2026 Voter’s Guide - US House District 11, Democratic 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.

Democratic U.S. House District 11 candidates

The Democratic U.S. House District 11 primary is open to all registered Democrats residing in District 11.

Because of redistricting this year, U.S. House District 11 was redrawn. It now includes parts of Orange, Lake, Marion and Sumter counties in Central Florida.

The primary will decide who represents the party in the November general election. The current congressman, Daniel Webster, is retiring.

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 Vox Populi compiled the candidate responses for U.S. House District 11. Below is an excerpt of each candidate’s profile.

James Pericola

WEBSITE: jamespericola.com/

Vox Populi Candidate Profile:

• If elected, what are the THREE most pressing problems you want to address, and what do you suggest to solve them?
  • YOUR NUMBER 1 ISSUE and how you plan to address it: Affordability. Affordability is the number one issue facing families in Florida’s 11th District. The cost of groceries, gas, housing, healthcare, and insurance has stretched working families and seniors too thin. Trump promised to lower costs “on day one,” but all families have seen are higher costs, more uncertainty, and more tax breaks for those already at the top. In Congress, I will fight to lower housing and insurance costs by securing federal funding to expand affordable housing and reduce pressure on Florida’s property insurance market. I will work to cut taxes for working and middle-class families, including eliminating federal income taxes for people making under $100,000 a year. I will also take on price gouging, hold corporations accountable when they raise prices to pad profits, and oppose giveaways to billionaires and corporations.
  • YOUR NUMBER 2 ISSUE and how you plan to address it: Healthcare is personal to me. My mother is navigating our broken healthcare system right now, and I have seen firsthand how confusing, expensive, and exhausting it is for families trying to get care. No one should have to fight through red tape, delay treatment, or risk financial ruin because they got sick or because someone they love needs help. In Congress, I will fight to lower healthcare costs, protect Medicare and Social Security, restore Medicaid funding, and strengthen the Affordable Care Act. I will support expanding premium tax credits, allowing Medicare to negotiate more prescription drug prices, cracking down on price gouging, and protecting long-term care for seniors, people with disabilities, and caregivers. Florida families deserve healthcare that is affordable, reliable, and centered on patients, not politics or corporate profits.
  • YOUR NUMBER 3 ISSUE  and how you plan to address it: Protecting our Democracy. We are losing sight of who we are as a country. My wife is an immigrant, and our family’s story is rooted in the promise of America: freedom, opportunity, equal protection, and the right to have a voice in our democracy. In Congress, I will fight to protect voting rights, pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, end partisan gerrymandering, and defend free and fair elections. I will also stand up for constitutional rights, including due process, equal protection, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and the right to privacy. Democracy is whether every citizen can cast a ballot, every person is treated fairly under the law, and government remains accountable to the people. These freedoms should not depend on your zip code, income, background, or political party.
• FOR CHALLENGERS AND OPEN SEATS: Why do you deserve to be elected in this race? I have the experience to be effective for Florida’s 11th District on day one. I have spent more than 30 years in public service, law, and advocacy, including serving as a Presidential appointee, congressional staff, attorney, and senior government affairs executive. I understand how Washington works, and I know how to navigate the system to deliver results for the people I represent. This race is not about gimmicks or empty talking points. It is about lowering costs, protecting Social Security and Medicare, strengthening access to healthcare, and standing up for working families, seniors, veterans, and communities across this district. Voters deserve a representative who is serious, prepared, and focused on solving problems. That is the leadership I will bring to Congress.
• 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? Floridians are being squeezed from every direction, and people are tired of hearing politicians talk about affordability without doing anything that actually lowers costs. Families need relief they can feel in their monthly budget, not more excuses from Washington. My approach is to attack the cost-of-living crisis from multiple angles. I will push for federal housing investments that help increase supply and support storm hardening and mitigation efforts that can help bring down insurance pressure over time. I will support tax relief for working people and middle-class families, including eliminating federal income taxes for individuals making under $100,000 a year. I will also fight to lower everyday costs by cracking down on price gouging, increasing competition, and holding corporations accountable when they raise prices while posting record profits. Florida families should not have to choose between paying rent, buying groceries, filling a prescription, or keeping their insurance. Government should be focused on lowering costs and helping people keep more of what they earn.
• 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? No. I do not support a constitutional amendment that slashes local revenue without a responsible plan to replace it. If it passes, local governments will be forced to make difficult choices, and my priority would be protecting essential services like public safety, emergency response, roads, infrastructure, libraries, parks, and services for seniors and families. I would not support replacing lost revenue primarily through higher fees or service cuts that shift the burden onto working families, renters, seniors, and people on fixed incomes. Instead, I would push for a full audit of local spending, stronger budget transparency, pursuit of state and federal replacement funding, and fair revenue options that do not gut essential services or make everyday life more expensive. Tax relief should lower costs for families, not create new costs somewhere else or weaken the services communities depend on.
• 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? Floridians should not be stuck paying higher electric bills because massive data centers and large corporations are putting new pressure on the grid. If a company creates major new energy demand, that company should help pay for the infrastructure needed to support it. Families and small businesses should not be left holding the bill. Florida’s utility regulators need to press utilities harder before approving rate hikes. That means demanding clear proof of need, forcing more transparency, rejecting excessive profit margins, and making sure costs are assigned fairly. A reliable grid matters, but affordability has to matter too. Congress does not set your electric bill, but I would still use every federal tool available to lower long-term energy costs, including strengthening oversight, expanding energy assistance for low-income families and seniors, funding grid modernization, and addressing federal policies that drive up costs.
• What do you think is the biggest environmental issue your government should address in Florida? The biggest environmental issue Florida must address is protecting our water while building resilience against extreme weather and climate change. I have spent many years working on climate legislation, so I understand that these challenges require serious policy, long-term planning, and practical solutions. In Congress, I will support federal investments in water quality, Everglades restoration, stormwater infrastructure, flood mitigation, and disaster resilience. I will work to hold polluters accountable, reduce harmful runoff, and help communities modernize infrastructure so they are better prepared for stronger storms, flooding, extreme heat, and long-term climate risks.

Royal Webster

WEBSITE: www.electroyalwebster.org/

Vox Populi Candidate Profile:

• If elected, what are the THREE most pressing problems you want to address, and what do you suggest to solve them?
  • YOUR NUMBER 1 ISSUE and how you plan to address it: Affordability:  My number one issue is affordability. It is a word that is widely used—and perhaps even overused—in today’s political discussions, but for millions of Americans it is a daily reality. Families are struggling with the rising costs of housing, insurance, groceries, healthcare, and other basic necessities. Too many hardworking people are doing everything right and still finding it difficult to make ends meet. I believe we must address affordability in a meaningful way. That is why I have proposed the R.I.S.E. Act (Revenue Income Support and Empowerment). The purpose of the R.I.S.E. Act is to raise the economic floor beneath working Americans and provide greater financial stability for individuals and families. By ensuring that people have a stronger foundation, we can help them better afford housing, healthcare, groceries, insurance, and other essential expenses. The R.I.S.E. Act is about creating opportunity, reducing poverty, and helping people move forward. It recognizes that when people have a secure foundation, they are better able to support their families, pursue education and training, participate in the workforce, and contribute to their communities. My goal is not simply to help people survive, but to help them thrive. At its core, the R.I.S.E. Act is about restoring economic dignity and ensuring that every American has a fair opportunity to build a stable and successful future.
  • YOUR  NUMBER 2 ISSUE and how you plan to address it: Education: As a teacher, I see every day why we must make public education a national priority, especially when it comes to literacy. In my classroom, I witness both the incredible potential of our students and the challenges many face when they have not been given the literacy foundation they need to succeed. The United States currently faces a literacy crisis that I find unacceptable. Too many students and adults struggle with reading proficiency, limiting their opportunities for higher education, employment, civic participation, and economic mobility. In my view, literacy is one of the most important issues facing our nation because it impacts virtually every other challenge we seek to address. While the office I am seeking is at the federal level, I believe Congress has a responsibility to support and strengthen public education. I support rebuilding and strengthening the Department of Education so it can better serve students, teachers, and communities across the country. I am also proposing Project Literacy 2040, a national initiative with the goal of raising the nation’s literacy rate to 92 percent by the year 2040. Just as importantly, I believe we should rethink how we define literacy. For too long, literacy has often been measured at a level that does not adequately prepare individuals for the demands of modern society. My goal is to move our national standard from functional literacy at approximately a fifth-grade reading level to a ninth-grade reading level, ensuring that future generations have the skills necessary to thrive in college, careers, trade school, and civic life. Investing in literacy is not simply an education policy—it is an economic policy, a workforce policy, a public safety policy, and a national competitiveness policy. If we are serious about America’s future, we must be serious about literacy.
  • YOUR NUMBER 3 ISSUE  and how you plan to address it: Veteran Issues: As a veteran, I strongly support policies and programs that improve the lives of those who have served our nation. We ask young men and women to make extraordinary sacrifices in defense of our country, and we have a responsibility to ensure they receive the care, support, and opportunities they have earned when they return home. I am particularly committed to addressing veteran homelessness. It is unacceptable that any veteran who served this nation should find themselves without stable housing. I support expanding access to affordable housing, mental health services, substance abuse treatment, job training, and employment opportunities that help veterans successfully transition to civilian life. I also believe government cannot solve this challenge alone. Organizations such as AMVETS are taking on veteran homelessness head-on through advocacy, outreach, housing assistance, and direct support to veterans in need. I support working in partnership with organizations like AMVETS and other veteran service organizations that are already making a difference in communities across the country. I also support strengthening the Department of Veterans Affairs, improving access to healthcare, reducing wait times, expanding mental health resources, and ensuring that veterans in both urban and rural communities can receive the services they need. Our obligation to veterans does not end when their military service concludes—it continues for a lifetime. As a veteran, I will be a strong advocate for veterans’ issues in Congress and will work to ensure that those who served our country are treated with the dignity, respect, and support they have earned.
• FOR CHALLENGERS AND OPEN SEATS: Why do you deserve to be elected in this race? Not Incumbent.
• 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 is my number one issue. As noted, Floridians across party lines are deeply concerned about the rising cost of housing, insurance, groceries, and healthcare. I hear the same concerns directly from families in my community. My approach to affordability is grounded in both immediate relief and structural reform. First, my R.I.S.E. Act is designed to raise the economic floor for working Americans, helping individuals and families better manage the rising costs of everyday life. By providing a stronger baseline of economic security, we can reduce financial instability and give people more room to afford essentials like housing, healthcare, food, and insurance. Second, I believe we must address broader economic forces that drive inflation and cost increases. One area I would focus on is trade and tariff policy. I support amending the Trade Act of 1974 to place clearer limits on the President’s ability to unilaterally impose tariffs, and to restore greater oversight and authority over trade policy to Congress, consistent with its constitutional “power of the purse.” I believe major economic decisions that impact consumer prices and supply chains should be more transparent, deliberate, and accountable to the legislative branch.
• 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? That is a State issue but I am against voting to slash property taxes. And will vote no as a citizen.
• 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? As someone running for federal office, I believe this issue has to be addressed at the national level, not left to states alone. First and foremost, I support a one-year moratorium on the approval of new large-scale data centers nationwide, or at minimum a federal pause on major expansions, while Congress and federal agencies develop clear, bipartisan standards for their regulation. The growth of this sector is outpacing our ability to manage its impact on the electric grid, water usage, and consumer costs. From a federal perspective, agencies such as the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the Department of Energy should be directed to work with Congress, state utility regulators, and industry stakeholders to establish a consistent national framework. That framework must address energy demand forecasting, grid reliability, cost allocation, and environmental impact. For Florida specifically, federal policy should ensure that utility regulators are not forced to absorb unchecked demand growth without safeguards that protect residential ratepayers. Utility costs are already rising for families across the state, and the rapid expansion of data centers risks accelerating that trend if it is not properly planned for and regulated. I believe regulators should require full transparency from utilities and large data center operators regarding projected energy consumption and infrastructure impacts. Most importantly, residential customers must not be subsidizing the energy needs of large commercial operations. My overall approach is not to stop innovation, but to ensure responsible growth. Data centers are critical to the modern economy, but they must be developed within a framework that protects affordability, strengthens grid stability, and ensures fairness for everyday consumers.
• What do you think is the biggest environmental issue your government should address in Florida? My first endorsement was from the Orange County Democratic Environmental Caucus, and in conversations with them—and with many others—I’ve emphasized that Florida faces environmental challenges that are unique compared to many other states. From climate impacts to unchecked urban sprawl, to the rapid growth of data centers, to stress on our aquifers and water systems, we are dealing with multiple pressures at once that require serious, science-based leadership. In my view, the biggest environmental issue the government must address is the erosion of science-based decision-making in public policy. When science is ignored, delayed, or politicized, the consequences are not theoretical—they are felt in our flood-prone communities, our drinking water systems, our insurance markets, and our long-term economic stability. Florida in particular cannot afford to make environmental decisions without relying on data, research, and the expertise of environmental and climate scientists. Whether it is protecting our aquifers, managing development and urban sprawl, or planning for energy demands from new industries like data centers, we must start with science and let policy follow evidence—not ideology. I believe restoring trust in science at both the state and federal levels is essential to addressing every other environmental challenge we face. Without that foundation, we will continue to fall behind in preparing for the realities already impacting Florida communities today.

Dan Williams

WEBSITE: danwilliamsforcongress.com/

Vox Populi Candidate Profile:

• If elected, what are the THREE most pressing problems you want to address, and what do you suggest to solve them?
  • YOUR NUMBER 1 ISSUE and how you plan to address it: Corruption: Our government is broken, and the remedy is radical transparency through Direct Democracy. Instead of pretending that one person can perfectly represent 800,000 distinct voices without continuous input, I am shifting the power back to you. For each major bill we try to pass up in D.C., I will create an educational video for it. The video will explain exactly what it means to vote yes or no. It will contain only facts and no political party messaging. At the end of the video I will include my opinion, which will be clearly labeled, about what I think is best for our community. I will then turn the decision over to the district. Using the Digital Democracy Project and the secure Voatz platform, constituents will vote directly on the bill, whatever the majority opinion is will be my direct vote up in Congress. This system ensures continuous accountability and builds an unbreakable wall against special interests. Currently, a lobbyist only needs to influence a single politician to pass a law. Under my platform, they would have to convince 800,000 everyday citizens. I am running to be your direct voice in DC.
  • YOUR  NUMBER 2 ISSUE and how you plan to address it: Technology: Washington has a serious tech-literacy problem. Out of 435 members in the House of Representatives, only five have any background in technology. Yet, this body is trying to regulate AI, crypto, stablecoins, and digital privacy. The lack of expertise shows. As an engineer and a web development professor, I am uniquely qualified to bring real-world technical competence to Congress. Technology is driving our future, but we must establish smart, solid laws that actively protect workers and safeguard our citizens.
  • YOUR NUMBER 3 ISSUE  and how you plan to address it: Education: I have spent over 20 years in the classroom, teaching everything from fashion design to computer programming, and I fundamentally believe that our schools are the foundation of our future. We must fully fund our education system, pay our teachers the competitive salaries they deserve, and ensure higher education is accessible to everyone. Currently, over 40 million Americans are crushed by student debt. We need to implement a zero-interest loan program so that people can invest in their futures without getting trapped in lifelong, inescapable debt.
• FOR CHALLENGERS AND OPEN SEATS: Why do you deserve to be elected in this race? I am a good fit for the FL-11 seat because I am bringing a fundamentally different approach to representation. People are disenfranchised with politics for many reasons, but the one I hear most is that they feel their votes simply do not matter and that they have no real impact on what happens in Washington. I felt the exact same way. I am not a career politician. I am a concerned citizen who has simply had enough and is willing to step up with a new plan to fix the system. This frustration inspired my platform of Direct Democracy, which gives every person in our district a direct say in our shared future. It is impossible for a single individual to adequately represent the diverse beliefs and values of 800,000 people. My plan takes the politician’s ego out of the equation: my personal opinion counts exactly the same as everyone else’s. I do not intend to speak for you; instead, I plan to be a megaphone with you, so we can amplify our community’s voice into one clear, powerful demand 6. It is time to modernize how Congress works at a foundational level.
• 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 is a huge catch-all. Anyone trying to attack it all at once will not make a dent. I plan to use the exact system I teach my students when they are trying to tackle a big problem. You break it down into smaller pieces until you can actually start solving them. The little wins will add up quickly and bring real relief to all Americans. The first five buckets I would break affordability into are healthcare, housing, daily essentials, the care economy, and the hidden drain. Healthcare is broken and has been for a while. We need to work our way toward Medicare for All. I am perfectly willing to take small steps, but this remains my ultimate goal. A very good start would be to repeal the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003. We saw some slight reforms in 2022, but we desperately need more. Currently, the law binds the government’s hands when it comes to negotiating prices for drugs and services. Changing this would create a price anchor, which ends up lowering prices for everyone. Housing: We have a really good start on this one with the new 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act. It actively lowers housing costs and increases the available housing supply. Daily essentials are basic things like groceries and gas prices. The most recent hikes on these items have squeezed working families harder than almost anything else. To tackle this, we need to crack down heavily on corporate price gouging and stabilize our supply chains. Doing this ensures that a sudden disruption somewhere else in the world does not instantly double the cost of basic goods here at home. The Care Economy: Childcare and eldercare are currently bankrupting families and forcing talented people out of the workforce. We need to expand child tax credits and offer incentives for local businesses to support community childcare options. Making care affordable is not just a family issue. It is a critical economic driver that helps get people back to work. The Hidden Drain: This is the affordability killer that sneaks up on you. It is death by a thousand cuts through junk fees, hidden bank charges, and predatory subscription models. We must mandate absolute transparency in pricing across all industries. If a price is advertised, that must be the exact final price you pay. Stopping these hidden drains will immediately put real money back into the pockets of everyday Americans.
• 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? I will be voting no on the proposed amendment to slash property taxes. In the short term, it looks like a great way for homeowners to save some money. However, our county’s needs are not simply going to vanish. We still need funding for the fire department, police, parks, and libraries. To make up the difference, I have heard discussions about raising the sales tax. This is a horrible idea. A sales tax hike affects lower-income families more than anyone else because daily necessities become much more expensive. If this amendment does pass, I would counter it with a local referendum. That referendum would restore those lost funds and put control back in the hands of our local government. Right now, I am actually working with the Lake County Braver Angels to create a bipartisan informational website. We plan to share this with everyone to explain what this amendment really does. It will break down its true cost and show exactly who will end up bearing the brunt of the burden.
• 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? I believe we need to stop building new data centers until we elect leaders in D.C. who understand how to fix the problems they cause. Right now, these big companies use tricks and loopholes to skip important environmental checks. This has to stop. They must be forced to follow all the rules to protect nature. They also need strict contracts. If they need more electricity, they must pay to upgrade our local power grids themselves. We also have to watch their water use very closely. They must be forced to use systems that recycle their water. This is the best way to make sure data centers do not ruin the freshwater under Florida.
• What do you think is the biggest environmental issue your government should address in Florida? I view environmental challenges through a technical lens. Long-term, our biggest priority must be renewable energy. Energy drives modern life, and we need to simultaneously lower its cost and aggressively pivot away from polluting fossil fuels. In the short term, however, the most pressing environmental threat to Florida is extreme weather. Because of this, FEMA must be fully funded immediately. We are right in the thick of hurricane season, and without sufficient federal resources, we are leaving our citizens exposed to the devastating aftermath of these storms.