Who’s running for Congress in Florida in 2024?

The field of Florida candidates for Congress is set.

The Sunshine State’s candidate qualifying deadline came and went at noon Friday, meaning Floridians now have a clear picture of the races for all 28 of the state’s congressional seats — and the race for U.S. Senate.

The only incumbent who will be elected without opposition is Democratic Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, who represents parts of Broward and Palm Beach counties.

Florida Democratic Party chairperson Nikki Fried touted her group’s effort to find someone to run in every congressional race, the first time it had done so since 2018. Currently, 20 of the 28 Florida seats in the House are held by Republicans.

The qualifying deadline didn’t pass without intrigue. Republican incumbent Bill Posey, who represents Brevard, Indian River and part of Orange County, announced he would not seek reelection Friday. Instead, he endorsed former state Senate President Mike Haridopolos over two other Republicans who also qualified.

In seats where multiple hopefuls from the same party filed to run, like the seat Posey is leaving, there will be a primary election in August. The general election is set for Nov. 5.

The candidate qualifying deadline for several other races on the ballot this year, including for state legislators, is in June.

Here are some of the congressional candidates running in notable races.

U.S. Senate

Incumbent Republican Sen. Rick Scott drew two Republican challengers: John Columbus, a millennial who says he’s running to bring new blood to Congress; and attorney and businessperson Keith Gross.

At least five Democrats are lining up to unseat Scott in November. Former U.S. Reps. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell and Alan Grayson; Navy veteran and businessperson Stanley Campbell; Army veteran and author Rod Joseph and former state Rep. Brian Rush all qualified, state filings showed Friday.

Mucarsel-Powell spoke at President Joe Biden’s rally in Tampa on Tuesday, and Biden appeared to back her. Still, voters will decide whether she or one of her four opponents will face Scott in November.

Pinellas-based 13th Congressional District

The Pinellas County congressional seat held by Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna is a target for Democrats in November. Five Democrats qualified for the party’s primary: Sabrina Bousbar, Liz Dahan, Whitney Fox, John Liccione and Mark Weinkrantz.

Bousbar is a former adviser for the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dahan is a former partner at a Washington, D.C., business advisory group. Fox is a former communications director for the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority. Liccione is a technology executive, and Weinkrantz is a former pilot.

Luna, who’s running for a second term, has no primary challenger. While her Democratic opponents campaign against one another, the Republican incumbent can save resources for the November general election.

Elsewhere around Tampa Bay

Republican Rep. Gus Bilirakis, who represents all of Citrus and Hernando counties and most of Pasco, drew a Republican primary challenger, Hank Dunlap, and a Democratic opponent, Rock Aboujaoude Jr. Dunlap, a self-described “regular guy,” says he is running because he doesn’t believe Bilirakis’ constituents are having their interests represented in Washington. Aboujaoude, a climate advocate, previously ran for a state House seat in 2020 but was defeated.

Democratic Rep. Kathy Castor, who represents parts of Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, has four Republicans hoping to challenge her in November: entrepreneur Ehsan Joarder, physician Neelam Taneja Perry, business owner John Peters and retired Navy ship captain Rocky Rochford.

In Congressional District 15, which includes parts of Hillsborough, Pasco and Polk counties, former President Donald Trump in March called for a loyalist to challenge Republican incumbent Rep. Laurel Lee. Lee has drawn two GOP challengers: paralegal and former California congressional candidate Jennifer Barbosa and Coast Guard veteran and public relations consultant James Judge. Democratic Hillsborough County Commissioner Pat Kemp has also filed to run for the seat.

And Republican Rep. Vern Buchanan, who represents Manatee and part of Hillsborough County, drew a Republican primary challenger — Eddie Speir — and two Democratic opponents: Trent Miller and Jan Schneider.

Speir, who founded a Christian school in Bradenton, was appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis to serve on the New College of Florida board in 2023, but the state Senate did not confirm him. Miller and Schneider are attorneys. Schneider previously ran for the seat in 2016, 2018 and 2022.