Friday was the last day candidates could qualify for the ballot ahead of primary day in August.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s who\u2019s officially made it onto the ballot as of 1 p.m. Friday, according to the state Division of Elections website<\/a>.<\/p>\n District 12: Gus Bilirakis faces more competitive district<\/p>\n GOP Rep. Gus Bilirakis previously had the most secure red seat in Tampa Bay. He\u2019s still likely to hold onto his redrawn district, which would have gone for President Donald Trump by about 15 points in 2024 and includes part of Pasco County and a swath of western Hillsborough.<\/p>\n Bilirakis is on the ballot in District 12.<\/p>\n Florida air surgeon Darren McAuley, a Democratwho previously challenged GOP Rep. Laurel Lee, announced in early May that he\u2019d instead vie for Bilirakis\u2019 seat. He qualified for the ballot alongside another Democrat, former Hillsborough County Commissioner Kimberly Overman.<\/p>\n They join Branden Scrivener, a case manager at AdventHealth who is running under no party affiliation, in challenging Bilirakis.<\/p>\n District 13: Who\u2019s challenging Anna Paulina Luna<\/p>\n GOP Rep. Anna Paulina Luna qualified to run for reelection in the new District 13, which encompasses much of Pinellas County and a coastal sliver of Pasco. It saw thefewest changes out of Tampa Bay\u2019s congressional districts, though the new configuration is slightly more red.<\/p>\n Three Democrats qualified to challenge Luna: retired U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Leela Gray<\/a>, who has a significant fundraising lead; Pinellas teacher Brandt Robinson<\/a>, who has billed himself as the grassroots progressive option; and Air Force veteran John Liccione<\/a>. Another Democratic contender, Earle Ford, joined the state chief financial officer race instead.<\/p>\n Tony D\u2019Arrigo, a hospitality business management consultant, is also running under no party affiliation.<\/p>\n District 14: Republicans line up to challenge Kathy Castor<\/p>\n Democratic Rep. Kathy Castor faces the fight of her political life in a redrawn District 14 that now leans Republican. It includes South Tampa and a chunk of eastern Hillsborough County, including Plant City and Tampa suburbs like Brandon, Riverview and Ruskin.<\/p>\n A long list of Republicans qualified to run against her, including former state Rep. Mike Beltran<\/a> and state Rep. Kevin Steele<\/a>, who have poured millions into the race already.<\/p>\n Other Republican contenders include business owner John Peters, Navy veteran Robert \u201cRocky\u201d Rochford, Tampa restaurant owner<\/a> Ergin \u201cBatman\u201d Tek and Bea Valenti, who was previously a staffer for the White House and Sen. Ashley Moody.<\/p>\n Libertarian candidate Brian Lambert qualified alongside two write-in candidates, Salomon Hernandez Sr. and Keith Varian.<\/p>\n District 15: Laurel Lee appears safe<\/p>\n Republican Rep. Laurel Lee, who represents District 15, now has the safest seat in Tampa Bay. Her district incorporates East Tampa, a heavily blue patch of the city, but it\u2019s centered in ruby-red Pasco, Citrus and Hernando counties.<\/p>\n Two Democratic challengers qualified to run against Lee: U.S. Army veteran and retired CIA officer Christopher Irizarry, who jumped from District 12 to District 15 after the new map passed, and Army veteran Robert People.<\/p>\n Angie Boone qualified as a write-in candidate.<\/p>\n District 16: An open seat for St. Pete and Manatee County<\/p>\n The sprawling District 16, which stretches from St. Petersburg to Florida\u2019s heartland<\/a>, is considered likely to remain in Republican hands by ratings services like Sabato\u2019s Crystal Ball<\/a> at the University of Virginia.<\/p>\n Incumbent GOP Rep. Vern Buchanan is retiring. Trump has already gotten behind a potential Republican successor, Sydney Gruters, who was executive director of New College Foundation. Her husband, Joe Gruters, is chairperson of the Republican National Committee.<\/p>\n She faces primary challengers Eddie Speir, who ran to Buchanan\u2019s right<\/a> last cycle, and Navy veteran Ed Pope.<\/p>\n The Democratic primary is also crowded. Qualifying Democrats include Army veteran Jon Harris, Air Force veteran and nonprofit founder Tamika Lyles, former Sarasota mayor and former Eckerd College administrator Kelly Kirschner, small-business owner Glenn Pearson and Jan Schneider, who ran against Buchanan in 2024 and lost by 19 points.<\/p>\n Mark Davis qualified to run as a no-party-affiliated candidate.<\/p>\n \u2022 \u2022 \u2022<\/p>\n Tampa Bay Times Election Coverage<\/p>\n Tampa Bay Times Election Coverage<\/p>\n Congressional midterms: St. Petersburg and Wauchula are in the same congressional district. We drove it<\/a><\/p>\n Property tax amendment: DeSantis has claims about his tax amendment. Here\u2019s what it actually does.<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/d2b92f18bfff97288ffe541811226a4b.jpeg\"\/)
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