Who's In the Race

Rep. W. Gregory Steube (R-FL) is running for re-election in Florida's 17th District, where Democrat Matthew Montavon won the party's primary on Aug. 18, and the general election is Nov. 3. The race uses new congressional district boundaries under Florida's 2026 redistricting. ​

Steube has represented the district since 2019, previously serving in both chambers of the Florida Legislature and as a JAG officer in Iraq with the U.S. Army. He ran unopposed in the Republican primary. Montavon spent two years in the Peace Corps and 27 years with the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization working on hunger and food-systems programs, and has a background in urban planning and public finance. He won the Democratic primary with about 55 percent of the vote over Allen Spence. Quirk spent about 30 years in technology, including cybersecurity work for financial and airline companies, and now runs a cybersecurity firm in Sarasota.

What They Stand For

Greg Steube has supported lowering drug prices and expanding healthcare options for Floridians enrolled in Medicare, according to his official House website. He has also supported:

  • Conservative immigration policies,
  • Policies backing Florida small businesses, farmers, and ranchers, along with fairer trade deals,
  • Investigating surveillance abuses by intelligence agencies and protecting Americans' civil liberties; and
  • Faith-based values and support for veterans and service members.

Matthew Montavon has proposed requiring congressional approval for major tariff changes to restore Congress's role in policy decisions, according to his campaign website. He has also supported:

  • Border security alongside an orderly, background-checked pathway to legal status,
  • Addressing housing affordability through public-private partnerships and relief for families facing property and homeowners-insurance costs,
  • Greater healthcare and prescription-price transparency and more competition; and
  • Regular federal-agency audits to ensure taxpayer spending produces measurable returns.

Michael Quirk has proposed a federal catastrophic-reinsurance backstop and faster FEMA claims processing, and has supported open party primaries, ranked-choice voting, and a ban on congressional stock trading, according to his campaign website.

The Money Behind the Race

Greg Steube, the Republican incumbent, had raised about $1.3 million and held about $2.1 million in cash on hand as of July 29. Matthew Montavon had total receipts of about $96,000 as of July 29, about $24,000 in cash on hand, and $33,000 in debt. Michael Quirk raised about $12,000 through June 30 and had about $4,600 on hand. Candidates in the race have raised a combined $1,518,453 as of Oct. 12.

Race Outlook: Ratings and Betting Markets

The Cook Political Report rated the race Solid Republican as of Oct. 9. Sabato's Crystal Ball rated it Solid Republican as of Oct. 11. Inside Elections rated it Solid Republican as of Oct. 2.Kalshi traders gave Republicans, whose nominee is Steube, a 96 percent chance of winning as of Oct. 13, with Democrats at 4 percent.

Steube carried the district with about 64 percent of the vote in both 2022 and 2024. Republicans won 20 of Florida's 28 U.S. House seats in both 2022 and 2024. Donald Trump carried Florida in the 2024 presidential election with about 56 percent of the vote.

The voter-registration deadline was Monday, Oct. 5. The mail-ballot application deadline is Thursday, Oct. 22, at 5 p.m. local time. Early voting in Sarasota County runs Monday, Oct. 19, through Sunday, Nov. 1, from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. daily; in Charlotte County, early voting runs Monday, Oct. 19, through Saturday, Oct. 31, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Election Day polls are open Tuesday, Nov. 3, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time.

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