Candidate · November 3, 2026
Matthew Montavon
On the ballot for U.S. House · Florida's 17th District
- raised through Oct 14, 2026
- $156K
- cash on hand
- $25K
- issues with public statements
- 22
§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 17th District1, |
|---|---|
| Party on the ballot | Democrat1, |
| Status | Challenger |
| 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.
Matthew Montavon was born in South Bend, Indiana, graduated from the Catholic University of America with a bachelor's degree in political science and Spanish, and earned a master's degree in public administration at Indiana University.5 He served two years in the Peace Corps, assisting rural farming communities in Central America, and also worked with the Illinois Migrant Council.5 He worked six years with regional planning councils in Martinsburg, West Virginia, and Lynchburg, Virginia, and with the National Association of Regional Councils and the Government Finance Officers Association Research Center.5 He then spent 27 years with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization on programs fighting hunger and improving food systems worldwide.5
Why they say they're running
His campaign website says that as a representative he will promote progressive policies and work to ensure the government works for the people, and that he will propose and support legislation to strengthen democracy and the rights of all Americans.5,
Websites and accounts
- Campaign websitemontavonforcongress.com7,
8 - Instagraminstagram.com/MontavonforCongress8
- YouTubeyoutube.com/@Montavon4Congress/videos8
- TikToktiktok.com/@montavon.for.cong8
- Blueskybsky.app/profile/montavon.bsky.social8
- Facebookfacebook.com/montavon4congress8
§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.
Courts, Rights and Civil Liberties
His campaign website calls on Congress to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act immediately.6
- Restore and widen protections by law, such as federal approval of voting changes in places with a history of discrimination (for example, the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act)
- Keep current law, as the Supreme Court read it in 2026, without the federal approval requirement
- Stop applying the law to how district maps are drawn
His campaign website says everyone living here should have their rights respected whatever their race, creed, color, national origin or whom they love, and that Congress should secure legislation so every individual can take part in the economy without fear of threats or harm.6
Elections and Government Reform
His campaign website says Congress must act to end mid-decade redistricting, noting that the Constitution calls for district lines to be redrawn every 10 years after the census.6
His campaign website says Congress needs to pass laws restricting campaign donations and making campaign finance fully transparent.6
Social Security and Medicare
His campaign website says he does not and will never support raising the Social Security retirement age.6
- Raise the full retirement age
- Keep it at 67
His campaign website says he favors raising the cap on taxable earnings and taxing all income, capital gains included.6
His campaign website says Social Security should use a Consumer Price Index for the Elderly so that benefits keep up with the true cost of living.6
Health Care
His campaign website says Congress should close the gap the Affordable Care Act leaves in Medicaid coverage, a gap that lets states such as Florida decline additional federal funding for health coverage for low-income families.6
His campaign website says he supports making healthcare and prescription drug prices more transparent, increasing market competition and widening access to high-quality care while leaving consumer choices intact.8
Foreign Policy and Defense
His campaign website says Congress alone has the authority to declare war and to decide whether to fund wars, and that it needs to reassert its constitutional role in foreign affairs.6
- Let the president order military action without needing Congress's approval
- Let the president act first, but enforce the 60-day limit and end any action Congress doesn't approve
- Require Congress to approve military action in advance, except to defend against an attack
Economy, Jobs and Trade
His campaign website says he wants to ensure major policy changes, especially on economic tariffs, go through Congress rather than relying on executive orders.8
Guns
His campaign website says Congress must ban civilian use of assault weapons.6
- Ban the sale of these rifles
- Keep sales legal, with added limits such as a minimum buying age of 21
- No bans or added limits on these rifles
His campaign website says Congress must require universal and comprehensive background checks.6
- Require checks for all gun sales, including private sales (with exceptions such as gifts between family members)
- Require checks for private sales at gun shows and online, but not other private sales
- Keep current law, with checks required only for sales by licensed dealers
His campaign website says Congress must enforce and expand red flag laws.6
- Adopt more red flag laws, including a national one
- Leave the choice to each state
- Repeal existing red flag laws and adopt no new ones
Abortion and Reproductive Health
His campaign website says Congress should make sure all women can get and afford birth control, abortion and comprehensive reproductive health care.6
- A national law making abortion legal in every state, at least until viability, as under Roe v. Wade
- Leave abortion law to each state
- A national law limiting abortion (for example, after 15 weeks of pregnancy)
His campaign website, in a section on guaranteeing reproductive freedom, says reproductive health decisions belong to patients and their medical providers, that both state lawmakers and Supreme Court rulings have weakened that principle, and that government should not interfere; the same section names abortion among the services Congress should make accessible and affordable.6
His campaign website says Congress should ensure that birth control is accessible and affordable for all women.6
Environment and Public Lands
His campaign website says additional protections for threatened and endangered animals and natural resources are important environmental considerations.6
- Strengthen protections and spend more on helping species recover
- Keep current protections
- Narrow protections and give states more control over listed species
Immigration
His campaign website says he supports modernizing border security infrastructure, technologies and staffing.8
His campaign website says he supports creating an organized, background-checked and lawful process for people who are contributing to the local economy to earn legal status.8
Taxes and Budget
His campaign website says he would implement regular, strict financial audits across federal agencies to eliminate redundant programs and wasteful spending, and approach federal spending with practical fiscal restraint.8
Infrastructure and Transportation
His campaign website says Southwest Florida's roads, bridges and flood protection systems need reliable federal coordination and that he will prioritize securing the federal investments needed to maintain them.8
§4Money
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, 2026.9
| Raised | $156,274 |
|---|---|
| Spent | $131,111 |
| Cash on hand | $25,123 |
| Debts owed by the campaign | $33,000 |
Where the money came from
§5Financial 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.
- Candidate financial disclosure report10filed May 12, 2026
- Candidate financial disclosure report11filed Jan 11, 2026
- Candidate financial disclosure report12filed May 13, 2024