South 2026
The Whitsdom Press · Election 2026
South 2026: the races, the stances, the bills, and what’s on the ballot
The marquee contests across eight Southern states — who’s running, where they stand, the bills shaping each race, and every statewide proposition with a plain-English explainer. Note: the bills are laws already passed that are shaping these races — only the ballot measures are actually on the Nov 3 ballot. Back to Texas Election Watch.
Texas
Top races
U.S. Senate: Ken Paxton (R) vs. James Talarico (D) vs. Ted Brown (L)
Governor: Greg Abbott (R, inc.) vs. Gina Hinojosa (D) vs. Pat Dixon (L)
Lt. Governor: Dan Patrick (R, inc.) vs. Vikki Goodwin (D) vs. Anthony Cristo (L) vs. Kevin McCormick (Green)
Attorney General: Mayes Middleton (R) vs. Nathan Johnson (D) vs. Tom Oxford (L)
House to watch: TX-29 — Sylvia Garcia (D, inc.) vs. Martha Fierro (R) (redrawn, north Houston); TX-9 — Alex Mealer (R) vs. Leticia Gutierrez (D) (redrawn east Harris/Liberty, rated Likely R)
The full Texas tracker: 581 races · 956 candidate entries — every race, county, and ballot is on our Texas Statewide Tracker, and Harris County is the main Election Watch page.
Where they stand
Ken Paxton (R) — U.S. Senate
- Border: secure the southern border, more wall construction, enforce federal immigration law; as AG he sued Houston officials over limiting police cooperation with ICE and challenged DACA.
- Abortion: “defend the unborn” — affirmed Texas’ trigger ban as AG, sued out-of-state abortion-medication providers.
- “Texas Promise” tax plan: $25K deduction for out-of-pocket medical costs, $50K for first-time homebuyers, double the Child Tax Credit; protect Social Security/Medicare; backs school choice and the SAVE America Act (proof of citizenship to register).
James Talarico (D) — U.S. Senate
- Affordability: $15 federal minimum wage, raise taxes on billionaires/corporations, repeal Trump tariffs, expand the Child Tax Credit and EITC, universal childcare and paid family leave, cancel medical debt.
- Abortion: put Roe protections into federal law; calls Texas’ ban “dangerous”; protect contraception and IVF access.
- “Border security Democrat”: does not support abolishing ICE, says mass deportation has gone too far; path to citizenship for Dreamers and long-resident immigrants; against public dollars for private-school vouchers; universal background checks while protecting the Second Amendment.
Greg Abbott (R) — Governor
- Property taxes: let voters decide on eliminating school property taxes for homeowners; cut the appraisal cap 10% → 3%; two-thirds voter approval for tax increases; appraisals only once every five years.
- Education: defends the 2025 private-school voucher program ($1B over two years) alongside public-school funding.
- Border: continues Operation Lone Star (~$11B) — barriers, deployments, state help for ICE arrests/deportations, required county cooperation; backs the 2025 bail-restriction package.
Gina Hinojosa (D) — Governor
- Education: repeal the voucher program entirely; day one — fire the TEA commissioner, end STAAR, pause A–F ratings, return taken-over districts to local control; make Texas teachers among the highest-paid.
- Affordability: one-time $1,500 check to every Texas household from the Rainy Day Fund, freeze residential electricity rates, pause the state gas tax; lower property taxes, no state income tax.
- Health: rein in insurers, drug companies, and private-equity health care; restore reproductive rights; moratorium on new data-center builds until protections exist. Broke quorum in 2021 and 2025.
Mayes Middleton (R) — Attorney General
- Border: stricter enforcement, sue sanctuary cities that deny ICE requests, combat trafficking and cartels.
- Elections: strict enforcement incl. voter ID; restore the AG’s power to prosecute election crimes.
- “DOGE Texas”: root out waste, fraud, abuse; enforce open-records laws and the law barring China and Iran from buying Texas land; enforce Texas abortion laws.
Nathan Johnson (D) — Attorney General
- Anti-corruption: prosecute officials regardless of party, scrutinize state contracting and conflicts of interest, protect whistleblowers.
- Consumer protection: rebuild case volume against price gouging, scams, and unfair competition; review gaps on AI scams and data privacy.
- Basics and border: child-support collection, legal opinions, bond guidance for cities and counties; secure the border against smuggling/trafficking while rejecting unconstitutional tactics; work with local DAs, not against them.
Bills shaping this race
- School vouchers — SB 2 (2025): the $1B private-school voucher/ESA program — Abbott defends it, Hinojosa would repeal it outright.
- Mid-decade redistricting (2025): the new congressional map that redrew TX-29 and moved TX-9 to east Harris/Liberty — it shapes every House race on the Texas ballot.
- Bail-restriction package (2025): lets judges deny bail for certain violent offenses — a centerpiece of Abbott’s public-safety record.
- Operation Lone Star: the ~$11B state border program (barriers, deployments, ICE cooperation) — Abbott runs on continuing it.
On the ballot Counties & ballots
- Harris County (Houston) — Early voting Oct 19–24 & 26–30, 7 a.m.–7 p.m.; Sun Oct 25, noon–7 p.m. 243 ballot styles and ~80 judicial contests. Houston Proposition A (“Houston Freedom Act”) — Houston residents only: makes low-level marijuana enforcement HPD’s lowest priority and bans no-knock warrants. FOR = amend the charter; AGAINST = keep as-is. It does not legalize marijuana. No countywide measures. Full detail: the Harris County Tracker.
- Fort Bend County — Early voting in the statewide window (Oct 19–30); 35 early-voting locations, 7 a.m.–7 p.m. Mon–Sat; Sun Oct 25, 16 sites open noon–6 p.m. Heads up: the county warns some third-party sites show outdated 2021–2025 district lines — verify your 2026 districts with the county.
- Montgomery County (Conroe) — Early voting Oct 19–23, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.; Oct 24, 7 a.m.–7 p.m.; Oct 25, 11 a.m.–5 p.m.; Oct 26–30, 7 a.m.–7 p.m. Several voting locations/rooms have changed — check before you go.
- Dallas County — Early voting Oct 19–23, 7 a.m.–7 p.m.; Sat Oct 24, 7 a.m.–7 p.m.; Sun Oct 25, noon–6 p.m.; Oct 26–30, 7 a.m.–7 p.m.
- Tarrant County (Fort Worth) — 47 early-voting locations: Oct 19–23, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.; Sat Oct 24, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.; Sun Oct 25, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.; Oct 26–30, 7 a.m.–7 p.m. Watch: the Commissioners Court voted 3–2 (Sept 1) to cut Election Day sites from 316 to 224; four Fort Worth women sued Oct 2 to restore them — a judge denied the Oct 13 request to restore them, so the reduced map stands for Nov 3. Double-check your Election Day site.
- Bexar County (San Antonio) — 58 early-voting locations: Oct 19–23, 8 a.m.–6 p.m.; Sat Oct 24, 7 a.m.–7 p.m.; Sun Oct 25, noon–6 p.m.; Oct 26–30, 7 a.m.–7 p.m. (Two sites are weekday-only.)
- Travis County (Austin) — Early voting Oct 19–30 in the statewide window; confirm daily hours and locations with VoteTravis.
- El Paso County — Early voting Oct 19–30 in the statewide window; confirm locations and hours with the county elections department.
- Collin County (Plano/McKinney) — Early voting Oct 19–23, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.; Sat Oct 24, 7 a.m.–7 p.m.; Sun Oct 25, 11 a.m.–5 p.m.; Oct 26–30, 7 a.m.–7 p.m. On the ballot: an $817.5 million bond election — four propositions covering courts and jail facilities, roads, parks, and an elections/records building.
- Denton County — Early voting Oct 19–30 in the statewide window; confirm locations and hours with VoteDenton.
Arkansas
Top races
U.S. Senate: Tom Cotton (R, inc.) vs. Hallie Shoffner (D) vs. Jeff Wadlin (L)
Governor: Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R, inc.) vs. Fredrick Love (D) vs. Colt Shelby (L)
House to watch: AR-2 — French Hill (R, inc.) vs. Chris Jones (D)
Where they stand
Tom Cotton (R) — U.S. Senate
- Secure the border, lower costs, bolster national security; China hawk who backs tariffs as leverage.
- Publicly opposed year-round daylight saving as an “Arkansas-first” stand — even as Trump pushed it.
- Chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee; roughly 10-to-1 fundraising edge.
Hallie Shoffner (D) — U.S. Senate
- “Arkansas-first economic plan”: tax cuts for working families; lower grocery, childcare, housing, and health costs; raise the minimum wage.
- Protect Social Security (lift the payroll-tax cap) and Medicare; expand in-home senior care.
- Anti-corruption: ban congressional stock trading, limit megadonor spending.
Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R) — Governor
- Running on her record: LEARNS vouchers, 20% income-tax cut, “Bell to Bell, No Cell” phone ban in schools.
- Medicaid work requirements (80 hrs/month) for healthy adults; pushing a new 3,000-bed prison.
- Trump-endorsed; ads tout Arkansas as #1 for low cost of living.
Fredrick Love (D) — Governor
- Protect Medicaid expansion — direct contrast with Sanders’s work requirements.
- Stop the LEARNS voucher program; invest in public education.
- Opposes the Franklin County prison: reentry planning, mental-health beds, and childcare as crime prevention.
Bills shaping this race
- “Bell to Bell, No Cell” (2025): restricts students’ personal devices during the school day — Sanders’s signature education law.
- Ten Commandments displays (2025): required in public schools; struck down by a federal judge in March 2026, now on appeal — argued before the 8th Circuit Sept 22, 2026; decision pending; live before Election Day.
- Initiative restrictions + court ruling: new limits on ballot-measure petitions, and the state Supreme Court ruled the legislature can amend voter-approved amendments — raising the stakes of every measure below.
On the ballot Statewide measures
- Issue 1 — Citizens-Only Voting: Writes “only citizens may vote” explicitly into the constitution (citizenship is already required to register). YES: explicit citizen-only voting. NO: keep current wording.
- Issue 2 — Gun Rights Expansion: Expands the state right to bear arms to hunting, recreation, ammunition and accessories as a “non-infringeable natural right.” YES: expand. NO: keep the narrower “common defense” wording.
- Issue 3 — Economic Development Districts: Lets the legislature create development districts and loan public money for private development. Most contested — critics call the ballot wording vague. YES: authorize. NO: keep current restrictions. Latest poll (TB&P–Hendrix, Oct 8–13): For 27% / Against 38% / Undecided 35%.
- Issue 4 — $500M Water Bond: State-backed bonds for water, wastewater, drainage, irrigation, and flood-control projects. YES: authorize. NO: block.
Oklahoma
Top races
U.S. Senate (special): Kevin Hern (R) vs. N’Kiyla Jasmine Thomas (D) vs. Sevier White (L) — fills the vacant Mullin seat
Governor (open): Mike Mazzei (R) vs. Cyndi Munson (D)
House to watch: OK-5 — Stephanie Bice (R, inc.) vs. Jena Nelson (D)
Where they stand
Kevin Hern (R) — U.S. Senate
- Trump’s ally (“supported President Trump 100% of the time”); expand tax cuts, border enforcement, abortion restrictions.
- Spending restraint, congressional term limits, balanced-budget amendment; businessman background.
- Race rated Solid/Safe R; ~$10M war chest.
N’Kiyla Jasmine Thomas (D) — U.S. Senate
- 31-year-old nurse: Medicare for All, nursing workforce funding, rural hospitals.
- Universal childcare, paid parental leave, tribal sovereignty, reproductive rights.
- Won the runoff despite being outspent 5-to-1: “money doesn’t equate to votes.”
Mike Mazzei (R) — Governor
- Eliminate the state income tax in three steps (4.5% → 0); end property tax for seniors and veterans.
- Massive statewide K-12 reading program; bar foreign adversaries from owning Oklahoma land.
- Trump-endorsed; beat the AG by ~2,000 votes in the runoff.
Cyndi Munson (D) — Governor
- Raise school funding and teacher pay; repeal the private-school tax credit.
- Targeted tax relief for working families (led the grocery-tax repeal); protect rural hospitals.
- Pledged to put the near-total abortion ban before voters by referendum.
Bills shaping this race
- Voter-ID amendment (2026): put proof-of-identity voting requirements in the constitution — went to voters in August.
- Vote-center ban (2025): Election Day voting at assigned precincts only; no vote-anywhere centers.
- DEI ban at public colleges (2025): ends taxpayer-funded DEI — why Munson campaigns on reinstating it.
On the ballot Statewide measures
- SQ 845 — Judicial Nominating Commission: Rewrites the 15-member body’s structure: removes party-balance caps and restrictions on lawyers serving. Editorial boards urge a No vote. YES: new structure. NO: keep current rules.
- SQ 847 — Property Tax Caps: Tightens assessment-growth caps (5%→4%; homesteads 3%→1.75%) and reworks the senior freeze into income tiers. Critics warn of slower school funding. YES: lock in lower caps. NO: keep current caps.
Tennessee
Top races
U.S. Senate: Bill Hagerty (R, inc.) vs. Marquita Bradshaw (D)
Governor (open): Marsha Blackburn (R) vs. Jerri Green (D) — first woman governor guaranteed; a Blackburn win lets her appoint her own Senate successor
House to watch: TN-5 — Charlie Hatcher (R) vs. Chaz Molder (D); TN-9 — Brent Taylor (R) vs. Justin Pearson (D)
Where they stand
Bill Hagerty (R) — U.S. Senate
- Border lockdown and deportations as the campaign centerpiece; opposes amnesty and DACA.
- Authored the GENIUS Act (first federal stablecoin framework); pushing to block tech deals with foreign adversaries.
- Energy independence, extending Trump tax policies, defunding Planned Parenthood.
Marquita Bradshaw (D) — U.S. Senate
- Environmental justice as her defining lane: clean air and water, opposition to unchecked data-center development.
- Medicare for All (she has experienced medical bankruptcy); $15 minimum wage; end “right to work.”
- Overturn Citizens United, ban gerrymandering, pathway to citizenship.
Marsha Blackburn (R) — Governor
- “Tennessee DOGE”: a bureaucracy-cutting audit with “a big red marker” through the state budget.
- Expand private-school vouchers “until no parent has to win the lottery”; ban phones bell-to-bell.
- Backs Amendment 2’s property-tax ban; a win means she appoints her own Senate successor (seat runs to 2031).
Jerri Green (D) — Governor
- Medicaid/TennCare expansion, keep rural hospitals open, repeal the near-total abortion ban.
- End the grocery tax; use TANF funds to erase medical debt; $50M to shrink the childcare waitlist.
- Redirect voucher money to classrooms — teacher pay, universal pre-K; background checks and marijuana legalization.
Bills shaping this race
- Mid-decade redistricting (2026): splits Memphis — the state’s only Black-majority district — across three districts; dismissed Oct 1, 2026.
- Voucher expansion (2026): 35,000 seats while sunsetting public-district funding protections — the governor’s race fault line.
- Immigration package (2026): mandatory ICE agreements for sheriffs, 48-hour detainers, E-Verify — billed “first-in-the-nation.”
On the ballot Statewide measures
- Amendment 1 — Bail Reform: Lets judges deny pre-trial bail for terrorism, second-degree murder, aggravated rape, and similar serious offenses (today: capital cases only). Most contested — critics cite jail overcrowding and an undefined “85% offense” catch-all. YES: expand. NO: keep as-is.
- Amendment 2 — Property Tax Ban: Constitutionally bans any future state property tax (none exists today, but the legislature could impose one). YES: permanent ban. NO: keep the legislature’s power.
- Amendment 3 — Marsy’s Law: Replaces the victims’-rights list with 13 expanded, court-enforceable rights including parole-process participation. YES: expand. NO: keep current list.
Mississippi
Top races
U.S. Senate: Cindy Hyde-Smith (R, inc.) vs. Scott Colom (D) vs. Ty Pinkins (I) — plurality wins, no runoff
Governor: not on the ballot (2027)
House: none competitive · Ballot measures: none
Where they stand
Cindy Hyde-Smith (R) — U.S. Senate
- Farm country first: “Buy America Cotton,” Yazoo flood control, catfish and shrimp industries.
- Trump-aligned on spending cuts, border security, conservative judges; leading anti-abortion voice in the Senate GOP.
- Touts infrastructure and rural health-care dollars brought home to Mississippi.
Scott Colom (D) — U.S. Senate
- Signature: abolish the federal income tax for teachers and police earning under $70K.
- Raise the $7.25 minimum wage; protect rural hospitals; prison reform from a prosecutor’s record (94% conviction rate).
- Ban congressional stock trading; “drag the Epstein files into the light.”
Ty Pinkins (I) — U.S. Senate
- Clean government: overturn Citizens United, ban stock trading; no Super PAC money.
- Medicaid expansion, teacher pay, expanded pre-K.
- Won’t caucus with either party — and with plurality winning, he could spoil.
Bills shaping this race
- Income-tax phaseout (2025): cuts income and grocery taxes but raises the gas tax — the pocketbook fight of 2026.
- Ballot initiative still dead: restoration died in February — Mississippians still have no referendum path.
- Medical cannabis expansion vetoed (2026): both chambers passed it; the governor vetoed.
Louisiana
Top races
U.S. Senate (open): Julia Letlow (R) vs. Jamie Davis (D) — Cassidy lost the primary
Governor: not on the ballot (2027)
House to watch: LA-5 and LA-6 open seats (likely Dec 12 runoffs)
Where they stand
Julia Letlow (R) — U.S. Senate
- Make border reforms permanent; SAVE Act for citizens-only voting as a race-defining issue.
- Extended tax cuts, energy deregulation, a new farm bill; bring manufacturing back to Louisiana.
- Former educator: Parents’ Bill of Rights, penalties for DEI programs in schools; Trump-endorsed.
Jamie Davis (D) — U.S. Senate
- Affordability first: raise wages, crack down on price-gouging and utility hikes.
- Reverse Medicaid cuts, protect rural hospitals, restore ACA subsidies; a five-year Farm Bill.
- Insurance crisis: make insurers justify rate hikes, strengthen flood insurance.
Bills shaping this race
- Closed primaries (HB 17): ended the open “jungle primary” for Congress — created this straight D-vs-R general.
- Redistricting fight: new congressional maps enacted in 2026 amid court battles.
- Voter-roll citizenship checks (HB 691): annual SAVE-program verification of every registered voter, starting 2027.
On the ballot — 10 constitutional amendments
- Amendment 1 — Disabled veteran spouse exemption transfer: Lets a surviving spouse of a deceased disabled veteran transfer the property-tax exemption to a new home once. YES: allow the one-time transfer. NO: exemption stays tied to the original home.
- Amendment 2 — End “use it or lose it” millage rule: Local taxing bodies can stay at a lower millage rate without permanently losing their authorized maximum. YES: end the rule. NO: keep it.
- Amendment 3 — No post-conviction bail for aggravated offenses against minors: Bans appeal bonds after conviction for aggravated rape, molestation, child-sex trafficking and similar offenses. YES: ban. NO: leave bail decisions to judges.
- Amendment 4 — Lifetime governor term limits: Replaces the two-consecutive-terms limit with a lifetime two-term cap — barring former governors Jindal and Edwards from running again. Most contested; Democrats call it aimed at 2027. YES: two terms ever. NO: keep two-consecutive (comebacks allowed).
- Amendment 5 — Pension debt payment order: Lets retirement systems target whichever pension debt to pay down rather than oldest-first. YES: allow choice. NO: keep oldest-first.
- Amendment 6 — Senior property tax exemption: Authorizes parishes to grant an extra age-scaled exemption (up to $30K assessed value at 81+) — needs a local vote. YES: authorize. NO: no new exemption.
- Amendment 7 — Public funds for lead water lines: Lets public money pay to find and replace lead service lines on customers’ private property. YES: allow. NO: customers stay responsible.
- Amendment 8 — Ban foreign-adversary property expropriation: Constitutionally bars foreign adversaries and their agents from expropriating property. YES: ban. NO: keep current rules.
- Amendment 9 — Raise special-assessment income limit: Raises the income ceiling for the assessment freeze from $100K to $150K. YES: expand eligibility. NO: keep $100K.
- Amendment 10 — Blighted property tax exemption: Authorizes tax exemptions for rehabilitated blighted properties (legislature writes the rules). YES: authorize. NO: no exemption.
Georgia
Top races
U.S. Senate: Jon Ossoff (D, inc.) vs. Mike Collins (R) vs. Allen Buckley (L) — key to Senate control
Governor (open): Keisha Lance Bottoms (D) vs. Rick Jackson (R) — dead heat
House: none rated competitive
Where they stand
Jon Ossoff (D) — U.S. Senate
- Repeal Trump’s tariffs — affordability centerpiece (“crushing” Georgia on groceries and gas).
- Reverse Medicaid cuts; $35/month insulin cap for seniors; defend rural hospitals.
- Border security with civil-rights limits; touts bipartisan infrastructure wins.
Mike Collins (R) — U.S. Senate
- Tax cuts, deregulation, spending restraint; authored the Laken Riley Act.
- Defends tariffs as leverage with China; credits the One Big Beautiful Bill with $3,000+ in family tax cuts.
- Energy independence; selective foreign aid (Israel yes, Ukraine no).
Keisha Lance Bottoms (D) — Governor
- Expand Medicaid for ~300,000 uninsured Georgians; end Georgia Pathways.
- Let locals kill grocery taxes; $15 state minimum wage; free tech/community college path.
- Voting Rights Act (Election Day a state holiday); moratorium on new data centers.
Rick Jackson (R) — Governor
- Freeze property taxes; halve then eliminate the income tax; suspend gas tax when prices surge.
- “Intelligent” Medicaid expansion; crack down on insurers that deny care.
- Toughest deportation stance; audit every government program; bar trans girls from girls’ sports.
Bills shaping this race
- QR-code ballot law (2026): locks in QR tabulation for November — the machines themselves are a live controversy.
- Income tax cut + rebate (2025): central to the affordability debate both candidates are having.
- SB 1 (2025): bars student athletes from teams not matching birth gender.
On the ballot Statewide measures
- Amendment 1 — Farmland acreage cap: Raises the conservation-use acreage cap from 2,000 to 4,000 acres per owner (lower farm tax assessments). YES: raise the cap. NO: keep 2,000.
- Amendment 2 — Nonpartisan probate judges: Requires all probate judges statewide to run without party labels (all other Georgia judges already do). YES: nonpartisan. NO: keep partisan labels.
- Amendment 3 — Next-Gen 911 fund: Constitutional authority for a dedicated, nonlapsing 911 modernization fund. Passed unanimously. YES: authorize. NO: keep 911 in the normal budget.
Florida
Top races
U.S. Senate (special): Ashley Moody (R, inc.) vs. Angie Nixon (D) vs. Neil Gillespie (NPA) — for the seat Marco Rubio left to become Secretary of State; Moody was appointed in Jan 2025 and now runs to keep it
Governor (open): Byron Donalds (R) vs. David Jolly (D) — DeSantis is term-limited; Jolly is a former Republican congressman now running as a Democrat
House to watch: FL-14 — Kathy Castor (D, inc.) vs. Mike Beltran (R), a true toss-up after redistricting; FL-09 — Darren Soto (D, inc.) vs. Dan Green (R), targeted under the new map
Where they stand
Ashley Moody (R) — U.S. Senate
- Immigration: tougher enforcement and expanded expedited removal for immigrants convicted of crimes; “law and order, economic prosperity, and American sovereignty.”
- Economy: tax cuts, deregulation, and federal spending restraint; has pushed to “audit the Fed” and DOGE-style cuts.
- Public safety: former state AG record — “Back the Blue,” aggressive prosecution, fighting fentanyl trafficking; supports anti-abortion policies.
Angie Nixon (D) — U.S. Senate
- Cost of living: a national rent freeze/rent stabilization, free childcare, paid family and sick leave, and action against price-gouging.
- Health and education: Medicare for All; tuition-free public colleges and trade schools; student-debt cancellation; more public-school funding.
- Became a face of the fight against the 2026 redistricting map (protested on the House floor); endorsed by Rep. Ocasio-Cortez.
Byron Donalds (R) — Governor
- Property taxes: favors eliminating homestead property taxes entirely, while acknowledging the state would have to address revenue losses, especially in smaller counties.
- Property insurance: keep recent lawsuit limits, expand home-hardening, and create an insurer “scorecard” comparing rates, claims handling, and payout speed.
- Education and economy: school choice and parental rights, student success plans from 6th grade, early literacy; lower taxes and less regulation; complete Everglades restoration.
David Jolly (D) — Governor
- Property insurance: a state-backed catastrophic (hurricane/wind) insurance fund his campaign says could cut premiums 60–70% — experts are skeptical the savings would be that large.
- Health and schools: expand Medicaid (Florida is one of the last non-expansion states); invest in public schools and teacher pay; voucher schools taking public money would face stronger standards and means-testing.
- Property taxes: voting NO on Amendment 3, saying it would defund law enforcement and local services; favors targeted relief for first-time buyers and seniors instead. Also calls for a statewide moratorium on AI data centers.
Bills shaping this race
- Mid-decade redistricting, HB 1D (2026): passed in an April special session after the U.S. Supreme Court’s Louisiana v. Callais ruling; drawn to move Florida’s House delegation from 20–8 Republican toward 24–4. Lawsuits are pending, but the map is in effect for 2026.
- Immigration crackdown, SB 2-C (2025): created a State Board of Immigration Enforcement and mandated 287(g) cooperation with ICE — the enforcement record Republicans run on and Democrats run against.
- Property-tax push, HJR 1F (2026): the June special-session measure that put Amendment 3 on the ballot — property taxes are the governor’s-race fault line.
- Initiative crackdown, HB 1205 (2025): tightened petition-gathering rules; upheld by a federal judge in April 2026 — part of why the marijuana amendment never made this ballot.
On the ballot Statewide measures
- Amendment 1 — Budget Stabilization Fund: Lets Florida keep a much bigger rainy-day fund — the cap rises from 10% to 25% of general revenue, with required annual transfers (the lesser of $750M or the amount needed to reach 25%) and withdrawals allowed for “critical state needs.” YES: bigger fund. NO: keep the 10% cap.
- Amendment 2 — Farm Equipment Tax Exemption: Exempts farm and agritourism equipment kept on agricultural land from property taxes, starting with the Jan 1, 2027 tax year. YES: exempt it. NO: keep taxing it.
- Amendment 3 — Homestead Exemption Increase (the big one): Raises the non-school homestead exemption from $50K to $150K in 2027 and $250K in 2028 (then inflation-adjusted), creates a path for local governments to exempt up to a home’s full assessed value, and cuts the non-homestead assessment cap from 10% to 5%. Effective Jan 1, 2027. YES: bigger exemptions. NO: keep current exemptions.