How To Use This Guide

1. Pick the issues you care about. Rank the two or three that matter most to you.
2. Find which office handles them. The U.S. House and U.S. Senate write federal law and set the federal budget, and the Senate also confirms federal judges and approves treaties. The three statewide amendments would change Florida’s constitution, mostly on taxes and state savings. County measures in Palm Beach, Broward and Collier decide school, park, library and tourism taxes and how Broward picks its county auditor.
3. Compare the candidates. Read where each candidate stands on your top issues, then read the candidates’ own words and who funds each campaign.

The U.S. House Race

What This Office Does

U.S. House members serve two-year terms and vote on every federal law and the federal budget. All bills that raise taxes must start in the House. The redrawn 22nd District covers inland Palm Beach County, including Wellington, reaches into western Broward County, including Parkland, Coral Springs and Weston, and runs west across the Everglades through all of Hendry County into southern Collier County, including Marco Island, according to WLRN’s report on the new map and Telemundo 51. ​

This is an open seat. Rep. Lois Frankel (D-FL), who has represented the area for 14 years, ran in the 23rd District instead. The old district voted for Kamala Harris by more than five points in 2024, while the new one backed Donald Trump 55% to 44%, and Republicans hold a voter registration edge of about eight points. On Wednesday, June 10, the Florida Supreme Court declined to block the new map while a legal challenge continues, according to WUSF’s report on the ruling.

Candidates In Brief

Republican Casey Askar, 57, is a Naples businessman who was born in Iraq and served in the U.S. Marine Corps. Askar is chairman and CEO of Askar Family Office, which owns restaurant franchises and works in real estate, energy and construction, according to the Floridian Press. Askar won the Aug. 18 Republican primary with 31% of the vote over six other candidates.

Democrat Pia Dandiya, 39, is a Palm Beach County native and Harvard graduate who has worked as a high school teacher and principal, a White House fellow and a manager at Apple. Dandiya first ran against Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL) in the 21st District, then switched to the 22nd after the map changed and won the Aug. 18 Democratic primary. Republicans have described Dandiya’s Apple work as lobbying, which Dandiya disputes.

Where They Stand

Cost of living and health care. Dandiya lists lowering the cost of living, protecting health care and Social Security and fighting corruption as top priorities, and would work on day one to end tariffs and restore Affordable Care Act subsidies, according to WGCU’s district profile. Askar says the Affordable Care Act should be repealed and replaced.

Taxes and jobs. Askar’s campaign pledges to cut taxes and preserve “God-given liberties,” and Askar casts job creation and business-friendly policy as the core of the campaign. Askar wants a seat on the House Appropriations Committee to steer federal money to the district, and has proposed renaming the Alligator Alley stretch of Interstate 75, which crosses the district, after Trump.

Elections and ethics. Askar’s campaign says Askar would “ensure that only American citizens can vote.” Dandiya backs ending the trading of stocks by members of Congress, which Askar also supports, as part of a broader anti-corruption platform.

Venezuela and Cuba. Askar praises the Trump administration’s removal of Nicolás Maduro and says the goal is to “clean out that regime and get rid of communism,” calling Cuba “the cancer of our hemisphere.” Dandiya wants to be an ally on foreign priorities, especially Venezuela, citing conversations with voters in Weston.

Social issues. Askar has attacked diversity, equity and inclusion programs and said children must be protected “from universal education indoctrination in schools.” Askar has called Dandiya a socialist, and Dandiya rejects the label, saying Dandiya is “a fixer, not a fear-monger.”

In Their Own Words

Casey Askar, in an interview with Telemundo 51, Monday, Oct. 26 (translated from Spanish):

“I will bring business to our district.”

Pia Dandiya, in the same report (translated from Spanish):

“What I want to do is lower the cost of living for all of us.”

Questionnaires And Debates

Askar and Dandiya have not met in a debate. Askar did not respond to interview requests from WGCU or the Florida Phoenix, and Dandiya answered both.

Endorsements

Askar is endorsed by Trump, who announced it Wednesday, Sept. 2, calling Askar an “America First Patriot,” according to WLRN’s report on the endorsement. Gov. Ron DeSantis also endorsed Askar, per the Floridian Press report on both endorsements, and Telemundo 51 reports that House Speaker Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) backs Askar.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee named Dandiya to its Red to Blue program, according to Indian American Impact, which also endorsed Dandiya. Wellington Mayor Michael Napoleone, a Republican, endorsed Dandiya, according to CBS12, and former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg campaigned with Dandiya in Plantation.

Who Is Funding Them

These figures are Federal Election Commission (FEC) totals for the 2026 cycle as shown on AllCiv’s Florida 22nd District race page as of Wednesday, Oct. 14. Askar reported raising $7.4 million and spending $5.5 million, with $1.9 million on hand and $6.3 million in debt. Dandiya reported raising $4.6 million and spending $3.9 million, with $735,000 on hand and $247,000 in debt.

A super political action committee (PAC) tied to Trump has spent more than $3.76 million against Dandiya, according to WLRN. Donors who give more than $200 in a cycle are listed by name in FEC filings, while smaller gifts are reported only as a lump total.

Challengers’ Records

Neither candidate has held elected office. Askar ran for Congress once before, finishing third in the 2020 Republican primary in the 19th District.

The U.S. Senate Race

What This Office Does

U.S. senators vote on every federal law and the federal budget. The Senate also confirms presidential nominees, including federal judges, and approves treaties. This is a special election to finish the term Marco Rubio left to become secretary of state, so the winner serves through January 2029 rather than a full six years.

Candidates In Brief

Sen. Ashley Moody (R-FL), the Republican nominee, was appointed to the seat by DeSantis and sworn in Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. Moody served as Florida attorney general from 2019 to 2025 and earlier as a federal prosecutor and a Hillsborough County circuit judge. Moody won about 80% of the vote in the Aug. 18 Republican primary, according to WFTV.

State Rep. Angela “Angie” Nixon (D-Jacksonville), the Democratic nominee, has represented Jacksonville in the Florida House since 2020, runs a bookstore and coffee shop and is executive director of Florida for All, a voter registration coalition. Nixon joined the Democratic Socialists of America in June, according to the Independent Florida Alligator’s Senate guide. Nixon beat Alexander Vindman with about 56% of the vote in the Aug. 18 Democratic primary.

Neil J. Gillespie, who has no party affiliation, founded the advocacy group Justice Network and has not held public office, according to Gillespie’s Ballotpedia profile.

Where They Stand

Cost of living and taxes. Moody backs no federal tax on tips, overtime or Social Security and cites the 2025 One Big Beautiful Bill Act’s tax cuts, according to the Florida Voters Guide Senate page. Nixon would impose a 5% yearly wealth tax on billionaires, repeal the parts of the 2025 tax law that benefit the wealthy and corporations, ban corporations from inflating grocery and fuel prices and repeal the administration’s tariffs.

Health care. Nixon would move toward “Medicare for All” in steps, starting with extending Affordable Care Act subsidies. Moody voted against extending those enhanced subsidies in December 2025. Gillespie backs a national health coverage system that people could opt out of.

Housing and insurance. Nixon would cap rent increases at 10% in some areas, stop private equity firms from buying single-family homes and change zoning to allow duplexes. Nixon would also create a public property insurance option, with profits going into a disaster fund.

Immigration. Moody says the Biden administration did “historic damage” to the immigration system and backs a bill expanding fast-track deportation for immigrants convicted of certain crimes. Nixon calls the current deportation campaign “inhumane and immoral” and backs a path to citizenship for mixed-status families. Gillespie backs legal, vetted immigration and removal of people who entered illegally.

Crime. Moody backs tougher penalties and expanding the death penalty for the most violent crimes. Moody says, “We cannot let soft-on-crime policies affect the safety of our citizens.”

Elections and schools. Moody backs the SAVE Act, which would require proof of citizenship to register to vote, and universal school choice. Nixon opposes the SAVE Act and opposed Florida’s universal voucher law in the Florida House.

Abortion. Moody opposes abortion and has sponsored related bills. Nixon opposes Florida’s six-week ban, saying, “Medical decisions should be made by patients and their doctors not legislators.”

Climate and energy. Moody backs expanding U.S. energy production but opposes drilling off Florida’s coasts. Nixon calls climate change “the most impactful environmental issue in Florida” and says data centers “must pay their fair share” of utility costs.

Foreign policy. Nixon would keep U.S. commitments to NATO, use every diplomatic option before any conflict over Taiwan and restore Obama-era Cuba policy. Gillespie says Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should be held responsible for the Oct. 7 attacks and the war with Iran.

In Their Own Words

Ashley Moody, in campaign material cited in WKMG News 6’s voter guide, Friday, Oct. 16:

“The Biden administration did historic damage to our country’s immigration and national security structures.”

Angie Nixon, in the same guide:

“We must increase the housing supply in Florida to keep pace with the rapidly growing population.”

Questionnaires And Debates

Nixon answered WKMG News 6’s candidate survey and the Independent Florida Alligator’s questionnaire, and Moody did not answer either. Gillespie completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey.

No debate has been held. Nixon accepted an invitation to a Florida Atlantic University debate on Tuesday, Oct. 13, and Moody declined. Talks for a debate hosted by Action News Jax and the University of North Florida stalled in September, and Moody said of Nixon, “I’m not going to give a stage or any attention to that,” per Jacksonville Today. Nixon has called Moody’s refusal “pure cowardice.”

Endorsements

Before the primary, Moody was endorsed by Trump, per FOX 35’s report on the endorsement; Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL); Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson; and Associated Industries of Florida.

Nixon is endorsed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), per WLRN’s Sanders report; Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), per WLRN’s Ocasio-Cortez report; Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-FL); and EMILYs List.

Who Is Funding Them

These are FEC totals for the 2026 cycle as shown on AllCiv’s Florida U.S. Senate race page as of Wednesday, Oct. 14. Moody reported raising $14.5 million, with $816,000 on hand. Nixon reported raising $11.3 million, with $3.3 million on hand. Gillespie reported raising $13,000, with $634 on hand.

The Incumbent’s Record

Moody serves on the Senate Armed Services; Judiciary; Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs; Health, Education, Labor and Pensions; and Aging committees, and on the Joint Economic Committee. This Congress, Moody has voted in 850 of 861 roll call votes and voted against most Republicans four times out of 840, according to AllCiv’s vote data. Bills Moody sponsored that reached the Senate floor include the Charlotte Woodward Organ Transplant Discrimination Prevention Act, the Drone Espionage Act, the Home School Graduation Recognition Act and the Pregnant Students’ Rights Act. As attorney general in 2023, Moody asked the Florida Supreme Court to keep a proposed abortion rights amendment off the ballot.

Three campaign attacks in the race drew fact-checks. PolitiFact rated Mostly False Nixon’s claim that Moody got $2 million richer trading stocks in Congress, because disclosures list only broad value ranges that cannot show gains. It also rated Mostly False a New Deal for All ad calling Moody the “deciding vote” against releasing the Jeffrey Epstein files. Moody did vote with most Republicans in September 2025 to table a Democratic amendment that would have required the release, but Vice President JD Vance stood ready to break any tie, and Moody later agreed to the Epstein Files Transparency Act. On the other side, PolitiFact Florida rated Half True a Moody ad saying Nixon backed a “$4 trillion tax hike” on tipped workers and older adults, finding that full repeal of the 2025 tax law could cost that much but that Nixon’s campaign says Nixon would repeal only the breaks for the wealthy and corporations.

Challengers’ Records

Nixon has served in the Florida House since 2020 and represents District 13 in Jacksonville. Gillespie has not held public office.

Scorecards Readers Can Check

Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America gives Moody an A+, and the League of Conservation Voters scored Moody 0% for 2025, counting 35 votes it rated anti-environment, according to WKMG News 6. Different groups score different sets of votes, so their ratings measure different things.

Also On Your Ballot

Florida Amendments

Florida has three statewide constitutional amendments on the ballot, all placed there by the Legislature. Each needs 60% of the vote to pass, and the League of Women Voters of Florida opposes all three, according to the league’s amendments guide.

Amendment 1: Budget Stabilization Fund. A Yes vote raises the cap on the state’s savings account for emergencies from 10% to 25% of general revenue, requires lawmakers to deposit the lesser of $750 million or the amount needed to reach the cap each year unless certain conditions are met and lets them withdraw money for “critical state needs.” A No vote keeps the 10% cap. The House passed it 100 to 1 and the Senate 29 to 4 in June 2025, according to the Florida Senate’s HJR 5019 page. The Republican Party of Florida and Florida TaxWatch support it. DeSantis opposes it, calling it “foolish,” according to News4JAX, and the Florida Education Association also opposes it.

Amendment 2: Farm Equipment Tax Exemption. A Yes vote exempts farm and agritourism equipment, such as machinery and tools, from property taxes starting in 2027, under limits lawmakers would set. A No vote keeps the current rule, which exempts the first $25,000 of any business’s equipment. The House passed it 110 to 1 and the Senate 37 to 0, and state economists project local governments would collect about $31 million a year less starting in the 2027 to 2028 budget year. Sponsor state Sen. Keith Truenow (R-Tavares) says it helps farmers reinvest in their operations, and state Rep. Anna Eskamani (D-Orlando), the lone No vote in the House, says it mainly benefits large agribusinesses and strains local budgets, according to Florida Politics.

Amendment 3: Homestead Exemption and Local Property Taxes. A Yes vote raises the homestead exemption for non-school property taxes to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, then adjusts it for inflation. It cuts the yearly cap on assessment increases for non-homestead property, such as rentals and businesses, from 10% to 5%, and limits what counties and cities may spend property taxes on. People who are not Florida residents on Dec. 31 would get the larger exemption starting in their fifth year of homestead exemption. Counties and cities could raise the exemption further, up to a home’s full value. A No vote keeps current exemptions, caps and local spending rules. The Legislature approved it in a special session on Tuesday, June 2, according to WKMG News 6. State economists project local governments would collect nearly $5 billion less in the 2027 to 2028 budget year, growing to $11.9 billion by the 2031 to 2032 budget year. DeSantis, Scott and Florida Realtors support it, saying taxpayers would keep more and local governments would cut waste. The Florida League of Cities, the Florida Association of Counties, Florida TaxWatch and police and firefighter groups oppose it, warning of cuts to local services and higher rents and fees.

Broward County

Revised Process for Selecting the County Auditor. A Yes vote has the county’s independent auditor selection board nominate three people, and the County Commission would appoint the one it judges best able to serve. A No vote keeps the current process, in which the board nominates one person and the commission ratifies that choice. The County Commission placed the charter amendment on the ballot with Resolution 2026-316 at its Thursday, Aug. 20, meeting.

Palm Beach County

School District Levy Renewal. A Yes vote continues the school district’s 1-mill property tax for school safety, school police, mental health services, arts, music, physical education, career program teachers and teacher pay from July 1, 2027, through June 30, 2031, with an independent citizens committee overseeing spending. A No vote lets the levy expire. Voters first approved the levy in 2018 and renewed it in 2022, and supporters, including the Palm Beach County Classroom Teachers Association, say it pays for teacher supplements averaging $8,000 a year and more than 900 teaching positions, according to the League of Women Voters of Palm Beach County.

Parks and Recreation Bonds. A Yes vote lets the county borrow up to $280 million over as long as 20 years, repaid from countywide property taxes, to modernize parks, sports complexes and Mounts Botanical Garden, build new regional parks and improve beach access and trails. A No vote denies the borrowing. The league estimates the cost at about $5 a year per $100,000 of taxable property value, starting no earlier than the 2030 budget year, and supports the bonds.

Library District Bonds. A Yes vote lets the county borrow up to $175 million over as long as 20 years, repaid from Library District property taxes, to build a new main library on Summit Boulevard and renovate about a dozen branches. A No vote denies the borrowing. The league estimates the cost at about $6 a year per $100,000 of taxable property value, starting no earlier than the 2030 budget year, and supports the bonds.

Collier County

Tourist Development Tax. A Yes vote raises the county’s tax on hotel stays and other short-term rentals of six months or less from 5% to 6%. A No vote keeps the 5% rate. The extra penny is projected to raise about $9.7 million a year, which would help finish the Paradise Coast Sports Complex and pay for beach renourishment and tourism promotion, according to Naples News Now. The county held public meetings on the increase ahead of the vote, according to Collier County’s meeting notice. Your county supervisor of elections lists every local and city measure on your ballot.

Before You Go

Still Ahead

  • Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Polls are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and anyone in line at 7 p.m. may vote. You must vote at your assigned precinct, which your county supervisor of elections lists.
  • Mail ballots must reach your county supervisor of elections by 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 3. A postmark does not count, so return a ballot in person at a supervisor’s office if time is short. In Palm Beach County, branch offices and drop boxes close at 5 p.m. on Election Day, per WPTV’s deadline guide.
  • Photo ID: Bring a current photo ID with a signature, such as a Florida driver license or ID card, U.S. passport, military ID, student ID or concealed weapon license, according to the Broward County Supervisor of Elections. If the ID has no signature, bring a second ID that does. A voter without ID may cast a provisional ballot, which counts if the signature matches the one on file.
  • In the booth: You may bring a marked sample ballot or notes and use your phone to read them or photograph your own ballot, but you may not take other photos in the polling room. Campaigning is barred within 150 feet of a polling place entrance, according to NBC 6.
  • Questions: Call the Florida Division of Elections voter assistance hotline at 1-866-308-6739, or call or text the nonpartisan Election Protection hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683).

Deadlines That Have Passed

  • Registration closed Monday, Oct. 5.
  • Mail ballot requests were due at 5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22.
  • Early voting has ended. In Palm Beach and Broward counties, it ran from Monday, Oct. 19, through Sunday, Nov. 1, according to Caribbean National Weekly.

Sources

AllCiv Profiles and Race Pages

Official Records

Candidate Statements and Questionnaires

News

Ballot Measures

Endorsements

Voting Information

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