Peter Braunston

Peter Braunston (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent Florida's 18th Congressional District. He lost in the Democratic primary on August 20, 2024.

Braunston completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Peter Braunston was born in Pennsylvania. He earned an associate degree from Bucks County Community College in 1991. He also earned a bachelor's degree from Temple University in 1992 and a graduate degree from American Intercontinental University in 2011. His career experience includes working as a technology professional.^[1]

Elections

2024

Florida's 18th Congressional District election, 2024 (August 20 Democratic primary)

Florida's 18th Congressional District election, 2024 (August 20 Republican primary)

General election

General election for U.S. House Florida District 18

Incumbent Scott Franklin defeated Andrea Doria Kale in the general election for U.S. House Florida District 18 on November 5, 2024.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Scott Franklin (R)	65.3	225,170
	Andrea Doria Kale (D)	34.7	119,637

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 344,807
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

John Richardson (No Party Affiliation)

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Florida District 18

Andrea Doria Kale defeated Peter Braunston in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Florida District 18 on August 20, 2024.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Andrea Doria Kale	66.9	16,778
	Peter Braunston	33.1	8,291

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 25,069
= 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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Republican primary election

The Republican primary election was canceled. Incumbent Scott Franklin advanced from the Republican primary for U.S. House Florida District 18.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Keith R. Hayden Jr. (R)

Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Braunston in this election.

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

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

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am running for the US House because the GOP does not know how to govern and they have been agents of chaos since taking over the speakership. I believe that it is time for change and have a Member of Congress that believes in solving problems instead of creating them.

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?

Choice. Women need to have reproductive freedoms restored. Six week bans have no place and a woman has a choice up until viability or her life is in danger. And of course, no woman should have to carry a fetus conceived in incest or rape.
Our current House member is not held accountable for his actions.. Scott Franklin votes against American interests time and time again. His voting record is atrocious. I am here to fight and make the tough choices, even if it costs me an election
My opponent favors and supports the current state of taxation. The 2017 Trump Tax Act favored the richest among us by giving permanent tax cuts to the wealthy and having tax rates increase every two years for the rest of us. I will support measures that make sure that the wealthy and wealthy corporations pay their fair share as a percentage while making sure that the middle class and poorest Americans are protected and able to save for a better life.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Women's Choice, Public Accountability, Fair Taxation, Common Sense Gun Laws, Immigration, Public Education, Energy Conservation and Migration to Cleaner Energy, The Environment and Agricultural Production.

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

I look to my family as guidance. My mother served two Members of Congress and the EPA and taught me selflessness. My father worked in Information Technology and I learned how to problem solve.

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

I was raised in a Democratic Household, worked for a Democratic Congressman, and believe that the Government is here to serve the people, All people. All people, regardless of age, sex, race, religion, nationality, or sexual orientation deserve the best services that their government can provide them. Every living American or Immigrant deserves equality and the American Dream.

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

Elected officials need to stop talking and start listening to the problems that face this nation. For far too long, my opponent has only cared about the wealthy and the MAGA class. He does not hear the struggles of home ownership, unfair labor practices, and the rising costs of goods and healthcare. It is time to do this differently and end the chaos.

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

I am an outsider looking in. Government is broken. Bipartisanship in the House has vanished under GOP rule. Things are at a standstill. I want to work with the majority and the minority and turn the House back to compromise and get it working for the American people as a whole.

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

Constituent service is the heart of the responsibilities of any public official. It is difficult to navigate the federal government and the many departments that it contains. It is a Congressperson's duty to assist his/her constituents to make sure that they receive the services and benefits that they require.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I want to help lead the country away from this tribal stance and prove that we can accomplish great feats in the realm of the Hoover Dam and the Race to Space.

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

The first historical even that I remember is the resignation of Richard Nixon. I was six years old.

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

My first job was delivering papers for the Philadelphia Bulletin. I served for about a year until the closing of the paper.

What is your favorite book? Why?

The Hunt for Red October - Great Novel by Tom Clancy

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

None

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

Close to the Edge by Yes

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

I am dyslexic. It has been a struggle to get to a place to read for comprehension and write correctly.

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

The House is where all spending bills begin as per the Constitution. House members are also the most connected to their constituents. My phones will always be answered. All calls will be returned by a member of my staff. I will always hold Town Meetings to listen to what is happening in the district.

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

It is important to understand how government works. It is important to know that today's political environment is a race to the bottom and does not speak to real issues. I am here to solve problems and create policies that benefit the majority of constituents.

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

Americas challenges for the next ten years can be daunting. We need to start laying the ground work for energy production while achieving a balance with our environmental needs. We need to constantly prepare the next generations for jobs that might not exist. We need to create a tax structure that benefits the majority and not the few. We need to maintain our military and our presence around the world and hopefully stop trouble before it starts and keep our adversaries from interfering here. The next ten years will help us through the next 50 and we need to prepare our country for our best.

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

Yes. This is the People's House and should be determined more often than any federal office.

What are your thoughts on term limits?

The President has term limits as no person should be an absolute ruler. Constituents determine term limits for elected officers unless prohibited by law. Personally, this is ten year plan for me if I am good enough in the eyes of the electorate to hold this office.

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

I look to all members past and present and how they serve. I worked for Peter Kostmayer and he taught me how to hold myself and how to listen to the public. I admire John McCain for his military service and his service to our country and the sacrifices he made.

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 spoke with a gentleman who served and now has many medical issues from his service due to the base he served. It is time for Congress to look at the types of chemicals and pollutants our service people were exposed to and make sure they receive the care that they require.

Tell us your favorite joke.

What is red and green and goes 99MPH A frog in a blender.

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

Both sides of the aisle have good ideas and compromise never looks pretty but it gets things done. It is time to make government work for all of us!

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?

There are several spending measures that I support to make sure that mandates are funded, Social Security and Medicare are fully funded for generations to come, and to guarantee that we provide our children with the best education and training so that the US has the most vibrant economy in the world.

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

The House has oversight of itself, the Federal Court System. and the Executive Branch. Investigations should not waste public money and should not be party driven. It is important for House Committees to have regular updates from Executive Branch Departments, to police itself on ethics, and to question experts and corporations to help determine policy

What committees interest you?

Agriculture, Education and Workforce, Natural Resources, Reform and Oversight, and Small Business

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

The government needs to be as transparent as it can be and held accountable for every tax dollar that is spent either here or internationally.

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

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.

Peter Braunston campaign contribution history
Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2024*	U.S. House Florida District 18	Lost primary	$12,820	$12,579
Grand total			$12,820	$12,579
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

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Candidate

U.S. House Florida District 18

Personal

Footnotes

↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on May 6, 2024

[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)

[1] Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on May 6, 2024

[1]

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Peter Braunston

Contents

Biography

Elections

2024

General election

General election for U.S. House Florida District 18

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Florida District 18

Republican primary election

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Endorsements

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

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

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