The Winner
If you live in Florida's 17th U.S. House District, you will continue to be represented in Congress by Rep. Greg Steube (R-FL), who was declared the winner of the 2026 congressional race, according to the Associated Press. Steube took about 58.5% of the vote to about 40.1% for Democrat Matthew Montavon, a margin of about 18 points, or about 65,511 votes.
The seat stays in Republican hands. The winner is based on the AP call, and the vote figures are unofficial and may change until the state certifies them.
The Race
Montavon reached the general election ballot by winning the Democratic primary on Aug. 18. Michael Quirk, listed as an other-party candidate, received about 1.4% of the vote, or about 5,014 votes. Cook Political Report and Inside Elections rated the seat Solid Republican before the election, and Sabato's Crystal Ball rated it Safe Republican.
The district has about 828,650 residents, according to geographic data for the district, and is about 77.3% white, 15.3% Hispanic, 5.4% Black, and 1.7% Asian. Median household income is about $76,100 and median age is about 55. About 33.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher; the unemployment rate is about 4.2%, and about 9.8% of residents live below the poverty line.
The district includes all of Sarasota and Charlotte counties and portions of Lee County, according to the U.S. House of Representatives.
What's Next
Steube is set to take office on Jan. 3, 2027. He is running for House GOP conference chair, a leadership role that would help shape the party's messaging, according to The Hill, which reported the news on Nov. 5, citing a source familiar with his decision.
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