Candidate · November 3, 2026

Gus Michael Bilirakis

On the ballot for U.S. House · Florida's 12th District

RepublicanIncumbent
raised through Oct 14, 2026
$2.3M
cash on hand
$254K
issues with public statements
10
outside spending for or against
$359K

§1On the ballot

Why this matters: This is exactly how the candidate appears on your ballot, from the state's official candidate list.

OfficeU.S. House · Florida's 12th District1,2,3
Party on the ballotRepublican1,2,4
StatusIncumbent — Currently represents Florida's 12th District in the U.S. House.5
Also on the ballot

§2Who they are

Why this matters: Background and experience help you judge how someone might do the job. These come from public records and the candidate's own materials.

Drafted by AI from the public sources cited. Each sentence links to its source.

Gus Bilirakis is an attorney who grew up in the Tampa Bay area, where his father, Mike Bilirakis, represented the same community in Congress.6 He earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Florida and a law degree from Stetson Law School, and previously represented District 48 in the Florida House of Representatives.7 He was first elected to Congress in November 2006 and is a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, where he chairs the Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade Subcommittee.6,8

Why they say they're running

His campaign website says his campaign rests on three pillars, families, future and freedom, and that he is working to lower the cost of living, take on rising property insurance costs and fight for affordable housing.9

Service in Congress since 2023

  • 2025–nowU.S. Representative, FL-125
  • 2023–2025U.S. Representative, FL-125

Websites and accounts

§3What they've said on the issues

Why this matters: These are positions the candidate has stated publicly — on their campaign website or in public statements — summarized in plain words with a link to where they said it. Issues they haven't spoken about publicly are left out.

Drafted by AI from the public sources cited. Each sentence links to its source.

Each issue has its own range of views. A position is marked on that range only when the candidate's own statement clearly matches one option; there is no overall left–right score.

Social Security and Medicare

Income tax on Social Security benefits

His campaign website says he delivered the new $6,000 senior tax exemption and co-sponsored legislation to eliminate taxes on Social Security benefits.9,11

  1. End income tax on Social Security benefits
  2. Keep the extra deduction for people 65 and older past 2028, or make it permanent
  3. Keep taxing part of the benefits of people with higher incomes, and let the extra deduction end after 2028
Marked: the option their statement matches.
Medicare coverage of new tests and services

His campaign website lists among his accomplishments the EASE Act, which it says extends telehealth access for seniors, and expanding the types of licensed therapists, including marriage and family therapists, who can participate in Medicare.6,9,11

  1. Add more services by law, such as permanent telehealth from home and testing and treatment by pharmacists
  2. Leave new coverage mainly to Medicare's own reviews of the medical evidence
  3. Add services only when savings elsewhere in Medicare cover their cost
Marked: the option their statement matches.

Taxes and Budget

Taxes on tips and overtime

His campaign website says he pushed for no tax on tips and no tax on overtime.9,11

Targeted tax breaks for individuals and families

His campaign website says he filed the Homeowners Premium Tax Reduction Act, which would create an above-the-line tax deduction of up to $10,000 for homeowners insurance premiums on a primary residence.9,11

  1. Expand these breaks and make more of them refundable, so families who owe little income tax also benefit
  2. Add or expand breaks for costs such as education savings, adoption and selling a home
  3. Keep the current breaks
  4. Cut back these breaks and use the money for lower tax rates or deficit reduction
Marked: the option their statement matches.
Federal income tax rates

His campaign website says he voted to cut taxes for working families and seniors.11

Veterans

Veterans' disability and survivor benefits

His campaign website says he is working to pass the Major Richard Star Act for combat-injured veterans.9

  1. Let all military retirees with service-connected disabilities collect both payments in full
  2. Expand benefits for some groups, such as combat-injured retirees with under 20 years of service and surviving spouses who remarry
  3. Keep current rules, which already pay both in full to some retirees, such as those with 20 or more years of service and a disability rating of at least 50%
Marked: the option their statement matches.

Infrastructure and Transportation

Federal disaster aid (FEMA)

His campaign website says he secured $585 million in federal disaster recovery funding for Pasco County after Hurricanes Helene and Milton.9,11

Immigration

Border wall and barriers

His campaign website says he secured the border wall to cut off cartels driving human and drug trafficking.11

  1. Build walls or fencing along much more of the border
  2. Add barriers only in selected places, relying mainly on technology and agents
  3. Build no new barriers and spend the money on other border security
Marked: the option their statement matches.

Technology, Privacy and AI

Rules for artificial intelligence

His campaign website says he passed the Take It Down Act, which it says gives law enforcement new tools against AI-generated child sexual abuse material.9,11

Children and social media

His campaign website says he is working to give parents more tools to keep children safe online.9

§4Popular bills that never got a vote

Why this matters: Many bills with wide support from both parties never reach a vote, so no member of Congress is ever on record for or against them. Signing on as a sponsor or cosponsor is the only public record of support.

While Gus Michael Bilirakis served, these bills had broad support from both parties but never reached a floor vote. No officeholder ever had to vote on them. Gus Michael Bilirakis sponsored or cosponsored 30 of the 52. How bills die without a vote.

See all 52

§5Money

Why this matters: Campaigns report where their money comes from and how much they have left. Outside groups that spend on their own, without coordinating with the campaign, report that too.

Reported to the Federal Election Commission for the 2025–2026 election cycle, through October 14, 2026.64

Raised$2,255,342
Spent$2,122,513
Cash on hand$254,246
Debts owed by the campaign$54,639

Where the money came from

Individual donors$889K · 39%
PACs and other political committees$1.2M · 53%
Political party committees$3,500 · 0%
Transfers from the candidate's other committees$143K · 6%
Other receipts (other loans, refunds, interest)$35K · 2%

Outside spending

Groups spending independently reported $359,414 supporting and $0 opposing Gus Michael Bilirakis this cycle, primary and general combined, in the 24- and 48-hour reports the law requires for larger expenditures, filed through October 23, 2026.65

Largest independent spenders, as named in their FEC filings.
GroupSupportingOpposing
Affordable Florida$324,062—
SAVE AMERICAN FREEDOM$35,352—

Smaller expenditures that appear only on a group's regular monthly or quarterly report aren't in these totals, so the full amounts can be somewhat higher. When a group amends a report, only its latest version is counted.

§6Financial disclosures

Why this matters: Federal candidates and members of Congress must report their assets, income, debts and outside jobs, and members must report stock trades. These filings show possible conflicts of interest.