Candidate · November 3, 2026
John H. Rutherford
On the ballot for U.S. House · Florida's 5th District
- raised through Oct 14, 2026
- $914K
- cash on hand
- $240K
- issues with public statements
- 6
§1On the ballot
Why this matters: This is exactly how the candidate appears on your ballot, from the state's official candidate list.
| Office | U.S. House · Florida's 5th District1, |
|---|---|
| Party on the ballot | Republican1, |
| Status | Incumbent — Currently represents Florida's 5th 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.
John Rutherford has lived in Jacksonville since 1958, attended Florida Junior College, studied criminology at Florida State University and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy.6,
Why they say they're running
His campaign website says Washington needs leaders who know the community and stand firm for shared values, and that he wants to keep delivering results and working to keep the country and community strong.8
Service in Congress since 2023
Websites and accounts
- Official websiterutherford.house.gov5
- X (Twitter)x.com/RepRutherfordFL9
- Facebookfacebook.com/RepRutherfordFL9
- YouTubeyoutube.com/Reprutherfordfl9
- Instagraminstagram.com/reprutherfordfl9
- Campaign websitejohnrutherfordforcongress.com8,
10 - Facebookfacebook.com/JohnRutherfordFL8
- X (Twitter)x.com/jrutherfordfl8
- Instagraminstagram.com/jrutherfordfl8
§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.
Taxes and Budget
His campaign website says he would fight inflation by blocking new taxes and cutting existing ones, and it lists his vote for President Trump's tax cuts for families and small businesses.11
Immigration
His campaign website says he voted to fund building President Trump's border wall, secure the borders and enforce immigration laws.11
- Build walls or fencing along much more of the border
- Add barriers only in selected places, relying mainly on technology and agents
- Build no new barriers and spend the money on other border security
Energy and Climate
His campaign website says he supported banning oil drilling off Florida's coast and worked to protect the state's beaches, ocean and waterways from offshore drilling.11
Infrastructure and Transportation
His campaign website says he fought for funding to rebuild communities after deadly hurricanes.11
Health Care
His campaign website says he supports protecting coverage for pre-existing conditions and letting dependents stay on a parent's insurance until age 26, and that he has worked to lower premiums, treatment costs and prescription drug prices.11
Foreign Policy and Defense
His campaign website says he supports increasing troop pay and giving the military more resources.11
§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 John H. Rutherford served, these bills had broad support from both parties but never reached a floor vote. No officeholder ever had to vote on them. John H. Rutherford sponsored or cosponsored 38 of the 52. How bills die without a vote.
See all 52
- Lets combat-disabled veterans get full military retirement pay plus disability pay (H.R. 2102, 119th Congress · 340 cosponsors)12Cosponsored
- Ends pay reductions for combat-disabled military retirees with under 20 years of service (H.R. 1282, 118th Congress · 326 cosponsors)13Cosponsored
- Allows Medicare to cover multi-cancer early detection screening tests (H.R. 2407, 118th Congress · 319 cosponsors)14Cosponsored
- Sets electronic prior-approval and reporting rules for Medicare Advantage plans (H.R. 3514, 119th Congress · 308 cosponsors)15Cosponsored
- Expands and revises the low-income housing tax credit for affordable rental housing (H.R. 3238, 118th Congress · 273 cosponsors)16Cosponsored
- Ends waiting periods for disability benefits and Medicare for metastatic breast cancer (H.R. 549, 118th Congress · 272 cosponsors)17Cosponsored
- Ends disability benefit and Medicare waiting periods for metastatic breast cancer (H.R. 2048, 119th Congress · 271 cosponsors)18Cosponsored
- Extends the parks maintenance fund and adds higher park fees for foreign visitors (H.R. 9250, 119th Congress · 263 cosponsors)19Cosponsored
- Expands Medicare telehealth coverage by removing location limits and other restrictions (H.R. 4206, 119th Congress · 248 cosponsors)20Cosponsored
- Bans slaughtering horses and other equines for human food (H.R. 1661, 119th Congress · 238 cosponsors)21Cosponsored
- Permanently bans slaughtering horses and other equines for human food (H.R. 3475, 118th Congress · 236 cosponsors)22Cosponsored
- Requires employer health plans to allow exceptions to step-therapy drug rules (H.R. 2630, 118th Congress · 235 cosponsors)23Cosponsored
- Sets electronic prior-approval and reporting rules for Medicare Advantage plans (H.R. 8702, 118th Congress · 231 cosponsors)24Cosponsored
- Adds Medicare coverage of blood tests to screen for early Alzheimer's disease (H.R. 6130, 119th Congress · 231 cosponsors)25Cosponsored
- Bars insurers from discriminating against living organ donors (H.R. 2923, 118th Congress · 225 cosponsors)26Cosponsored
- Lets businesses deduct research costs right away instead of over five years (H.R. 2673, 118th Congress · 223 cosponsors)27Cosponsored
- Restores fines for charging veterans unauthorized fees for help with VA claims (H.R. 1139, 118th Congress · 221 cosponsors)28Cosponsored
- Requires health plans to cover birth defect care for the eyes, ears, teeth, mouth or jaw (H.R. 3277, 119th Congress · 214 cosponsors)29Cosponsored
- Raises Medicare physician fee schedule payments by 6.62% for April through December 2025 (H.R. 879, 119th Congress · 198 cosponsors)30Cosponsored
- Orders a study of Holocaust education in public schools across the states (H.R. 603, 118th Congress · 183 cosponsors)31Cosponsored
- Lets surviving military and veteran spouses keep benefits after remarrying (H.R. 1004, 119th Congress · 183 cosponsors)32Cosponsored
- Expands U.S.-Israel military cooperation on counter-drone and emerging technology (H.R. 1229, 119th Congress · 178 cosponsors)33Cosponsored
- Authorizes CIA payments to former Air America employees and survivors for 1950-1976 work (H.R. 2192, 119th Congress · 178 cosponsors)34Cosponsored
- Expands Medicare coverage to all services chiropractors are licensed to provide (H.R. 539, 119th Congress · 174 cosponsors)35Cosponsored
- Ties yearly Medicare physician payment increases to the Medicare Economic Index (H.R. 2474, 118th Congress · 172 cosponsors)36Cosponsored
- Adds military spouses to a tax credit for employers who hire from certain groups (H.R. 1277, 118th Congress · 170 cosponsors)37Cosponsored
- Requires FHA mortgage notices to compare costs with VA home loans (H.R. 4335, 118th Congress · 169 cosponsors)38Cosponsored
- Requires employer health plans to offer exceptions to step therapy drug rules (H.R. 5509, 119th Congress · 169 cosponsors)39Cosponsored
- Expands and revises the low-income housing tax credit for affordable rentals (H.R. 2725, 119th Congress · 168 cosponsors)40Cosponsored
- Counts recovery from organ donation surgery as a serious health condition for family leave (H.R. 4582, 119th Congress · 168 cosponsors)41Cosponsored
- Bars insurers from discriminating against living organ donors (H.R. 4583, 119th Congress · 168 cosponsors)42Cosponsored
- Extends U.S.-Israel defense, energy and development cooperation programs (H.R. 3792, 118th Congress · 163 cosponsors)43Cosponsored
- Requires nursing homes and similar facilities to let essential caregivers see residents (H.R. 6766, 119th Congress · 160 cosponsors)44Cosponsored
- Requires annual VA reports and studies on preventing veteran suicide (H.R. 4157, 118th Congress · 159 cosponsors)45Cosponsored
- Doubles the amount of profit from selling a primary home that is exempt from tax (H.R. 1340, 119th Congress · 159 cosponsors)46Cosponsored
- No-down-payment, federally insured mortgages for first responders and teachers (H.R. 2094, 119th Congress · 154 cosponsors)47Sponsored
- Lets 529 education savings pay for job certifications and other credentials (H.R. 1477, 118th Congress · 150 cosponsors)48Cosponsored
- Bans betting on animal fights and allows private lawsuits over animal fighting (H.R. 3946, 119th Congress · 150 cosponsors)49Cosponsored
- Requires new vehicles to include AM radio as standard equipment (H.R. 3413, 118th Congress · 270 cosponsors)50Did not cosponsor
- Expands federal anti-soring rules for show horses and raises penalties (H.R. 3090, 118th Congress · 248 cosponsors)51Did not cosponsor
- Sets new federal care standards for dogs kept by commercial dog dealers and breeders (H.R. 1624, 118th Congress · 237 cosponsors)52Did not cosponsor
- Targets crimes against postal workers; authorizes money for more secure mailboxes and keys (H.R. 1065, 119th Congress · 231 cosponsors)53Did not cosponsor
- Bans most animal testing of cosmetics and sales of cosmetics developed with it (H.R. 5399, 118th Congress · 227 cosponsors)54Did not cosponsor
- Sends False Claims Act fraud recoveries to the Crime Victims Fund through 2029 (H.R. 8061, 118th Congress · 210 cosponsors)55Did not cosponsor
- Keeps paying military members and support staff during a shutdown in fiscal 2026 (H.R. 5401, 119th Congress · 210 cosponsors)56Did not cosponsor
- Raises the tax credit for maintaining short line railroad track (H.R. 516, 119th Congress · 183 cosponsors)57Did not cosponsor
- Expands Medicare coverage to all services chiropractors provide (H.R. 1610, 118th Congress · 180 cosponsors)58Did not cosponsor
- Gives new-car dealers through 2025 to restock 2020-21 inventory without triggering tax (H.R. 700, 118th Congress · 169 cosponsors)59Did not cosponsor
- Lets 529 education savings plans pay for aviation mechanic and pilot training (H.R. 1818, 118th Congress · 162 cosponsors)60Did not cosponsor
- Requires VA clinicians to certify a veteran's death within 48 hours (H.R. 4398, 119th Congress · 158 cosponsors)61Did not cosponsor
- Directs a Justice Department grant to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (H.R. 3381, 118th Congress · 156 cosponsors)62Did not cosponsor
- Funds research on firefighter protective gear made without PFAS chemicals (H.R. 3184, 119th Congress · 150 cosponsors)63Did not cosponsor
§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 | $913,650 |
|---|---|
| Spent | $851,256 |
| Cash on hand | $240,063 |
Where the money came from
§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.
- Annual financial disclosure report65filed May 14, 2026
- Annual financial disclosure report66filed May 13, 2025