Florida’s 14th Congressional District Race Heats Up

In Florida’s 14th Congressional District, residents appear more inclined to back a candidate—namely, former state Rep. Mike Beltran (R)—who is steadfastly supportive of President Donald Trump.

Recent polling highlights this dynamic, as reported by Guidant Polling and Strategic Research. This race features multiple Republicans eager to unseat Democratic Rep. Kathy Castor. Beltran, hailing from Hillsborough County, represents approximately 25% of the newly defined congressional area.

Interestingly, amid the intense competition during the presidential primary, which saw divisions within the Florida Republican ranks, Beltran remained loyal to Trump. While many in Congress leaned toward then-Gov. Ron DeSantis, Beltran did not waver in his support for Trump, even as he prepares for the looming general election.

The poll reveals Beltran currently leads his Republican challengers with 23% support. State Rep. Kevin Steele follows with 5%, while Navy veteran Locky Rochford is closely behind at 4.5%. Other candidates seem to garner even less backing.

Crucially, the study indicated that once voters were made aware that Beltran was one of the few who never distanced himself from Trump, support for him surged, especially when contrasted with Steele, who initially backed DeSantis before aligning with Trump.

An impressive 68.8% of respondents expressed a preference for a candidate who stood with Trump, with 50.4% stating they would “definitely” support such a candidate. In comparison, only 13% indicated they might back Steele, while 18% remained undecided.

The survey also posed an interesting question about Beltran’s motivations and actions since Trump’s 2016 win, including his campaigning and defending Trump through various controversies. Nearly 49% of participants said they were more likely to support Beltran based on this information, with an additional 21% indicating they were “somewhat likely” to vote for him. Furthermore, 70% said they would be more inclined to back him if they found out he resisted pressure to back another candidate.

This survey was conducted from May 25-28 with 302 likely Republican primary voters from FL-14.

Meanwhile, the electoral landscape is also influenced by House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who has warned of a “maximum war” in Florida as the midterms approach, largely due to redistricting tensions.

In response, DeSantis remarked on the situation, indicating that outside interference would not intimidate Florida’s efforts. He emphasized that, rather than hindering progress, recent challenges had prompted swift action from the Florida Legislature.