2026 Voter’s Guide - Florida House District 32, Republican primary

As part of our commitment to providing you with what you need to make an informed decision in the 2026 elections, News 6 joined with the News Collaborative of Central Florida to present the Voting Central Florida 2026 Voter’s Guide.

Tuesday, Aug. 18 is the Florida Statewide Primary election, a mix of party primaries and nonpartisan local elections, such as school board races, judicial races, and county commission races in some counties.

[ELECTION 2026: Make sure you’re eligible to vote|How to vote by mail|Election Myths]

Florida has a closed primary system, which means only members of a political party may vote in party primaries. To be eligible, a voter had to identify with that party by July 20.

However, judicial races and local races, for the most part, are open to all registered voters, regardless of political party.

Everything you need to know in order to vote in the Aug. 18 Statewide Primary, including how to vote by mail, vote early, and vote on Election Day, can be found in our Election 2026 section HERE.

Florida House District 32 Republican candidates

The Florida House District 32 election is a Republican primary for registered Republicans living in the district. The winner will move on to the general election in November.

Florida House District 32 represents part of Brevard County in Central Florida.

The News Collaborative of Central Florida created a list of common questions to ask the candidates. Questionnaires were sent to all candidates.

Not all of the candidates responded. Where candidates did not respond, we have filled out the information to the best of our abilities.

Our News Collaborative partners at Central Florida Public Media compiled the candidate responses for Florida House District 32. Below is an excerpt of each candidate’s profile.

You can see the full Central Florida Public Media Voting Guide HERE.

Brian Hodgers - Incumbent

WEBSITE: brianforflorida.com/

Central Florida Public Media Candidate Profile:

• What are the two most pressing problems happening in your district, and what do you suggest to solve them? Please put your responses in the sections below.
  • Top Issue: The biggest issue in House District 32 is affordability, especially rising property taxes. During my first term, I passed HB895, which saves families significant time and money by simplifying the trust process after the loss of a loved one. I will continue fighting for meaningful property tax relief, reducing wasteful spending, and keeping Florida affordable while ensuring government lives within its means.
  • Issue #2: The second-most pressing issue is property insurance affordability. As the only insurance professional elected to the Florida House, I worked during my first term to educate legislators on reforms that can further reduce insurance costs. The 2023 tort reforms have stabilized the market, but more work remains. I will continue supporting responsible reforms, increasing competition, reducing fraud, and lowering costs for Florida homeowners.
• According to a University of North Florida poll, Floridians say affordability is their top issue. What are your solutions for dealing with Florida’s affordability issue? Housing affordability is driven by supply and demand. We must address the shortage of skilled construction workers and an aging contractor workforce. We have to streamline planning, zoning, and permitting to eliminate costly delays, reduce construction costs driven by inflation, and increase the housing supply to meet Florida’s rapid population growth. Increasing the supply while lowering construction costs is the best long-term solution to making housing more affordable.
• Will you vote YES or NO on the constitutional amendment to slash property taxes and explain your position. How would you replace lost revenue – fees and/or service reductions? Yes. Property taxes have become an increasing burden on Florida homeowners, many of whom are being taxed out of homes they have already paid for. I support giving voters the opportunity to reduce that burden while ensuring essential services remain funded. Any transition must be fiscally responsible, protect public safety and education, and require government to prioritize spending and eliminate waste before asking taxpayers to pay more.
• Utility costs are rising for customers in Florida, and the proliferation of data centers is expected to exacerbate that issue. How should Florida’s utility regulators respond? The legislature took an important step this year by passing SB484, which I voted for, and Governor DeSantis signed into law, ensuring utility companies CANNOT pass the costs of serving large AI data centers on to Florida consumers. Utility regulators should continue enforcing this law, protect residential ratepayers, and require large commercial users to pay their fair share, and maintain a reliable, affordable electric grid.
• What do you think is the biggest environmental issue your government should address in Florida? The Indian River Lagoon is our district’s greatest environmental priority. Brevard’s half-cent sales tax has generated significant revenue. I believe more of that revenue needs to be directed to the infrastructure improvements needed to protect the Lagoon. As a state legislator, I am working on legislation to require those tax dollars be used as intended for wastewater, septic, and stormwater infrastructure that will improve water quality and restore the Lagoon.

Mark Lightner

WEBSITE: votelightner.com/

Central Florida Public Media Candidate Profile:

• What are the two most pressing problems happening in your district, and what do you suggest to solve them? Please put your responses in the sections below.
  • Top Issue: The biggest challenge facing our district is the rising cost of homeownership. The average first-time homebuyer is now 38, and too many young families are being priced out while seniors on fixed incomes struggle to stay in their homes. I’ll fight to eliminate property taxes on homesteaded homes, lower homeowners’ insurance through market reforms, and ban private equity firms from buying single-family homes.
  • Issue #2: The second-most pressing issue is a lack of integrity in government. In Florida, we often win elections by electing Republicans, but too often those leaders do not govern with integrity or put Florida first. My children and I have a long future ahead of us in Florida, and we must ensure it is a prosperous one by electing leaders we can trust. Nearly every challenge we face can be traced back to poor leadership. Integrity is the foundation of good government.
• According to a University of North Florida poll, Floridians say affordability is their top issue. What are your solutions for dealing with Florida’s affordability issue? Affordability starts with responsible government. I’ll fight for balanced budgets, lower taxes, fewer unnecessary regulations, and greater accountability for every taxpayer dollar. Government should live within its means just like Florida families do. Fiscal discipline creates a stronger economy, lowers the cost of living, and leaves more money in the pockets of the people who earned it.
• Will you vote YES or NO on the constitutional amendment to slash property taxes and explain your position. How would you replace lost revenue – fees and/or service reductions? Yes. Property taxes make homeownership more expensive every year, even after you’ve paid off your mortgage. Eliminating them would lower the cost of owning a home. Brevard County’s budget has grown from about <strong>$1 billion in 2018 to more than $2.3 billion today</strong>, even though population growth has not kept pace. Government spending is out of control. We must get the government back to the basics: education, public safety, and infrastructure.
• Utility costs are rising for customers in Florida, and the proliferation of data centers is expected to exacerbate that issue. How should Florida’s utility regulators respond? Florida’s utility regulators should put ratepayers first. Residential customers should not be subsidizing the massive energy demands of data centers or other large industrial users. New infrastructure should be paid for by those creating the demand, not shifted onto families and seniors through higher utility bills. Florida should also continue investing in reliable, affordable energy sources, including nuclear power, to meet future demand while keeping costs under control.
• What do you think is the biggest environmental issue your government should address in Florida? The Indian River Lagoon is our district’s most important environmental priority. It is vital to our quality of life, economy, tourism, and wildlife. We must continue investing in projects that reduce nutrient pollution, improve water quality, modernize aging infrastructure, and restore natural habitats. Protecting the Lagoon is not just an environmental issue; it’s an investment in Brevard’s future.