2026 Voter’s Guide - Florida House District 34, 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 34 Republican candidates

The Florida House District 34 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 34 represents Indian River County and 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 34. Below is an excerpt of each candidate’s profile.

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

Robert Brackett - Incumbent

WEBSITE: www.voterobertbrackett.com/

This candidate did not respond to our request to fill out this voter guide. To best serve you, we searched candidate websites, social media and interviews they’ve done to provide answers to the following questions.

• What are the most pressing problems happening in your district, and what do you suggest to solve them? Please put your responses in the sections below. It is unclear what Brackett believes to be the most pressing issue in his district, but on his campaign website, he does speak of fiscal responsibility. He says the following: It’s pretty simple math: reduce government spending and we can reduce taxes. There are some in Washington who have yet to learn that. We must take a proactive stance at making the government accountable for the trillions of dollars they spend on programs that neither benefit the population nor promote economic growth. Inflation is at an all-time high right now and the radical media says things are looking up. On the Lori Davis show, Brackett said that if reelected, he plans to focus on getting out of the way of small businesses.
• 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? Brackett did not respond to the questionnaire but on the Lori Davis show, he said the affordability issue is really one of supply and demand, though he says things are starting to improve. Brackett says more home insurers are now doing business in Florida, making rates more affordable. He also says that hopefully, Florida doesn’t get hit by a hurricane this season because two without hurricane claims would be great.
• 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? Brackett did not respond to the questionnaire; however, on the Lori Davis show he stated the following: We’ve got to rein it in. In 2014 we collected about $28 billion statewide in property taxes and this year we’ll collect just under $60 billion. Brackett says Florida does have an issue with property taxes but he’s not sure whether the amendment is the answer. He says we have to ask ourselves what services we have to have. He says public safety will be taken care of. Brackett did not say whether he will vote yes or no on the amendment.
• 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? Brackett did not respond to the questionnaire and we were unable to ascertain where he stands on this issue.
• What do you think is the biggest environmental issue your government should address in Florida? Brackett did not respond to the questionnaire but on his campaign website, he says the following about water and utilities: Continue the good progress we’ve made in updating our water and utility infrastructure and fighting for clean waterways and beaches. I will promote legislation that will fund programs that continue to better our infrastructure system. I will also seek to preserve our beaches, springs, rivers, and waterways as they are an important part of our tourism dollars. In 2020, during an editorial board interview with TCPalm, Brackett (Vero Beach Mayor) spoke about septic-to-sewer to help those waterways.

Paul Sohi

WEBSITE: paulsohi.com/

This candidate did not respond to our request to fill out this voter guide. To best serve you, we searched candidate websites, social media and interviews they’ve done to provide answers to the following questions.

• What are the most pressing problems happening in your district, and what do you suggest to solve them? Please put your responses in the sections below. It is unclear what Sohi believes to be the top issue in his district but on his campaign website, the first issue listed is government transparency and accountability. Sohi says the following: Too many people feel shut out of local government. Decisions are often made behind closed doors, public officials become inaccessible, and taxpayers are left wondering where their money is going. Paul Sohi believes government works for the people, not the other way around. He supports greater transparency in county spending, open communication with residents, easier public access to government information, and stronger oversight of taxpayer dollars. He believes elected officials should be visible, accessible, and accountable to the citizens they represent. Public office is a public trust, not a lifetime entitlement.
• 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? Sohi did not respond to this questionnaire but on his campaign website, he does address housing affordability with the Live Local Act. He says the following: The Live Local Act was meant to make housing more affordable for Floridians. Instead, it is being misused in ways that hurt our communities. Developers are taking advantage of the system by offering lower rents initially, only to raise them to market rates shortly after. At the same time, counties and cities are left without real oversight or the ability to step in. This is not affordability. It is a loophole being exploited. Even more concerning, the Act is pushing families toward long-term rentership instead of home ownership. True opportunity comes from owning a home, building equity, and creating stability for future generations. My position is clear. We must amend the Live Local Act to focus on home ownership, not rental loopholes, and restore accountability so local communities have a voice.
• 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? The candidate did not respond to this questionnaire. On his campaign website, Sohi says the following about taxes: Families, retirees, and small business owners throughout Florida are facing increasing financial pressure from rising property taxes and skyrocketing insurance premiums. Paul Sohi believes government must practice fiscal discipline and protect taxpayers from being priced out of their homes and communities. He supports property tax relief, insurance reform, and greater accountability in government spending.
• 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 candidate did not respond to the questionnaire. It is unclear where he stands on this issue.
• What do you think is the biggest environmental issue your government should address in Florida? Sohi did not respond to the questionnaire but on his campaign website he says the following: The Indian River Lagoon, local waterways, beaches, and natural resources are among District 34’s greatest assets. Paul supports responsible environmental stewardship based on science, accountability, and common sense. He believes protecting water quality requires better infrastructure, responsible growth management, and proactive environmental maintenance. Protecting our environment also protects public health, tourism, recreation, and future generations. Economic growth and environmental responsibility can, and must, work together.