Representative in Congress District 16
Congressional District 16 (119th Congress), Florida
My vote power
Above average
Election date
August 18, 2026 · Primary election
How do we calculate my vote power?
What goes into the rating: Representation: how much weight one vote carries here compared with a statewide vote — the smaller the district, the more each vote counts. Decisiveness: how likely this race is to be close, based on past results or current analyst ratings, plus the number of candidates.
Representation: Above average · 65 out of 100
This district is a good deal smaller than its state, so each vote here carries more weight than a vote in a statewide race. About 830,753 people live here.
Show the representation math
score = 50 + 50 × ln(state population ÷ this district's) ÷ ln(50,000) = 50 + 50 × ln(22,416,077 ÷ 830,753) ÷ ln(50,000) = 65.23, measured against a statewide vote in FL (grades: 66+ high, 55+ above average, 33+ average, otherwise low; a statewide race is the 50 baseline)
Decisiveness: Unknown
No analyst ratings or past results for this contest yet.
Above average representation → My vote power: Above average.
Some data is missing, so this rating is based on partial information.
About this office
- Voting on how much you pay in federal income tax
- Voting on Social Security, Medicare, and other federal programs
- Voting on federal spending for roads, defense, and health care
Affects: AI Regulation, Healthcare Affordability, Environment and Public Health,
Candidates
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.
Republican · declared
Edward P. Pope is a United States Navy veteran, executive business leader and decorated Florida Highway Patrol Trooper. He campaigns on supporting veterans' care and benefits and fully funding law enforcement.
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.
Democratic · declared
Jan Schneider holds a JD from Yale Law School and a PhD in political science from Yale University, graduated summa cum laude from Brown and earned an MIA from Columbia. Her law practice has reached courts from Small Claims to the U.S. Supreme Court and the World Court.
Records: Anti-Corruption 1 for
Democratic · declared
Jon Harris is a combat veteran and US Army Reserve officer raised in a military family who enlisted at 20, serving as an Infantryman with the 101st Airborne Division. He deployed to Iraq and earned the Combat Infantryman Badge.
Democratic · declared
Kelly Kirschner campaigns to lower costs, defend health care and bring opportunity home to the Gulf Coast. He argues Washington has been run like a private club for lobbyists and should work for the people who own it.
Records: Anti-Corruption 1 for
Republican · declared
Sydney Gruters describes herself as a dedicated civic leader, public servant and mother who says she understands what is at stake. She campaigns on defending the American way of life and the issues affecting everyday working Americans.
Democratic · declared
Tamika Lyles is an Air Force veteran and educator raised in Tennessee by a single mother working two jobs. She became the youngest certified nursing assistant in her state's history and served seven years in the Air Force as a medical technician.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org · dos.elections.myflorida.com