Thomas Witkop

Thomas Witkop (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent Florida's 21st Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 5, 2024.

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

Biography

Thomas Witkop was born in Washington, D.C.. He earned a bachelor's degree from the St. Mary's College of Maryland in 2021. His career experience includes working as a nonprofit professional.^[1]

Elections

2024

Florida's 21st Congressional District election, 2024 (August 20 Republican primary)

Florida's 21st Congressional District election, 2024 (August 20 Democratic primary)

General election

General election for U.S. House Florida District 21

Incumbent Brian Mast defeated Thomas Witkop and Elizabeth Felton in the general election for U.S. House Florida District 21 on November 5, 2024.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Brian Mast (R)	61.8	277,435
	Thomas Witkop (D)	38.2	171,312
	Elizabeth Felton (No Party Affiliation) (Write-in)	0.0	19

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 448,766
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

The Democratic primary election was canceled. Thomas Witkop advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. House Florida District 21.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Florida District 21

Incumbent Brian Mast defeated Rick Wiles in the Republican primary for U.S. House Florida District 21 on August 20, 2024.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Brian Mast	85.8	60,395
	Rick Wiles	14.2	9,957

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 70,352
= 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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Ljubo Skrbic (R)

Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Witkop in this election.

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

Thomas Witkop completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Witkop'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.

Growing up in Montgomery County, Maryland, I developed an appreciation for the U.S. Constitution and American democracy. My mother, a local activist for the environment and fair public school policy, and my father, a criminal defense attorney, bestowed in me a drive to give voice to those most vulnerable and a willingness to listen to all viewpoints. They taught me that participating in our democracy is our most powerful tool to effect change and support solutions.

I believe strongly in the American Dream and understand our democracy is a central component of that Dream. While I understand that many feel disillusioned with our current system and its ability to solve problems, I believe we cannot give up on the oldest existing democracy in the world. Instead of addressing pressing issues like infrastructure repair and creating new jobs for the American people, our current leadership stokes partisan division and encourages distrust in our democracy by rejecting compromise, supporting election fraud claims, and blindly following party demagogues.

If elected, I pledge to certify our free and fair elections, protect reproductive rights and address climate change at the national level.

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?

Florida’s waterways, reefs, and woods are like no other. I pledge to preserve our natural resources and address harmful discharges into our waterways. While my opponent votes against protecting critical waterways such as Lake Okeechobee and the St. Lucie Estuary, I promise to uphold our environmental laws and refuse special interests who lobby on behalf of major polluters.
I stand in support of women’s access to contraception, IVF, and medical procedures including abortion. These interventions are crucial for women who may lose their life to pregnancy as well as women who wish to expand their family. The decision to undergo pregnancy belongs to women and their doctors, not politicians.
American workers should be the primary beneficiaries of economic growth. As your representative, I will vote for higher wages, affordable housing, and fully funding Social Security and Medicare. It is beyond time to put working families first, and stop writing our tax code to cater to hedge funds and billionaires.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I have worked with heavily immigrant communities and appreciate the sacrifice they made to come to our country. Unfortunately, we penalize people for seeking the American Dream. I believe that at the same time, we can protect our borders, while also fully funding a legal immigration system.

We must unite in advocating for civil rights, demonstrating our dedication to equal opportunity for every individual.

Also, our Treasure Coast is uniquely vulnerable to ongoing climate change. Increased floods, heat waves, and major hurricanes threaten our security and way of life. By funding clean energy, we will prevent countless catastrophes and make our nation energy independent.

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

An elected official has three main tasks that they must ensure they complete while in office.

1. Become the voice of their district, if a district chooses an elected official, that means they are putting the trust of their future into the representative’s hands.

2. Inform their constituents. When voted into office, it isn't the job of an official to take their liberty with the sides of the argument they are sharing. They must get the full truth to the voters of their district.

3. Plan for the future with their district in mind. Washington DC is a slow moving machine, even if an elected official is only there for two years, it is incumbent upon them to fight for their district with the future in mind.

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

The core responsibilities of an elected official are to remain loyal to their constituents and refuse to get bogged down in the political polarization of our Congress. An elected official is there to do one thing: serve the people, not their own interests, and certainly not the interests of millionaires and billionaires. Serving their district by properly informing their constituents and making decisions aware of their district's opinion of them is crucial to our representative democracy.

What legacy would you like to leave?

e

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

Unlike Senators who are tasked with representing their entire state, representatives have the unique and important responsibility of representing individual districts. Given this responsibility it is crucial each representative has a tight knit relationship with their district and an understanding of the most pressing issues their district faces. As a representative of Florida’s 21st district I will work to protect Lake Okeechobee and the St. Lucie Estuary and ensure our communities are not burdened by the lofty repair costs of natural disasters and floods.

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

The bottom line is that representatives need to reflect the beliefs and needs of their constituents. There isn't necessarily always a correlation between previous government or political experience and fair representation. Many elected officials have a wide breadth of previous experience but continually vote against or simply leave the needs of their constituents unaddressed. I pledge to remain loyal to our community and not cave into the financial or bureaucratic pressures that may come with holding office.

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

America faces issues on many fronts, however, I find that our most pressing issue is polarization. Working together is how tasks are solved and I would work together with reasonable republican colleagues. There is no place in America for the growing and flourishing contempt for our processes and systems that is currently in place on the other side of the aisle.

Winning back trust of the people and securing, while expanding democratic rights is key to challenging our struggles to come.

What are your thoughts on term limits?

Term limits should be implemented for all roles in government.

We have a duty to properly represent our constituents, a healthy democracy has changes in leadership and voices to be heard. Now, implementing term limits would be a difficult task, but I am confident that in Congress, I can work with the team to properly design a just and reasonable term limit system for all of America's positions, whether appointed like Judges or elected like Representatives.

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?

When I was working at El Sol, I met an amazing student who would come to the homework club. She was a bright student that worked very hard and got good grades. She had plans to go to community college and then get a bachelor's degree. She came to the homework club to help students struggling with English so that they did not feel so alone and could catch up academically. She came in one day noticeably sad. Her mom had been let go of her job and could no longer afford the rent in the school district. They had to move further south into a worse neighborhood where she wouldn't be permitted to go to the same school. She asked me if I had any resources for helping her family and I did not. This student was a leader for her friends, she was making such a great effort to integrate them into the community and culture and yet she would soon be forced to leave them. This was one of many moments that made me realize I wanted to do more for our community.

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

In a time where our politics and representative bodies seem so polarized it is vital to listen to varying perspectives. I believe in compromise and will work with reasonable colleagues across the aisle to find common ground on legislation instead of allowing promising and important bills to be left on the back burner due to political gridlock.

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?

We need to redesign our tax structure. There is no reason working class Americans should struggle to put food on the table while uber-wealthy billionaires continue to rack up wealth without paying their fair share of taxes. I’m committed to raising taxes on the 1% and closing loopholes used by this subset of the population to avoid contributing to the greater good of the country.

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

The House must use its investigative powers to look into government spending. As representatives it’s our responsibility to ensure citizens know what and where their money is going towards. No government institution should be failing audits, especially not our armed forces.

What committees interest you?

Education and the Workforce

Homeland Security

Environment and Public Works

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

Government and Elected Officials must be held in account for where and when their money moves.

We cannot have a Defense Department that fails audits. Also, we should properly fund every asset of the government that helps people, including the IRS, the FEC, and the EDA. Government bureaucracy isn't inherently an issue but when you create a system that under-funds the help and over funds the harm to our American constituents, they grow resentful.

We can change that and fix our monetary standard.

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

Witkop’s campaign website stated the following:

“	WATERWAYS Florida’s waterways, reefs, and woods are like no other. I pledge to preserve our natural resources and address harmful discharges into our waterways. While my opponent votes against protecting critical waterways such as Lake Okeechobee and the St. Lucie Estuary, I promise to uphold our environmental laws and refuse special interests who lobby on behalf of major polluters. REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS I stand firmly in support of women’s access to contraception, IVF, and medical procedures including abortion. These interventions are crucial for women who may lose their life to pregnancy as well as women who wish to expand their family. The decision to undergo pregnancy belongs to women, not politicians. DEMOCRACY I’m running to strengthen our institutions and restore trust in democracy. While my opponent undermines our democracy, obstructs progress, and promotes conspiracy theories of election fraud, I believe in the radical idea of working together to solve the problems we face. More than ever, we need to eliminate corruption in Washington, protect the right to vote, and engage in civil discourse. INSURANCE CRISIS The most worrying issue I hear from my neighbors is the overwhelming costs of home insurance hikes after each hurricane and flood. Congress has a unique ability to nationalize the cost of these disasters so that we recover more quickly from these traumatic events. Our poorest communities should not be forced to foot the bill. HEALTHCARE The price of basic healthcare is out of control. I will protect Medicare, expand access to new Affordable Healthcare, and ensure Seniors receive the care they need without being burdened by excessive costs. I further support reducing the cost of prescription drugs by allowing Medicare to negotiate directly with all drug-makers. WORKING AMERICANS I believe that American workers should be the primary beneficiaries of economic growth. As your representative, I will vote for higher wages, affordable housing, and fully funding Social Security and Medicare. It is beyond time to put working families first, and stop writing our tax code to cater to hedge funds and billionaires. CLIMATE CHANGE Our Treasure Coast is uniquely vulnerable to ongoing climate change. Increased floods, heat waves, and major hurricanes threaten our security and way of life. By funding clean energy, we will prevent countless catastrophes and make our nation energy independent. Above all, my vote will protect essential Sunshine State workers in the transition to clean energy. VETERANS Every year, hundreds of veterans return home with unimaginable traumas, brain injuries, and exposure to toxic chemicals. We have a responsibility to protect and serve those who protect and serve. I support comprehensive healthcare reform for veterans, ensuring all receive high-quality access to healthcare including dental, vision, and mental health care. I will also work tirelessly to connect veterans with a stable pension and affordable housing, so they can retire in peace. CIVIL RIGHTS We must unite in advocating for civil rights, demonstrating our dedication to equal opportunity for every individual. As your representative, I will sponsor legislation automatic voter registration, allocate resources to address employment discrimination, foster inclusivity and unity across communities, and fully fund schools so every child is given a fair shot. IMMIGRATION I have worked with heavily immigrant communities and appreciate the sacrifice they made to come to our country. Unfortunately, we penalize people for seeking the American Dream. I support securing our borders and fully funding the immigration court system, to humanely manage this foundational source of labor, innovation, and American ideals. A FAIR TAX SYSTEM It is obscene that working families struggle to pay for food in the same towns where billionaires are building luxury mansions. Our tax code should fund healthcare, housing, retirement, and security for all people. I promise to get money out of politics, raise taxes on the wealthiest 1%, and close loopholes that only benefit the ultra-wealthy. EDUCATION As an educator and community organizer, I understand the value of a good education. So when students tell me they are uncertain about their future, I am strengthened in my belief that all schools should be fully funded, regardless of zip code. I will vote to increase resources for our school districts, train more qualified teachers, and provide vocational training in all high schools. GUN SAFETY As a hunter, I understand the power of firearms. I support common sense reforms such as universal background checks and increasing funding for mental health services in schools and workplaces. ISRAEL AND GAZA What happened in Israel on October 7 is horrendous, and we must make sure that never happens again. The U.S. should pursue its long-standing policy of a negotiated two-state solution, guaranteeing both Israelis and Palestinians equal rights to freedom, security, and prosperity. WAR IN UKRAINE While my opponent voted against sending $300 million in aid to support Ukraine, I strongly back sending arms and funds to Ukraine to support their resistance against the corrupt dictator Putin. I believe that peace for Ukraine cannot be achieved without supporting the right of the Ukrainian people to liberate themselves and defend their democracy. ^[2]	”
—Thomas Witkop’s campaign website (2024)^[3]

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.

Thomas Witkop campaign contribution history
Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2024*	U.S. House Florida District 21	Lost general	$265,398	$265,411
Grand total			$265,398	$265,411
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 21

Personal

Footnotes

↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on April 26, 2024
↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
↑ Thomas Witkop’s campaign website, “The Issues,” accessed July 24, 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 April 26, 2024

[quotedisclaimer-2] Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.

[3] Thomas Witkop’s campaign website, “The Issues,” accessed July 24, 2024

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Thomas Witkop

Contents

Biography

Elections

2024

General election

General election for U.S. House Florida District 21

Democratic primary election

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Florida District 21

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Endorsements

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

Campaign website

Campaign finance summary

See also

External links

Footnotes

Information about voting

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2024 Election analysis

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