2026 Voter’s Guide - U.S. House District 7, 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.

Republican U.S. House District 7 candidates

The Republican U.S. House District 7 primary is open to all registered Republicans residing in District 7, which includes parts of Volusia and Seminole counties in Central Florida.

The primary will decide who represents the party in the November general election.

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 Oviedo Community News compiled the candidate responses for U.S. House District 7. Below is an excerpt of each candidate’s profile.

To see the full responses, go to the Oviedo Community News candidate page link for each candidate.

You can also see the full Oviedo Community News Voting Guide HERE.

Ryan Elijah

WEBSITE: elijahforcongress.com/

Oviedo Community News Candidate Profile:

oviedocommunitynews.org/profile/ryan-elijah/

Candidate Q&A: This candidate did not respond to multiple requests to answer questions that were based on voter questions and expressed priorities. Each of the candidates within a race was asked the same questions and given the same amount of time to respond. OCN reporters emailed, texted and called the candidate, who was given several weeks to respond.

Michael Johnson

WEBSITE: www.votemichaeldonjohnson.com/

Oviedo Community News Candidate Profile: oviedocommunitynews.org/profile/michael-johnson/

Candidate Q&A: The questions below are based on voter questions and expressed priorities. Each of the candidates within a race was asked the same questions and given the same amount of time to respond. The candidates’ answers were fact-checked, checked for spelling and grammar but otherwise unedited.

• If elected, what are the three most pressing problems you want to address, and what do you suggest to solve them?

1. Foreign influence that is out to change the values of our nation is the greatest threat to our nation. I will introduce legislation and a Constitutional amendment to require all members of Congress and federal judges to be born in the United States.
2. Runaway spending by federal government agencies is driving us into bankruptcy. I will introduce legislation that will require the federal budget be separated into two parts: all of the social programs – Social Security, workers’ comp, unemployment insurance, etc. – be separated from the Cabinet department budgets. Programs that support the social net programs must show specific sources of funding. The Cabinet agencies must be specific as to where their funding comes from. A detailed audit must be done on each and require audits by [an] independent organization to look for savings and/or sources of funding.
3. Many seniors and veterans are being neglected by the social net programs and Veterans Agency. I will introduce legislation that will require these agencies to create offices that will require help to [those] having issues getting their benefits. I will also introduce legislation that will allow seniors and vets to earn tax credits to help them.

• For incumbents: Why do you deserve re-election to this race? For challengers and open seats: Why do you deserve to be elected in this race? We need term limits. I am the most qualified based on my work experience.
• According to a University of North Florida poll, Floridians say housing affordability is their top issue. What are your solutions for dealing with Florida’s affordability issue? Give first-time homebuyers tax credits. Help end regulations that add expenses to homeowners. Encourage industry to be required to compete on costs of insurance, electricity, water and sewer costs. Add competition in utilities industries.
• 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 vote yes. Cities and counties must give up their non-government spending. Privatize non-essential services.
• 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? Build data centers near our oceans and large water bodies to use cooler water and build salination plants to help water needs. Innovate electricity inventions to reduce costs of cooling, heating, cooking and other forms of products that run on electricity. Florida utility regulators must include those outside the big companies that have a grip on residents.
• What do you think is the biggest environmental issue the government should address in Florida? Water and sewer issues that impact our aquifer. Flooding is wrecking havoc on local older cities.

Cory Mills

WEBSITE: millsforflorida.com/

Oviedo Community News Candidate Profile:

oviedocommunitynews.org/profile/cory-mills-2/

Candidate Q&A: This candidate did not respond to multiple requests to answer questions that were based on voter questions and expressed priorities. Each of the candidates within a race was asked the same questions and given the same amount of time to respond. OCN reporters emailed, texted and called the candidate, who was given several weeks to respond.

Sarah Ulrich

WEBSITE: www.ulrichforflorida.com/

Oviedo Community News Candidate Profile:

oviedocommunitynews.org/profile/sarah-ulrich/

Candidate Q&A: The questions below are based on voter questions and expressed priorities. Each of the candidates within a race was asked the same questions and given the same amount of time to respond. The candidates’ answers were fact checked, checked for spelling and grammar but otherwise unedited.

• If elected, what are the three most pressing problems you want to address, and what do you suggest to solve them?

1. The greatest threat to our republic is not that Washington is broken, but that too many in Washington serve everyone except the American people. Too often, our representatives answer to powerful corporations and special interests instead of those who elected them. Simple reforms can help restore accountability. We should ban insider trading and impose term limits, which is why I signed the U.S. Term Limits Pledge. Public service was never meant to be a lifelong career. Limits on campaign length would reduce the influence of money and ensure representatives spend more time governing than campaigning. We should also restrict the revolving door between elected office, lobbying and foreign entities. Americans should expect their elected officials to be civil servants accountable to the people, not career politicians seeking personal gain.
2. The greatest threat to our prosperity is not capitalism, but crony capitalism that rewards greed and extraction instead of competition and innovation. Too many corporations enrich a handful of executives while workers, consumers and investors pay the price. We must stop corporations from poisoning our people and the environment with chemicals banned elsewhere but still found in our food and products. Americans also deserve stronger privacy protections. Individuals should own their data, and corporations should not profit from personal information without consent. Greater separation between executives and corporate boards is needed to ensure proper oversight and accountability. Capitalism works best when competition is fair, consumers are protected and success is earned rather than extracted. Corporate leadership should answer to consumers, employees, shareholders and the communities they affect, not simply to themselves.
3. The greatest threat to our future is not a recession or foreign adversary, but a federal government that spends far beyond its means and passes the bill to future generations. Congress has not balanced the budget in more than two decades, and changing that must begin with changing the behavior of government itself. Last year, the federal government collected roughly $5 trillion and spent nearly $7 trillion. Debt is accelerating, and we are nearing a point where interest payments consume much of the budget. If this continues, the dollar and America’s global influence will be at risk. Families already feel the consequences as inflation erodes earnings and savings, making homeownership, debt repayment and financial stability harder to achieve. Instead of relying on rushed continuing resolutions and shutdown threats, Congress must return to regular order and responsible budgeting. These measures fuel instability and enable unrelated spending provisions that burden taxpayers.

• According to a University of North Florida poll, Floridians say housing affordability is their top issue. What are your solutions for dealing with Florida’s affordability issue? Owning a home has long been one of the most reliable paths to financial stability and generational wealth. For more than 25 years, I have helped Central Florida families purchase homes, and served on the Volusia Affordable Housing Advisory Committee because this issue matters deeply to me. Congress is considering legislation to improve affordability, including a provision I support that would prevent institutional investors owning more than 350 homes from buying additional single-family homes. That would be an important first step, but it cannot be the last. Large investment firms own significant numbers of homes in concentrated Central Florida neighborhoods, influencing prices and reducing inventory for working families. Buyers should not have to compete with corporations for their basic needs. We must also address the economic pressures driving housing costs. A balanced federal budget can reduce inflationary pressure, while lower inflation can help bring down interest rates and monthly mortgage payments. Energy costs matter as well: higher fuel prices raise the cost of materials, transportation and construction. Homes should be stability for families — not simply assets for large corporations to accumulate.
• 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. While I applaud the effort to reduce the tax burden on Florida homeowners, the reality is that local governments still have to fund emergency services, infrastructure and other essential community needs. If property tax revenues are reduced, many municipalities will look for other ways to make up the difference. In many cases, that means replacing property tax revenue with flat fees and assessments. Unlike property taxes, which generally scale with a home’s value, these fees are often charged at the same rate regardless of a property’s worth. As a result, homeowners with lower-value homes can end up paying a disproportionately larger share of the cost, creating an unintended consequence for the very families these policies are intended to help. My greater concern is that these proposals shift decision-making authority away from local communities and toward the state government. Local officials are best positioned to understand the needs and priorities of their residents. When the state takes greater control over revenue and spending decisions, it gains the power to determine which communities receive resources and which do not. I believe those decisions should remain as close to the people as possible, where local voters can hold their elected officials directly accountable.
• 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? Artificial intelligence will not magically solve the world’s problems or deliver the future its biggest advocates promise. AI outputs are only as good as the information put into them. While it can create efficiencies and reduce processing times, more technology is not the answer to every challenge facing our country. We should ask: Will this make America better? Had we asked that before allowing social media to grow largely unchecked, we might be less divided and less vulnerable to foreign influence. AI already enables convincing fake videos, images and propaganda, and those threats will only become more sophisticated. There are also concerns about cost. Regulators are pushing energy providers to connect AI data centers more quickly, promising companies will pay for upgrades and consumers will not see higher bills. We have heard similar promises before. The federal government should establish basic AI safeguards while allowing states to adopt stronger protections. AI is making it easier to identify and exploit weaknesses in our infrastructure, financial systems and national security. Innovation matters, but so does caution. America should lead responsibly; not simply race to keep up.
• What do you think is the biggest environmental issue the government should address in Florida? Dwindling freshwater supplies are a growing concern for Florida. In many ways, we are becoming victims of our own success. Rapid population growth is placing increasing pressure on our aquifer, pushing this vital resource closer to its limits. Without a reliable supply of clean water, both our quality of life and our economy will suffer. The growing demand from large-scale facilities, including data centers, could further exacerbate this challenge. While the federal government should not dictate solutions to the states, it should stand ready to support and partner with Florida in protecting our environment. Once natural resources are damaged, restoration is often extraordinarily expensive and, in some cases, impossible. Protecting what we have today is far wiser than trying to rebuild it tomorrow.