All three Republicans next in line to lead the Florida House are endorsing Kevin Steele in his bid for Florida’s 14th Congressional District.
Speaker-designate Sam Garrison, who succeeds Daniel Perez in November, backed Steele alongside Jennifer Canady, set to take the gavel in 2028, and Mike Redondo, slated for the post in 2030. Together they represent the next six years of House leadership.
“Kevin Steele is a true Florida success story. His entrepreneurial spirit, business experience, and proven leadership will allow him to hit the ground running on Day One and deliver real results for the people of Tampa in Congress,” Garrison said.
Canady called Steele “a fighter for our values,” while Redondo described him as “a die-hard conservative who will have President (Donald) Trump’s back and won’t bend or break when he gets to Congress.”
“I am truly humbled by their support,” Steele said.
The trio’s support adds to a quickly growing campaign. Steele, a Tampa native and retired tech executive who founded healthcare technology firm DataLink, entered the race last week to challenge 20-year incumbent Democratic U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor.
Steele lent his campaign $2.5 million and launched his first TV ad, drew an endorsement from Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, and now faces a competitive August Primary against former state Rep. Mike Beltran and former White House staffer Bea Valenti.
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Ed. note: This story was drafted with assistance from AI. Editorial judgment, sourcing, and final review were performed by Peter Schorsch and the Florida Politics editorial team.