Change Address

VOTE411 Voter Guide

Governor

The Governor is an elected constitutional officer and the highest state officer in Florida. A governor serves as the chief executive officer of a state. Everyday job duties include oversight of the state’s executive leaders, policy review, as well as big picture budget management. Serves 4-year term with a limit of 2 consecutive terms. The Governor s 2026 salary was $141,400.

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    Evelyn Castillo-Bach
    (Dem)

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    Thomas E. Fernandez
    (Dem)

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    Dayna Marie Foster
    (Dem)

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    David Jolly
    (Dem)

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    Dotie Joseph
    (Dem)

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    Kenneth Stephann Norman
    (Dem)

Biographical Information

Why are you running for this elected position? What are the two most compelling issues on which, if elected, you feel you can make a difference? ¿Por qué se postula para este cargo electo? ¿Cuáles son los dos temas más importantes en los que, si es electo/a, cree que puede hacer una diferencia para nuestro estado?

What actions can be taken to protect Florida's environment, water quality and coastlines from pollution, overdevelopment and climate change? ¿Qué acciones pueden tomarse para proteger el medio ambiente de Florida, la calidad del agua y las costas frente a la contaminación, el desarrollo excesivo y el cambio climático?

Equitable and affordable access to healthcare is declining, in part due to the decrease of federal insurance subsidies. At the same time, more Medicaid costs are being pushed onto the states. How should the state address these issues? El acceso equitativo y asequible a la atención médica está disminuyendo, en parte debido a la reducción de los subsidios federales de seguros. Al mismo tiempo, más costos de Medicaid se están trasladando a los estados. ¿Cómo debería el estado abordar estos problemas?

The Florida Cabinet, acting as the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund, manages over 12 million acres of public lands. What is your philosophy on conservation, acquisition, and protection of natural resources, including Florida Forever projects, state parks, and coastal areas? El Gabinete de Florida, actuando como Junta de Fideicomisarios del Internal Improvement Trust Fund, administra más de 12 millones de acres de tierras públicas. ¿Cuál es su filosofía sobre la conservación, adquisición y protección de los recursos naturales, incluyendo proyectos de Florida Forever, parques estatales y zonas costeras?

Insufficient housing is hurting Florida families and limiting Florida’s economy. What state measures do you support to address affordable housing and reduce homelessness? La falta de vivienda está afectando a las familias de Florida y limitando la economía del estado. ¿Qué medidas estatales apoya para abordar la vivienda asequible y reducir la falta de hogar?

What is your long-term plan for public education, specifically concerning teacher retention, curriculum changes, and the role of parental rights laws? ¿Cuál es su plan a largo plazo para la educación pública, específicamente en relación con la retención de maestros, cambios en el currículo y el papel de las leyes de derechos de los padres?

Polls indicate the public is more concerned about the cost of property insurance than property taxes. What is your view and why? Las encuestas indican que el público está más preocupado por el costo del seguro de propiedad que por los impuestos a la propiedad. ¿Cuál es su opinión y por qué?

Education M.S. Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism
Hometown Pembroke Pines
County Broward
I have been an independent voter for most of my adult life. I am running as a Democrat to bring that independence to work for the people of this state. I believe every Floridian deserves to live without fear of losing their home, fear of not being able to feed their children, fear of going bankrupt because they got sick.
Florida has excellent environmental advocacy groups and devoted citizens committed to advocating for and protecting our environment. We do not need to reinvent the wheel.

My administration will bring these citizens and experts together and empower them to drive the mission of protecting our Everglades, water, land, coastlines, and natural habitats from pollution, overdevelopment, and climate change.

Hyperscale data centers threaten our environment on multiple levels: water, noise, and disrupting natural habitats. My administration will also empower environmental advocacy groups to protect our state from these threats.
Florida's uninsured rate is 10.9%, well above the national average. Medical debt is the leading cause of bankruptcy in America. I support Medicare for All, but until that happens at the federal level, I will act as governor to protect Floridians now.

My administration will ban all medical debt, ban reporting of medical debt to credit bureaus, and create Florida Direct Care. This system will pay doctors directly for people with no insurance, bypassing insurance companies. Florida has rejected at least $11 billion in federal funds in recent years, including Medicaid expansion. That stops under my administration. No Floridian should go bankrupt because they or someone they love got sick.
Public lands belong to the people of Florida, not to corporations or political donors. My philosophy is simple: protect what we have, acquire what we need, and stop selling off Florida's heritage to the highest bidder. Florida Forever projects, state parks, and coastal areas must be preserved for future generations, not developed for short-term profit.

My administration will prioritize conservation over exploitation, ensure transparent decision-making on land use, and empower environmental advocacy groups to hold government accountable. The Everglades, our springs, wetlands, and coastlines are irreplaceable. Once they are gone, they are gone forever.
Florida families are crushed by property insurance and rent. A 2022 report found insurers' affiliates made nearly $14 billion while executives paid themselves $680 million in dividends.

My administration will eliminate the middlemen who are the affiliates.

For renters, rents are up 39% since 2019. Over 900,000 renters pay more than 40% of their income for housing.

My administration will create a Florida State Rental Voucher Program and fund affordable housing via mandatory fees on hyperscale data centers, large companies, luxury vessels over $10 million, and luxury real estate over $20 million.
Teachers must be paid competitively so they can afford to live in Florida. Curriculum should focus on reading, writing, math, and critical thinking. I believe in public education that serves all children without political interference.
The major threat is property insurance, not property taxes. Too many in Tallahassee avoid facing insurance companies by pushing property tax cuts instead. The Miami Herald and Tampa Bay Times exposed the affiliate scheme where excessive profits are made on the backs of homeowners while rates soar. I will eliminate the middlemen who are the affiliates.

I will tackle taxes by eliminating inefficiency and potential fraud. Property taxes pay for essential services we all benefit from. Those services should not be compromised.
Age 49
Education Miami Dade College; Weber State University; Rutgers School of Health
Hometown HOMESTEAD
County Miami-Dade
Instagram @novaforflorida
Campaign Phone 7865291461
Campaign Mailing Address 267 NE 32ND TER
HOMESTEAD, FL 33033
I am running for Governor because I believe Florida should work for the people who call it home. As a veteran, healthcare professional, husband, father, and community advocate, I have spent my life serving others and helping families navigate challenges.

The two issues where I believe I can make the greatest difference are affordability and healthcare.

Across Florida, families are struggling with rising housing costs, insurance premiums, and everyday expenses. Too many hardworking people are falling behind. We need practical solutions that help families achieve stability and build a better future.

I am also passionate about affordable healthcare. My experience in healthcare has shown me how important quality care is to every family. No Floridian should have to choose between getting the care they need and paying their bills.

I want to help build a Florida where every family has the opportunity to succeed.
Florida is one of the most beautiful states in the country. Protecting our environment, water quality, and coastlines is not just about preserving natural resources—it is about protecting our health, economy, homes, and way of life.

Through my work in communities across Florida, I have seen how environmental issues affect everyday people. Clean drinking water, safe neighborhoods, healthy ecosystems, and resilient infrastructure are essential to strong communities.

We must continue investing in Everglades restoration, protecting our waterways, reducing pollution, and improving stormwater infrastructure. As Florida grows, we must balance development with responsible planning so growth does not come at the expense of our environment or quality of life.

We must also prepare for flooding, stronger storms, and other environmental challenges that impact our communities. By focusing on practical solutions, we can protect Florida's natural beauty for future generations.
As a healthcare professional, I have seen firsthand how important affordable, accessible healthcare is to families, seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities. Healthcare should not be a privilege available only to those who can afford it.

Florida must work to increase access to quality care while controlling costs for patients and taxpayers. That includes strengthening preventive care, supporting community health centers, expanding healthcare workforce development, and reducing barriers that prevent people from receiving timely treatment.

We must also ensure that Medicaid resources are managed responsibly and efficiently so that vulnerable populations continue to receive the services they need. Investing in preventive care and early intervention can improve health outcomes while reducing long-term costs.

I believe healthcare decisions should focus on people, not politics. Every Floridian deserves access to quality, affordable healthcare.
Florida's public lands are one of our state's greatest assets. They protect our water supply, support wildlife, strengthen our economy, and provide places for families to enjoy the outdoors. Conservation is not just about protecting land—it is about protecting our quality of life.

I support continued investment in programs such as Florida Forever, Everglades restoration, state parks, and coastal conservation efforts. As Florida continues to grow, we must make thoughtful decisions that balance development with the preservation of natural resources.

Public lands should be managed responsibly, protected for future generations, and accessible to the people they serve. I believe we should prioritize protecting environmentally sensitive areas, preserving wildlife habitats, and safeguarding the natural resources that make Florida unique.

By taking a practical, long-term approach, we can protect Florida's natural heritage while supporting strong communities and a healthy economy.
Housing affordability is a major challenge facing Florida families today. Too many working families, seniors, veterans, and young adults are struggling to find housing they can afford, while homelessness continues to grow in many communities.

I support increasing affordable and workforce housing opportunities, expanding pathways to homeownership, and encouraging innovative housing solutions that meet the needs of Florida's growing population. We should work with local governments, nonprofits, and private partners to increase housing availability while preserving community character and quality of life.

Addressing homelessness requires more than temporary shelter. We must connect individuals and families to housing, healthcare, mental health services, employment opportunities, and other support systems that help people achieve long-term stability.

Every Floridian deserves the opportunity to live in a safe, stable, and affordable home. Together, we can build a more secure future.
A strong public education system is essential to Florida's future. My long-term goal is to ensure every student has access to a quality education while supporting the teachers, parents, and communities that make student success possible.

Teacher retention begins with respect, support, and competitive compensation. We must create an environment where educators are valued, have access to professional development, and can focus on teaching and student achievement.

I believe parents should be active partners in their children's education and should have a meaningful voice in decisions that affect their families. At the same time, our schools should remain focused on academic excellence, critical thinking, and preparing students for success after graduation.

I also support expanding financial literacy, civics education, career and technical training, and practical life skills. Every student should graduate prepared for college, military service, a career, or entrepreneurship.
Property insurance has become one of the biggest financial burdens facing Florida families. For many homeowners, insurance costs have increased far faster than wages, making it difficult to remain in their homes and plan for the future.

I believe the state must take a balanced approach that protects consumers while maintaining a stable insurance market. We need greater transparency, stronger oversight, and accountability to ensure rates are fair and justified.

We must also invest in mitigation efforts that reduce risk and lower costs over time. Strengthening homes against storms, improving infrastructure, and supporting community resilience can help reduce losses and stabilize premiums.

Property taxes are important, but when families see insurance bills doubling or tripling, affordability becomes a serious concern. Florida families deserve practical solutions that make homeownership more affordable and sustainable.

My focus is helping Floridians protect their homes.
Age 32
Education B.S. Finance, M.S. Science in Finance, M.S. Science in Information
Hometown Fort Lauderdale
County Boward
Campaign Twitter Handle @@Foster4Florida
Instagram FosterforFlorida
LinkedIn Foster for Florida
Campaign Phone 954-900-7277
Campaign Mailing Address P.O. Box 14813
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33302
I’m running because Florida deserves leaders who actually listen. I was a math teacher from Fort Lauderdale and the daughter of a single mother who worked hard so I could have opportunities she never had. I’ve seen how decisions made in Tallahassee show up in real life at the kitchen table, at the doctor’s office, at the gas pump and too many of our leaders have stopped serving the people they represent. I earned multiple degrees while teaching full time because I believe understanding government is the first step to making it work for everyday Floridians. I’m not waiting for the right leader to show up; I’m becoming the leader I once needed. The two issues where I know I can make the greatest impact are fixing and fully funding public education and making housing affordable.
Florida’s environment continues to face serious threats from corporations that prioritize short‑term profit over long‑term sustainability. As governor, I will halt state data‑center construction projects, which have been shown to damage groundwater, worsen air quality, and increase asthma‑related deaths. Our natural waterways must be restored and protected to ensure safe drinking water for Floridians and for the regions beyond our borders that rely on our water systems. The state can create public dashboards to track water quality and carbon emissions, expand cost‑share programs that help farms reduce chemical runoff, and establish a Florida Sustainable Agriculture Transition Fund to support small farmers shifting to sustainable practices. Overdevelopment and urban encroachment also threaten our ecosystems, which is why all affordable housing projects must be designed with climate resilience in mind.
As governor, I will immediately adopt expanded Medicaid. This program has already been implemented in most states and will instantly allow an additional 800,000 to 1.4 million Floridians to get government assistance. Access to healthcare is important, which is why the government should invest in both rural health and better transportation to medical facilities. As governor, I will expand federally qualified health centers, expand transportation services for people seeking prenatal and postpartum care, and advocate for legislation that finally brings telehealth reimbursement parity and expanded rural connectivity to our state.
Our natural resources are the backbone of our state. The state government should protect the environment from hasty and dangerous data center projects, inhumane federal detention centers, and urban overdevelopment. New development projects should be undertaken with care and caution, and with the consent of all parties involved.
Affordable housing is fundamentally a supply and stability challenge, and I'd start by fully funding the Sadowski Affordable Housing Trust Fund and protecting it from legislative sweeps. I'd pair that with zoning and land use reform, including a statewide accessory dwelling unit framework and the elimination of parking minimums near transit to lower development costs. I’d also develop publicly owned land through long-term ground leases paired with community land trusts that remove land cost from the equation and keep homes permanently affordable. Siting this development on already-developed infill near transit lowers families' combined housing and transportation costs and avoids sprawl onto sensitive lands. Funded through existing federal infrastructure dollars and a luxury non-resident property surcharge rather than new taxes on working residents, this approach puts affordable housing within reach of everyday Floridians.
My long-term plan for public education is to rebuild a system that supports students, respects educators, and reflects the needs of our communities. Teacher retention starts with competitive pay, stable contracts, and restoring respect for the profession so educators can build long term careers in Florida. I will work to depoliticize curriculum decisions and return to evidence-based standards that prepare students for the real world, not political agendas. My goal is to create a balanced, transparent system where families, educators, and students are partners in learning.
I share the public's concern about property insurance, because it has become one of the fastest rising and least predictable threats to affordable homeownership. Property taxes, while a real burden, are relatively stable and capped for homesteaded residents under Save Our Homes, whereas insurance premiums have climbed steeply and erratically, driven by hurricane exposure, climate risk, and a distressed insurance market that has pushed carriers out of Florida entirely. For working families, retirees on fixed incomes, and first-time buyers, an unpredictable premium spike can be the difference between keeping a home and losing it and rising insurance costs quietly inflate rents and the price of building the affordable housing our state desperately needs. That is why my housing agenda treats resilience as central to affordability, embedding disaster-resilient construction standards into state-financed housing to lower long-term risk and repair costs.
Education Juris Doctor (J.D.) cum laude from the George Mason University School of Law; Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in History from Emory University
Hometown Dunedin, Florida
County Hillsborough
Campaign Website http://davidjolly.com/
Campaign Twitter Handle @https://x.com/davidjollyfl?lang=en
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/davidjollyfl/
Campaign Phone 727-386-9204
Campaign Mailing Address P.O. Box 266
Indian Rocks Beach, FL 33785
I am running for Governor to build a Florida that is more affordable, more accountable, and more focused on the future. I believe government should improve people's lives, the economy should work for everyone, and every Floridian deserves dignity and equal opportunity. The first issue where I can make the greatest difference is affordability. Rising costs for housing, insurance, healthcare, childcare, and groceries have made it harder for working families to get ahead. I will support policies that strengthen workers' rights, raise wages, and create pathways to good-paying jobs. The second issue is education. Florida needs a renaissance in public education. I will fully fund neighborhood public schools, raise teacher pay, reduce overcrowding, expand student support services, and protect the independence and excellence of our colleges and universities. By making Florida more affordable and investing in education, we can create opportunity and security for every Floridian.
Florida's environment is one of our greatest assets. Our beaches, springs, wetlands, rivers, and coastlines support tourism, recreation, agriculture, and local communities. Protecting them requires stronger stewardship and long-term planning. Florida must accept the science of climate change and invest in resilience against sea level rise, stronger storms, flooding, and saltwater intrusion. Building resilient infrastructure today will protect communities and save taxpayers money in the future. I support stronger enforcement against polluters, investments in wastewater and stormwater infrastructure, and accelerated restoration of the Everglades, springs, rivers, and estuaries. We must reduce harmful algal blooms and ensure clean water for future generations. We also need smart growth policies that protect wetlands, beaches, state parks, and environmentally sensitive lands from overdevelopment.
Equitable, affordable healthcare is declining as federal subsidies shrink and states shoulder more Medicaid costs. Florida should expand Medicaid and bring home billions in taxpayer dollars now funding care elsewhere. Expansion would help hundreds of thousands access affordable coverage and reduce uncompensated care that drives up premiums. As costs shift to states, we must also improve how care is delivered by investing in preventive services, behavioral health, maternal health, chronic disease management, and care coordination to reduce avoidable ER visits. Stronger fraud prevention, transparency, and efficient administration are essential. Rural communities face provider shortages and hospital closures, so Medicaid dollars should stabilize local hospitals, expand telehealth, and support community‑based networks. Healthcare shouldn’t depend on income or geography. By expanding Medicaid and modernizing care delivery, Florida can improve outcomes and strengthen rural communities.
Florida’s public lands are part of our shared heritage, and conservation is essential to our long‑term prosperity. As Governor and a member of the Board of Trustees, I would prioritize responsible stewardship, public access, and protecting natural resources for future generations—not short‑term interests. I support fully funding and expanding Florida Forever to preserve wildlife corridors, wetlands, springsheds, and working lands that safeguard water quality and reduce flooding. State parks should remain focused on conservation and recreation, not commercial development. I also support coastal resiliency, beach restoration, seagrass protection, and science‑based planning to address sea level rise. Strategic land acquisition and partnerships with local governments and conservation groups are key to protecting habitats and preventing costly environmental damage. Florida’s environment is the foundation of our economy and quality of life, and we must protect it for those who come after us.
Florida’s housing crisis is pushing homeownership and stable rentals out of reach for working families, seniors, veterans, and young people. As Governor, I would focus on lowering costs by fully funding the Sadowski Housing Trust Fund and ensuring those dollars build affordable and workforce housing as intended. I support smart‑growth infrastructure, mixed‑income development, and removing unnecessary local barriers that restrict supply. Stabilizing the property insurance market is also essential, as rising premiums are driving the affordability crisis. To reduce homelessness, I support a Housing First approach that pairs permanent housing with mental health care, addiction treatment, job training, and healthcare. We must prioritize veterans, seniors, youth aging out of foster care, and families at risk of eviction. Housing is essential infrastructure, and every Floridian deserves safe, stable, affordable homes.
Florida needs a ten-year renaissance in public education; a long‑term plan to strengthen public education by supporting teachers, improving curriculum, and keeping parents engaged as partners. The teacher shortage stems from years of low pay, rising living costs, burnout, and policies that have left educators feeling undervalued. I would prioritize higher salaries, housing assistance, loan forgiveness, and stronger mentorship and professional development to improve recruitment and retention. We must also improve school climate by reducing unnecessary bureaucracy and expanding mental health and behavioral supports. Curriculum should be high‑quality, evidence‑based, and focused on literacy, math, science, civics, financial literacy, CTE, and media literacy, free from partisan interference. Parents deserve transparency and meaningful involvement, and parental rights laws should encourage collaboration rather than conflict. We must value educators and support Florida families.
Floridians are right to be more concerned about property insurance than property taxes because insurance costs have become one of the biggest threats to housing affordability. Premiums—not taxes—are now the primary driver of rising housing costs, affecting renters, homeowners, retirees, and condo owners. Stabilizing the insurance market must be a top priority. I support exploring a state catastrophic fund to remove natural‑disaster risk from the private market, lower premiums, and create long‑term price stability, while ensuring the system is actuarially sound and transparent. I also support no‑interest state‑backed loans to help condo owners cover required structural repairs that many—especially seniors—cannot afford. Florida must invest in resilience programs, strengthen homes against storms, and increase industry accountability so rate hikes are justified. Insurance affordability and housing affordability are inseparable, and restoring stability must be a core priority.
Education Yale University (Connecticut), Georgetown University Law Center (Washington, DC), Institute for International Mediation and Conflict Resolution (The Netherlands)
Hometown Miami
County Miami-Dade
Campaign Website http://dotiejoseph.com
Instagram @DotieJoseph
Campaign Phone 3108631818
I'm running for the people. We are tired. We're working hard and still not able to make ends meet. Across the state, some are deciding between paying for healthcare, food, or housing. We're tired of the culture wars at home and foreign wars abroad. It's time to focus on us–our real needs right here in Florida. My top 2 issues are making Florida affordable (reduce costs for housing, healthcare, medicine, gas, and groceries) and protecting our rights & what's left of our democracy.

As a civil rights and government attorney, I have devoted my career to helping people. I see where government works, and where it does not. It's time we make government work for, rather than against, people. I want to keep us all healthy, prosperous, and safe. As a State Representative, I've worked with both parties to deliver real results. We need leadership that understands immigrants are not the enemy, seniors are not a "burden," climate change is real, and our democracy is worth preserving.
Florida's future is inextricably tied to our natural resources, and I've championed these issues in the Legislature (PFAS monitoring, data center transparency, renewable energy goals, water management system evaluation to improve flood protection and long-term resiliency, carbon farming tax credit). Our beaches, springs, and waterways power tourism, fishing, agriculture, and property values. We can enforce clean water standards and hold polluters accountable for the nutrient runoff feeding toxic blue-green algae and red tide; continue Everglades and springs restoration; disincentivize overdevelopment of wetlands and aquifer recharge areas that absorb floodwaters; and invest in climate-resilient infrastructure (which along with clean energy, lowers utility bills–e.g. studies show every dollar invested in mitigation saves roughly six in disaster recovery, and resilient communities pay lower insurance premiums). In addition, I'd partner with Native tribes on environmental stewardship.
Florida is one of 10 states refusing to expand Medicaid. Expansion would cover approximately 1 million uninsured Floridians, bring in $14.3 billion in federal funds over 5 years, and reduce $2.6 billion in annual uncompensated care driving up everyone's premiums. With federal subsidy cuts projected to leave 1.5 million Floridians uninsured, and the fallout from the Big Beautiful Bill contributing to rural hospital closures, expansion is fiscally urgent. I've repeatedly filed legislation to expand Medicaid, and also filed the Healthy Florida Act to provide universal coverage for all. I successfully fought to lower insulin costs, expand postpartum Medicaid coverage from 30 days to one year, and allocate millions to address healthcare disparities. As Governor, I'll pair coverage expansion with cost reform, drug price transparency, community health centers, and tackling provider shortages, so care is affordable and accessible in all 67 counties.
My philosophy on conservation is a mutually beneficial symbiosis between human economic activity and the natural environment–maintaining biodiversity and ensuring natural resources are managed sustainably. Public lands are a public trust–not a real estate portfolio to be auctioned off to the highest campaign donor. In 2024, a scheme to build golf courses and hotels inside our award-winning state parks had to be abandoned after bipartisan outrage.

As Governor, I'd propose a budget that fully and consistently funds Florida Forever; completes the Florida Wildlife Corridor; and prioritizes acquiring springs, coastal buffers, and aquifer recharge lands. I'll scrutinize land swaps and "surplus" proposals that quietly hand conservation land to developers. Our coasts deserve special protection, they are hurricane buffers, tourism engines, and home to the fisheries and reefs our economy depends on. We must plant and protect trees under whose shade we know we may never sit.
First, I'd implement the Real Affordable Housing Relief Act HB 1493, which I filed to limit corporate ownership of single-family homes, authorize community land banks to convert distressed properties to long-term affordable housing, prohibit algorithm-driven rent pricing, enable challenges to excessive insurance rate increases, and repay any diverted housing trust funds.

Second, restore local flexibility, cut permitting delays, and help low-income seniors and families with down payments and property taxes. Third, I'd veto raids on the Sadowski affordable housing trust funds. The Florida Housing Coalition estimates the over $2 billion swept over the years has cost 94,000 affordable homes.

On homelessness, I'd request a study on best practices in other jurisdictions that help people transition, provide mental health and substance-use treatment, and I'd veto laws that criminalize poverty.

We need to find ways to make and keep Florida affordable for all.
As a proud product of Miami-Dade public schools, and student of the Civil Rights movement with cases like Brown v. Board, I am keenly aware of the challenges to traditional public schools. My long-term plan starts with solving the retention crisis. Florida's average teacher pay ranks near the bottom nationally and thousands of classrooms lack a permanent teacher. I'll fight for competitive pay that reaches veteran educators (not just starting salaries), restore planning time, offer loan forgiveness, and end political attacks driving professionals out. Second, curriculum, teach honest, accurate history and get politicians out of classrooms; book bans don't educate a single child. Third, parents have always had the right to be informed, involved, and heard, and I'll protect that; but those laws shouldn't let one parent censor what every child learns. And with billions in tax dollars now flowing to vouchers, I'll demand the same accountability from every school receiving public money.
The public is right, and I've been fighting this fight for years. Our property insurance premiums are the highest in the nation, roughly triple the national average, and recent rate cuts haven't reached most families. Those costs go to insurance company profits and CEO bonuses. On the other hand, property taxes fund essential services like schools, police, fire, trash collection, and other local programs. We have some good insurance companies in Florida, and some bad actors that deny valid claims and shift profits to affiliates while claiming losses. As Governor, I will hold insurers accountable to pay legitimate claims, require real rate and profit transparency, and invest in resilience that reduces the underlying risk. On property taxes, I'm open to targeted relief for homesteaded, low-income owners like seniors, veterans, and young people.
Age 31
Education AIU Online Bachelor's Degree Magna Cum Laude
Hometown Tampa
County Hillsborough
Campaign Twitter Handle @x.com/Stephann4Gov
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/stephann4governor26
Campaign Phone 8132202215
I am running for Governor because after prayer of how to impact Florida positively and looking for someone else to believe in and vote for, God spoke to me and said “Look in the mirror, YOU can be the CHANGE YOU want to see in Florida and in life”. One of the most important issues that I know I will make a positive impact on is a rent reduction. The second important issue is to expand Florida healthcare, along with revitalizing education.
First and foremost, we have to get rid of the Republican stronghold in Florida. The Republicans in Florida moving in lockstep with the Trump Administration have decimated Florida’s environment. One idea to protect Florida’s environment is to address climate change at its source, greedy corporations. We can then start to clean up the environment and allow the environment time to recover by replenishing it and cease overdevelopment.
Given the fact that Donald Trump and the Republicans have been constantly challenging the Affordable Care Act, the citizens of America seem to be the victims of a selfish attempt at trying to get rid of a cornerstone in the American healthcare system while offering no replacement. To address these concerns, Florida will have to become self-sufficient and prioritize its citizens to ensure the State picks up where the Federal insurance drops off. This certainly includes an expansion of Florida Medicaid for everyone including children, seniors, and veterans.
My philosophy is to keep it simple: protect the environment and ecosystem of Florida by reversing current DeSantis lawlessness and providing an open dialogue for communities to communicate their specific need within their specific region. I will also make sure that environmental projects have the funding necessary and give the municipalities the power to protect and preserve their own lands. I will also replace all the Boards of Governors as they have been willing participants in the destruction of Florida’s environment.
First and foremost, reduce the rent in Florida. Florida has become one of the worst states to rent in the nation because of the DeSantis administration allowing corporations to price gouge their tenants and allowing rent prices to skyrocket, via the passing of the Live Local Act (Senate Bill 102). Reducing homelessness starts with lowering the rent so housing can be attainable to everyday hard-working Floridians and not just the wealthy.
First things first, Florida needs to significantly raise the pay of our educators and honor the sacrifice that they willingly give in order to supply our future generation with quality education. Education is a gateway to opportunity, and a window to imagination. Our children deserve the truth when it comes to their education and the history of this country including the struggles of Black people in this country. Curriculum changes are necessary. Parents have always had a say in their child’s education, as education starts at home.
I believe both are equally important. Property insurance concerns the maintenance of a home, while property taxes supports the outside of the home, the neighborhood schools, parks, libraries, the neighborhood itself. It should not go unnoticed that instead of trying to solve the property insurance crisis in Florida, DeSantis CHOSE to haphazardly address property taxes. Therefore, by placing the measure on the ballot allowing for Floridians to essentially bring destruction to their very doorstep through deception. The property insurance issue is plagued by insurance companies hiking rates/prices for the sake of “competition” then if God forbids something happens, allowing them to not cover the insured’s claims. These things will change under the Norman Administration.