.[source]
Cameron completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Kell Cameron earned a bachelor's degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2010, a graduate degree from the University of Texas at Austin in 2011, and a Ph.D. from Boston University in 2018. His career experience includes working as a college professor, activist, and in community service.[1][2]
Elections
2026
See also: Florida House of Representatives 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 Florida House of Representatives District 65
Incumbent Karen Gonzalez Pittman and Kell Cameron are running in the general election for Florida House of Representatives District 65 on November 3, 2026.
Candidate | ||
 | Karen Gonzalez Pittman (R) | |
 | Kell Cameron (D)  | |
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Endorsements
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Campaign themes
2026
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Kell Cameron completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Cameron's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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Kell Cameron is a proud South Tampa resident and Democrat running to bring fresh energy and practical solutions to the Florida House of Representatives in District 65. Kell has built his life on discipline, drive, and a deep belief in public service. An immigrant who came to the United States at 18 with two suitcases and an unshakable belief in the American dream, he knows what it means to start from scratch. Over the past decade, he has worked as an educator, activist, and community leader, supporting marginalized communities, strengthening nonprofits, and standing up for people and causes too often overlooked. Whether in classrooms, neighborhood meetings, or grassroots campaigns, Kell leads with empathy, urgency, and purpose.
He holds degrees from MIT, the University of Texas at Austin, and Boston University, but it is his conviction, not his credentials, that drives him: government should serve everyone, not just the privileged few. He is not a career politician but a systems thinker who knows how to turn values into action and real need into measurable change.
At 37, Kell is stepping up because families across Florida are being crushed by rising costs including rent, healthcare, insurance, and outdated infrastructure. He believes in affordability with dignity, building what people need, removing barriers that hold us back, and fighting for a future that works for working people. Kell lives in South Tampa with his husband, Jayson, his partner of ten years.- "The Crisis of Affordability" Florida families are being crushed by rising costs that touch every corner of daily life: rent that keeps climbing, insurance that doubles year over year, healthcare that too many cannot afford, and essentials that never stop getting more expensive. I believe in affordability with dignity. That means focusing on real solutions, building systems that actually work for working people, and ensuring families don’t just scrape by but thrive. Our state government should be solving this crisis, not fueling it with political distractions.
- "The Crisis of Opportunity" Opportunity in Florida has narrowed for too many people. Our public schools are under attack, teachers are underpaid, and students are being left without the tools they need for tomorrow’s economy. Families are struggling to find affordable childcare, workers face barriers to good jobs, and outdated infrastructure holds us back. The crisis of opportunity is real, but it’s not irreversible. By investing in education, building pathways to stable work, and supporting strong communities, we can expand opportunity and make Florida a place where every family can move forward.
- "The Crisis of Leadership" Too often, Florida’s leaders are focused on headlines instead of solutions, leaving real problems unaddressed. This crisis of leadership has consequences: families paying more, communities falling behind, and voices being ignored. I am not a career politician — I’m a public educator and community leader who has spent the last decade solving problems that matter to real people. I know how to turn values into action and need into measurable change. District 65 deserves leadership that delivers results, listens to people, and puts our community first.
I am passionate about addressing the crisis of affordability that is crushing families across Florida, from skyrocketing rent and housing insurance to unaffordable healthcare and everyday essentials. I believe every Floridian deserves dignity, stability, and a fair chance to thrive. I am equally committed to expanding opportunity by protecting and strengthening our public schools, supporting teachers, and building clear pathways to good jobs and a stronger economy. Finally, I care deeply about restoring trust in government through leadership that delivers results, not headlines. For me, public policy should be about solving problems people face every day and building a future that actually works for working people.
The most important qualities for an elected official are honesty, accountability, and a commitment to service. Voters deserve leaders who listen first, tell the truth even when it is difficult, and put people before politics. I believe in empathy as a guiding principle, because understanding the struggles families face is the only way to craft real solutions. I also believe in discipline and follow through, since government should deliver measurable results, not just promises. At its core, leadership is about showing up, building trust, and fighting every day to make life more affordable, fair, and dignified for the people you represent.
The core responsibility of a state representative is to serve the people of their district with honesty, accessibility, and results. That means listening closely to the concerns of constituents, making sure their voices are heard in Tallahassee, and working every day to address real issues like affordability, opportunity, and community well-being. A representative should also focus on ensuring government is accountable and transparent, while building coalitions that deliver practical solutions. At its heart, this office is about service, problem solving, and putting people before politics.
I want my legacy to be that I made life more affordable, opportunity more accessible, and government more accountable for the people I served. My hope is that when families in District 65 look back, they can say their state representative fought every day to lower costs, strengthen schools, and deliver real solutions to real problems. I want to be remembered as a leader who listened, showed up, and always put people first. More than anything, I want my legacy to be a stronger, fairer Florida where working families have the dignity and stability they deserve.
The ideal relationship between the governor and the state legislature is one built on respect, accountability, and a shared responsibility to serve the people of Florida. Both branches have different roles, but they should work together to solve the real problems families face, from affordability to infrastructure to education. A healthy relationship means honest dialogue, compromise where it is possible, and the understanding that progress comes when leaders put people before politics. The governor and legislature should not be competing for headlines, but collaborating to deliver results that improve the daily lives of Floridians.
Florida’s greatest challenges over the next decade will be affordability, opportunity, and resilience. Families are being pushed to the breaking point by rising housing costs, unaffordable healthcare, and insurance rates that continue to climb. At the same time, we face a crisis of opportunity, with underfunded public schools, undervalued teachers, and too few pathways to stable jobs in a changing economy. We must also confront challenges like outdated infrastructure and the need for climate resilience in a state so vulnerable to storms and flooding. Meeting these challenges will require leaders who are willing to listen, act with urgency, and deliver solutions that put working people first.
Experience in government can be valuable, but it is not the only path to being an effective legislator. What matters most is a commitment to public service, the ability to listen, and the skills to turn real needs into workable solutions. I believe people with diverse backgrounds, including education, community service, and business, bring fresh energy and new perspectives that our state government needs. Previous experience in politics can help, but it should never be a barrier to new leaders stepping up and delivering for their communities.
Yes, building relationships with other legislators is essential to getting things done. No single representative can deliver meaningful change on their own, and progress in Tallahassee requires cooperation and trust. Strong relationships make it possible to find common ground, advance legislation that helps communities, and ensure the voices of constituents are truly heard. Even when there are disagreements, respect and open communication allow leaders to focus on solutions instead of gridlock. For me, collaboration is not optional, it is a core responsibility of public service.
The first bill I would introduce would invest directly in Florida’s public education system by raising teacher pay to at least the national average and protecting classroom resources from being diverted to political agendas. Florida ranks near the bottom nationally in teacher salaries, and we are losing talented educators every year because they cannot afford to stay in the profession. My bill would dedicate state funding to salary increases, tied to cost-of-living adjustments, while also ensuring that districts have flexibility to support staff and student services. It would also strengthen accountability so that public dollars stay in public schools, where they belong. A strong education system is the foundation of opportunity, and this bill would make sure Florida starts treating teachers and students like the priority they are.
No, I oppose the recent changes to Florida’s ballot initiative process because they make it harder for citizens to directly shape their government. The ballot initiative is one of the few tools Floridians have when elected leaders fail to act, and it should remain accessible, secure, and fair. Restricting who can circulate petitions and adding unnecessary hurdles undermines the power of voters and silences grassroots voices. While I believe modernization steps like improved signature verification and greater transparency could strengthen the process, any reform must expand access, not restrict it. Direct democracy should empower Floridians, not exclude them.
Florida already runs accurate and secure elections, but maintaining public trust means continuously improving the process. I would introduce legislation to expand early voting and vote by mail access, establish automatic voter registration to make participation easier, and ensure fair access at polling sites across the state. I support implementing risk limiting audits to verify results in a statistically sound and transparent way. I also believe we must shift resources away from enforcement heavy entities like the Office of Election Crimes and Security and reinvest in voter education, poll worker training, and modern tools such as secure signature verification. Our democracy is strongest when every eligible Floridian can vote easily, confidently, and fairly.
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 finance summary
Campaign finance information for this candidate is not yet available from OpenSecrets. That information will be published here once it is available.
See also
2026 Elections
External links
Footnotes
Current members of the Florida House of Representatives
Leadership
Speaker of the House:Daniel Perez
Majority Leader:Tyler Sirois
Minority Leader:Fentrice Driskell
Representatives
District 1
Michelle Salzman (R)
District 2
Alex Andrade (R)
District 3
Nathan Boyles (R)
District 4
District 5
Shane Abbott (R)
District 6
Philip Griffitts (R)
District 7
Jason Shoaf (R)
District 8
Gallop Franklin (D)
District 9
Allison Tant (D)
District 10
Chuck Brannan (R)
District 11
Sam Garrison (R)
District 12
Wyman Duggan (R)
District 13
Angela Nixon (D)
District 14
Kimberly Daniels (D)
District 15
Dean Black (R)
District 16
Kiyan Michael (R)
District 17
Jessica Baker (R)
District 18
Kim Kendall (R)
District 19
Sam Greco (R)
District 20
Judson Sapp (R)
District 21
Yvonne Hinson (D)
District 22
Chad Johnson (R)
District 23
J.J. Grow (R)
District 24
Ryan Chamberlin (R)
District 25
Taylor Yarkosky (R)
District 26
Nan Cobb (R)
District 27
Richard Gentry (R)
District 28
Bill Partington (R)
District 29
Webster Barnaby (R)
District 30
Chase Tramont (R)
District 31
Tyler Sirois (R)
District 32
Brian Hodgers (R)
District 33
Monique Miller (R)
District 34
Robert Brackett (R)
District 35
Erika Booth (R)
District 36
Rachel Plakon (R)
District 37
Susan Plasencia (R)
District 38
David Smith (R)
District 39
Doug Bankson (R)
District 40
RaShon Young (D)
District 41
Bruce Antone (D)
District 42
Anna Eskamani (D)
District 43
Johanna López (D)
District 44
Jennifer Harris (D)
District 45
Leonard Spencer (D)
District 46
Jose Alvarez (D)
District 47
Paula Stark (R)
District 48
Jon Albert (R)
District 49
District 50
Jennifer Canady (R)
District 51
Josie Tomkow (R)
District 52
John Temple (R)
District 53
Jeff Holcomb (R)
District 54
Randy Maggard (R)
District 55
Kevin Steele (R)
District 56
Brad Yeager (R)
District 57
Adam Anderson (R)
District 58
District 59
Berny Jacques (R)
District 60
Lindsay Cross (D)
District 61
Linda Chaney (R)
District 62
Michele Rayner (D)
District 63
Dianne Hart (D)
District 64
Susan Valdes (R)
District 65
District 66
Traci Koster (R)
District 67
District 68
Lawrence McClure (R)
District 69
Danny Alvarez (R)
District 70
Michael Owen (R)
District 71
Will Robinson (R)
District 72
Bill Conerly (R)
District 73
Fiona McFarland (R)
District 74
James Buchanan (R)
District 75
Danny Nix (R)
District 76
Vanessa Oliver (R)
District 77
Tiffany Esposito (R)
District 78
District 79
District 80
Adam Botana (R)
District 81
Yvette Benarroch (R)
District 82
Lauren Melo (R)
District 83
Kaylee Tuck (R)
District 84
Dana Trabulsy (R)
District 85
Toby Overdorf (R)
District 86
John Snyder (R)
District 87
Vacant
District 88
Jervonte Edmonds (D)
District 89
Debra Tendrich (D)
District 90
Vacant
District 91
District 92
Kelly Skidmore (D)
District 93
Anne Gerwig (R)
District 94
Meg Weinberger (R)
District 95
District 96
Dan Daley (D)
District 97
Lisa Dunkley (D)
District 98
Mitch Rosenwald (D)
District 99
Daryl Campbell (D)
District 100
Chip LaMarca (R)
District 101
Hillary Cassel (R)
District 102
Michael Gottlieb (D)
District 103
Robin Bartleman (D)
District 104
District 105
Marie Woodson (D)
District 106
Fabián Basabe (R)
District 107
Wallace Aristide (D)
District 108
Dotie Joseph (D)
District 109
Ashley Gantt (D)
District 110
Tom Fabricio (R)
District 111
David Borrero (R)
District 112
Alex Rizo (R)
District 113
Vicki Lopez (R)
District 114
District 115
Omar Blanco (R)
District 116
Daniel Perez (R)
District 117
Kevin Chambliss (D)
District 118
Mike Redondo (R)
District 119
District 120
Jim Mooney (R)
Republican Party (86)
Democratic Party (32)
Vacancies (2)
