Representative in Congress District 16
August 18, 2026 · Congressional District 16 (119th Congress), Florida · U.S. House district · primary
How do we calculate vote impact?
Vote impact = representation (how much weight one vote carries here, the smaller the district's population, the higher the representation) + decisiveness (how likely this race is to be close, based on past results and number of candidates).
Representation: Average · 33 out of 100
This district is mid-sized for its type, so each vote carries average weight. About 830,753 people live here.
score = 100 × ln(largest population ÷ this district's) ÷ ln(largest ÷ smallest), rounded to 2 decimals = 100 × ln(1,021,191 ÷ 830,753) ÷ ln(1,021,191 ÷ 546,488) = 33.01, comparing all US House districts nationwide (grades: 66+ high, 33+ average, otherwise low)
Decisiveness: Unknown
No past results for this contest yet.
Average representation + unknown decisiveness → Average vote impact.
Some data is missing, so this rating is based on partial information and capped at "High".
United States Representative is responsible for:
- Voting on federal laws, taxes, and the federal budget
- Representing their district's interests in Congress
- Starting tax and spending bills, which must begin in the House
- Helping district residents deal with federal agencies
Affected Areas: Environment and Public Health, Reduce Wealth Gap, Anti-Corruption, Government Efficiency, Healthcare Affordability, Immigration, Government Spending Reduction, Social Programs and Welfare, Gun Control, Women's Reproductive Rights, National Defense, Personal Income Tax Reduction, Foreign Trade, Data Privacy, Civil Rights, Corporate Accountability, Public Infrastructure, Peaceful Foreign Policy
Candidates
Eddie Speir
Republican · declared
Eddie Speir is a Republican candidate for Florida's 16th Congressional District in 2026. An entrepreneur and co-founder of Inspiration Academy, a private school in Parrish, he previously challenged incumbent Rep. Vern Buchanan in the 2024 Republican primary, winning nearly 40% of the vote as a self-described constitutional conservative.
Ed Pope
Republican · declared
Ed Pope is a Republican candidate for Florida's 16th Congressional District in 2026. A U.S. Navy veteran, he served 14 years in law enforcement and became one of the most decorated troopers in Florida Highway Patrol history before working as a private-sector business executive. He holds a Ph.D. from Walden University.
Glenn Pearson
Democratic · declared
Glenn Pearson is a Democratic candidate for Florida's 16th Congressional District in 2026. A former broadcast journalist and small-business owner, he is a past president of the Manatee County Black Caucus and past vice-chair of the Manatee County Democratic Party. He was the first candidate in the race to qualify by petition, gathering more than the required 2,564 signatures.
Jan Schneider
Democratic · declared
Jan Schneider is a Democratic candidate for Florida's 16th Congressional District in 2026. An attorney who has run the Law Offices of Jan Schneider since 1976, she holds degrees from Brown University, Columbia University, and a Ph.D. from Yale, and has long provided free legal services to public-housing residents in Bradenton and Sarasota. She has previously been the Democratic nominee for this seat.
Jonathan Harris
Democratic · declared
Jonathan Harris is a Democratic candidate for Florida's 16th Congressional District in 2026. An Army combat veteran, he served as an infantryman with the 101st Airborne Division in Iraq and rose to Chief Warrant Officer (CW2) in the Army Reserve. He currently supports U.S. Special Operations Command as a senior information security advisor.
Kelly Kirschner
Democratic · declared
Kelly Kirschner is a Democratic candidate for Florida's 16th Congressional District in 2026. A former Sarasota city commissioner and one of the youngest mayors in the city's history (2010), he later directed the Hispanic advocacy group UnidosNow and serves as vice president and dean of executive and continuing education at Eckerd College. He is a Georgetown graduate and former Peace Corps volunteer.
Records: Anti-Corruption 1 for
Sydney Gruters
Republican · declared
Sydney Gruters is a Republican candidate for Florida's 16th Congressional District in 2026. She was vice president of advancement and executive director of the New College Foundation in Sarasota and previously worked in the congressional offices of Reps. Greg Steube and Vern Buchanan. She has been endorsed by President Trump and House Republican leadership.
Tamika Lyles
Democratic · declared
Tamika Lyles is a Democratic candidate for Florida's 16th Congressional District in 2026. An Air Force veteran who served seven years as a medical technician, she became a public-school history teacher, founded the nonprofit Standing Heroes for Average Workers, and teaches civic engagement at Lynn University while holding Democratic Party leadership roles at the county and state level.
Election sources
Source: en.wikipedia.org
Source: dos.elections.myflorida.com