Race · November 3, 2026

U.S. House · Florida's 16th District

3 candidates on the ballot — an open seat, with no incumbent running.^1,2,3

§1Candidates

Why this matters: Every candidate the state lists for this race on the November ballot, in the state's own order.

Sydney Gruters

Republican · Open seat

Kelly Kirschner

Democrat · Open seat

Mark Davis

No Party Affiliation · Open seat

§2Side by side

Why this matters: The same facts for every candidate, in the same order. Where we found nothing for a candidate, the cell says so — that means we didn't find it in public sources, not that it doesn't exist.

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Fact	Sydney Gruters	Kelly Kirschner	Mark Davis
Party on the ballot	Republican^1,2,4	Democrat^1,2,5	No Party Affiliation^1,2,6
Status	Open seat	Open seat	Open seat
Raised	$1,618,888 through October 14, 2026⁷	$876,363 through October 14, 2026⁸	$66,969 through October 14, 2026⁹
Cash on hand	$252,497⁷	$261,139⁸	$1,699⁹
Outside spending	$1,780,501 for · $135,531 against¹⁰	$0 for · $1,107,209 against¹¹	Not found in the public sources we checked
Data centers and electricity costs	Not found in the public sources we checked	Pause or limit new data centers His campaign website says AI hyperscale data centers should stay out of District 16 unless they can show that they will not deplete aquifers, increase utility costs, pollute the air or override local control.^12,13	Pause or limit new data centers His policy platform backs a nationwide pause on major new data center expansion until a national plan covers electricity, water, infrastructure, jobs, environmental effects and utility costs, and says developers should cover the added public costs they cause.¹⁴
Large investors buying single-family homes	Not found in the public sources we checked	His campaign website says he would increase affordable housing and prevent Wall Street from buying single-family homes.^12,13	His policy platform calls for examining limits and tax disincentives aimed at very large institutional investors that buy up single-family homes.¹⁴
Immigration enforcement inside the country	Her campaign website says she will work with President Trump and ICE to keep families safe from violent criminals entering the country illegally.¹⁵	Not found in the public sources we checked	Abolish ICE and move any remaining enforcement work to other agencies His policy platform calls for abolishing ICE as it now exists and replacing it with comprehensive immigration reform.¹⁴
Federal income tax rates	Her campaign website says she is ready to cut taxes and to fight rising prices so that working families can afford basics such as gas and groceries.¹⁵	Not found in the public sources we checked	His policy platform says federal income taxes should not rise for anyone earning less than $400,000 a year, and that the wealthiest Americans and most profitable corporations should pay a fairer share by closing loopholes at the top.¹⁴

Issues only one candidate has addressed

By candidate, in ballot order. We found nothing public from the other candidates in this race on these issues.

Sydney Gruters — 1 issue

Zoning and new housing
Her campaign website says she will work to rein in overdevelopment and keep homeownership attainable for working families.¹⁵

Kelly Kirschner — 12 issues

Oil and gas drilling on federal land and offshore
His campaign website says he would protect Tampa Bay, Sarasota Bay and the coastline by prohibiting offshore drilling.^12,13
Air pollution limits
Strengthen limits, such as tighter standards for soot and for pollution from trucks and factories
His campaign website says he would make phosphate companies accountable and bolster clean air protections.¹²
Conservation and development on federal lands
His campaign website says he would invest in more conservation land upstream to protect water and wildlife.^12,13
Selling or transferring federal lands
Keep federal lands in federal ownership
His campaign website says he would keep public lands in public hands and oppose efforts to privatize state and federal lands for uses such as golf courses, development and more resource extraction.^12,13
Who decides on military action
Require Congress to approve military action in advance, except to defend against an attack
His campaign website says only Congress has the constitutional power to declare war, that wars of choice require full public debate in Congress, and that he is against blank checks for any military action lacking congressional authorization.^12,13
Federal Medicaid funding
Reverse the 2025 changes or increase federal funding
His campaign website says he would repeal the recent cuts to Medicare and Medicaid and restore every cut.^12,13
Federal disaster aid (FEMA)
His campaign website says he supports a fully funded, proactive FEMA so that the region is not left waiting for help when hurricanes strike.¹²
Medicare drug price negotiation
His campaign website says he would allow the government to negotiate for lower prescription drug prices.^12,13
Business tax breaks
His campaign website says he would close tax loopholes for corporations, pay down the debt and put the savings to work for working families.^12,13
Federal spending levels
His campaign website's FAQ says he backs the Scalpel Plan, which was written by former federal agency chief financial officers and aims to save $1 trillion over three years while leaving earned benefits intact.¹³
Taxes on very large fortunes
His campaign website says he would eliminate tax provisions that it says let billionaires pay less than working families.^12,13
VA staffing
Hire more VA staff, including to replace jobs lost in 2025
His campaign website says he would fully staff VA clinics.^12,13

Mark Davis — 29 issues

Abortion law
His policy platform says medical choices should rest on science and be made by the patient together with the doctor, with politicians kept out of the exam room.¹⁴
Birth control and IVF
His policy platform says to protect access to contraception and IVF.¹⁴
Discrimination protections for sexual orientation and gender identity
His policy platform says LGBTQ+ Americans should have the same constitutional protections, marriage rights, job protections, safety, dignity and freedom as other Americans.¹⁴
Marijuana laws
Make it legal for adults to buy and use
His policy platform calls for making marijuana legal at the federal level, clearing nonviolent cannabis convictions from records and freeing people who are imprisoned only for nonviolent marijuana offenses.¹⁴
Federal minimum wage
Raise to $15 or more
His policy platform says the minimum wage should be at least $20 an hour.¹⁴
Tariffs
His Issues page says rents, insurance costs and property taxes are rising while wages are stuck, and that tariffs make those problems worse.¹⁶
Union organizing rules
His policy platform says to protect the right to organize and collectively bargain.¹⁴
Student loan forgiveness
His policy platform says he would create meaningful student-debt forgiveness and restructuring.¹⁴
Tuition-free college
Free tuition at public colleges and universities
His policy platform calls for working toward tuition that is paid with public money at public colleges, universities, trade schools and community colleges.¹⁴
Drawing district lines (redistricting)
His policy platform says he opposes partisan gerrymandering.¹⁴
Stock trading by members of Congress
Ban members themselves from trading individual stocks
His policy platform says members of Congress, and other officials who can see privileged government information, should be barred from trading individual stocks.¹⁴
Term limits for Congress
His policy platform says Congress should have term limits and should not be a career.¹⁴
Voting by mail
His policy platform calls for safeguarding early voting and reasonable access to voting by mail.¹⁴
Nuclear power
His policy platform calls for heavy investment in renewable and cleaner energy sources, among them solar, wind, storage, advanced nuclear power and dependable grid infrastructure.¹⁴
Child care costs
His policy platform says he supports affordable childcare.¹⁴
Paid family and medical leave
His policy platform says he supports paid family and medical leave.¹⁴
Same-sex marriage
Keep same-sex marriage legal in every state
His policy platform says LGBTQ+ Americans deserve the same marriage rights as everyone else.¹⁴
Aid to Ukraine
His policy platform says to stand with Ukraine against Russian aggression.¹⁴
Military aid to Israel
Reduce or end military aid to Israel
His policy platform says he does not support U.S. financial or military aid to Israel on a permanent basis, though Israel could receive temporary defensive protection in a genuine emergency.¹⁴
Military spending
His policy platform calls for redirecting money from military spending it calls unnecessary to veterans.¹⁴
US role in NATO
His policy platform says NATO matters to the security of the United States and the world, and that its allies share responsibility for their common defense.¹⁴
Background checks for gun sales
Require checks for all gun sales, including private sales (with exceptions such as gifts between family members)
His policy platform says he is a gun owner who supports the Second Amendment and also supports gun regulation, including background checks and closing private-sale and gun-show loopholes.¹⁴
Health insurance system
His policy platform says he supports universal healthcare so that every American has coverage regardless of employment, income, age or preexisting conditions, and his Issues page says the country needs a system that covers everyone without bankrupting them.^14,16
Help for first-time homebuyers
His policy platform says to expand first-time-homebuyer incentives and the supply of attainable starter homes without intentionally crashing existing home values.¹⁴
Border wall and barriers
His policy platform says he supports strong borders and obeying the law, and that America needs a legal immigration process people can understand, and that works, before building more walls or starting mass deportations.¹⁴
Legal status for immigrants here without permission, including Dreamers
His policy platform says immigration reform should aim to bring undocumented people into documented status through a clear and workable legal process.¹⁴
Property taxes
His policy platform says Florida property taxes should not be eliminated without a replacement for the revenue and that he supports reform and replacement.¹⁴
Data privacy
His policy platform says he opposes mass tracking of ordinary Americans and would limit how data brokers and corporations sell and exploit personal information.¹⁴
Rules for artificial intelligence
His policy platform calls for substantial federal oversight of artificial intelligence and for pausing the race to build artificial superintelligence until enforceable safeguards exist.¹⁴

Issue statements are drafted by AI from the public sources cited, and only cover what each candidate has said publicly.

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