ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN) — Orange County Democratic voters are choosing Tuesday between former Orange County Property Appraiser Rick Singh and longtime court administrator and attorney Roberta Walton Johnson in a competitive primary for Orange County Clerk of Courts, a contest that combines experience, political endorsements and questions about which candidate is best prepared to oversee one of the county’s most important constitutional offices.

The Aug. 18 primary will determine the Democratic nominee for the office responsible for maintaining court records, processing legal filings, collecting and distributing millions of dollars in court-related payments and providing public access to records across Orange County.

The race has taken on additional urgency after Maribel Gomez Cordero withdrew from the contest. Her name remains on ballots already printed, but the Orange County Supervisor of Elections has advised Democratic voters that votes cast for Cordero will not count toward determining the nominee.

That leaves Singh and Walton Johnson competing directly for the Democratic nomination.

WHY IT MATTERS TO ELECTION DAY VOTERS

Tuesday’s decision is about more than name recognition or political endorsements.

The Clerk of Courts manages records and services that residents encounter during some of the most consequential moments of their lives — including criminal and civil cases, traffic matters, family court proceedings, marriage licenses and other court-related transactions.

For Election Day voters who have not yet made a choice, the race presents two distinctly different arguments about experience.

Singh offers voters the experience of having previously won countywide office and managed another Orange County constitutional office.

Walton Johnson offers direct institutional experience inside the Clerk of Courts operation and argues that her legal and administrative background prepares her to lead the office immediately.

SINGH BRINGS COUNTYWIDE ELECTORAL EXPERIENCE

Singh served as Orange County Property Appraiser from 2013 until 2021 after winning countywide elections.

That history gives Singh one of his strongest arguments: Orange County voters already know his name, and he has previously demonstrated an ability to build a coalition large enough to win countywide.

Singh has emphasized executive experience and his record managing a constitutional office while campaigning to return to elected county government.

His previous electoral record, however, cuts both ways.

Singh lost the 2020 Democratic primary for property appraiser to Amy Mercado, giving Walton Johnson an opening to argue that voters should choose new leadership rather than return a former constitutional officer to countywide office.

WALTON JOHNSON CAMPAIGNS ON CLERK EXPERIENCE

Walton Johnson has centered her candidacy on experience directly connected to the office she is seeking.

She serves as general counsel for the Orange County Clerk of Circuit and County Courts, providing her with firsthand knowledge of the agency’s legal responsibilities and operations.

Her campaign can therefore make a simple argument to undecided voters: She already knows the office.

Walton Johnson has also attracted support from prominent political figures, including Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, strengthening her position among Democratic voters who place significant weight on endorsements and institutional experience.

WALTON JOHNSON’S PAST BECOMES CAMPAIGN ISSUE

The campaign has also focused attention on a decades-old criminal case involving Walton Johnson.

Florida Politics reported that the case involved stolen tax-refund checks in Georgia approximately three decades ago. Walton Johnson has described the matter as a mistake from her youth and has pushed back against political attacks surrounding the case and questions about whether it affects her qualifications to serve.

The issue gives Election Day voters another question to consider: how much weight should be given to conduct from decades ago compared with a candidate’s subsequent professional and public-service record?

The increasingly personal attacks surrounding the issue have also generated criticism from Democrats who say the campaign has become unnecessarily divisive.

SINGH’S RECORD ALSO FACES SCRUTINY

Singh enters Election Day with his own political baggage.

His eight years as property appraiser provide him with executive experience, but they also give voters a public record to evaluate.

His 2020 defeat demonstrated that countywide name recognition does not guarantee victory and gives Walton Johnson an opportunity to contrast her current Clerk of Courts experience with Singh’s previous tenure in another constitutional office.

For undecided Democrats, the question may ultimately become whether they prefer previous countywide executive experience or current Clerk of Courts experience.

CORDERO WITHDRAWAL CREATES ELECTION DAY WILDCARD

Cordero’s withdrawal adds an unusual complication.

Because ballots had already been prepared, her name remains before voters. The Supervisor of Elections has warned that votes cast for Cordero will not count in determining the Democratic nominee.

That makes voter awareness particularly important Tuesday.

The remaining campaigns also have an incentive to reach voters who previously supported or considered supporting Cordero. In a close election, even a relatively small bloc of redirected voters could affect the outcome.

WHAT UNDECIDED VOTERS ARE DECIDING

For voters entering the polling booth without a firm preference, the contest can be distilled into several questions:

• Does Singh’s experience winning and managing a countywide constitutional office outweigh his 2020 defeat and controversies associated with his previous tenure?
• Does Walton Johnson’s direct experience inside the Clerk of Courts make her better prepared for the specific job?
• How much weight should voters give political endorsements?
• How should voters evaluate controversies and attacks involving each candidate?
• Which candidate is more likely to effectively manage the Clerk’s office while maintaining public confidence in its operations?

Those questions could be especially important among voters making their decision in the final hours.

NO CLEAR PUBLIC POLLING LEADER

Unlike higher-profile statewide contests, the Clerk of Courts race has not been accompanied by extensive independent public polling.

That makes claims that either candidate is decisively ahead difficult to independently substantiate.

Singh’s countywide electoral history and name recognition could give him an advantage among voters who recognize his name on the ballot.

Walton Johnson’s direct Clerk experience and political endorsements could counter that advantage, particularly among Democratic voters familiar with county government.

The absence of reliable public polling makes turnout — and each campaign’s ability to get supporters to the polls — especially important.

WHY TURNOUT COULD DECIDE IT

County constitutional-office primaries generally receive less public attention than races for governor, Congress or the Legislature.

That means relatively small differences in turnout can have an outsized impact.

Singh and Walton Johnson do not necessarily need to persuade every Democratic voter in Orange County. They need to turn out their respective coalitions while winning enough undecided voters to create a countywide plurality.

With Cordero no longer an active candidate, the effectiveness of each campaign’s Election Day organization could prove decisive.

THE BOTTOM LINE FOR VOTERS

Tuesday’s Democratic primary offers Orange County voters two candidates with substantially different résumés.

Rick Singh is asking voters to return a former countywide constitutional officer to public office, emphasizing executive and electoral experience.

Roberta Walton Johnson is asking voters to promote someone already working within the Clerk of Courts operation, emphasizing legal knowledge, continuity and direct institutional experience.

The choice ultimately comes down to what Democratic voters value more: a former elected executive with countywide campaign experience or an attorney with direct experience inside the office she wants to lead.

Polls close at 7 p.m. Tuesday, and voters in line by 7 p.m. are permitted to cast a ballot.

The Democratic nominee will move on from Tuesday’s primary to the Nov. 3 general election.

FLORIDA NATIONAL NEWS ELECTION 2026
Florida National News will continue covering the 2026 Florida primary election and Orange County races as results become available.

ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN NEWS) — FL NOW PAC has announced endorsements in four Florida House races, backing Eric Gray in House District 35, Dr. Jane Aman in District 37, Felipe Sousa-Lazaballet in District 42 and Samuel Vilchez-Santiago in District 43.

The political action committee said the endorsements were based on candidates’ responses to a questionnaire examining issues including women’s rights, women’s equality, LGBTQIA+ rights, reproductive health care, racial justice and economic justice.

According to FL NOW PAC, the candidates demonstrated support for policy priorities associated with the National Organization for Women.

“FL NOW PAC believes these candidates are ready to tackle critical issues affecting our communities especially affordability in housing, cost of living, insurance, Medicaid and SNAP, providing critical support to millions of Floridians,” FL NOW PAC President Julie Kent said in the endorsement announcement.

The PAC also said the endorsed candidates would support what it described as efforts to protect constitutional rights, democratic institutions and ethical government.

Eric Gray — Florida House District 35

FL NOW PAC endorsed Eric Gray in Florida House District 35, highlighting his work as executive director of the Christian Service Center for Central Florida.

According to the organization, Gray’s campaign priorities include affordable housing, strengthening public education, reproductive rights and voting access.

The PAC said Gray has also expressed concerns about policies that could disproportionately affect voting access in marginalized communities.

Dr. Jane Aman — Florida House District 37

Dr. Jane Aman received the PAC’s endorsement in Florida House District 37.

FL NOW PAC described Aman as a University of Central Florida lecturer and longtime community organizer with a record of advocacy involving marginalized communities.

According to the endorsement announcement, Aman’s campaign priorities include affordability, education, reproductive health care access and protection of the rural boundary.

Felipe Sousa-Lazaballet — Florida House District 42

FL NOW PAC endorsed Felipe Sousa-Lazaballet in Florida House District 42.

The organization highlighted Sousa-Lazaballet’s background as an immigrant and LGBTQ+ Floridian and said his professional work has focused on expanding opportunity and advancing inclusive policies.

According to the PAC, his “Thriving Together Agenda” includes expanding access to affordable health care.

The organization also cited his support for reproductive rights, contraception access, maternal care and programs serving people with disabilities.

Samuel Vilchez-Santiago — Florida House District 43

FL NOW PAC endorsed Samuel Vilchez-Santiago in Florida House District 43, saying his campaign emphasizes affordability, public education, democracy, reproductive rights and women’s access to health care.

According to the PAC, Vilchez-Santiago has framed his campaign around “putting people over politics” and expanding opportunities for residents.

The endorsement announcement said his priorities were shaped by his personal experience growing up in the community and include lowering costs for Florida families and strengthening public schools.

FL NOW PAC Outlines Endorsement Criteria

FL NOW PAC said candidates seeking its support were evaluated through a questionnaire addressing several of the organization’s principal policy areas.

Those issues included freedom from violence against women, racial justice, reproductive health care, economic justice and constitutional equality.

The organization said its endorsed candidates best represented its political and policy priorities heading into the 2026 election.

ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN NEWS) — ActBlue, one of the Democratic Party’s most influential online fundraising platforms, remains under federal and congressional investigations over its donor-verification, fraud-prevention and compliance practices as two ActBlue employees — Florida House District 43 candidate Samuel Vilchez Santiago and campaign treasurer Jose Gamboa — hold key political and campaign-finance roles in the same Central Florida race.

Vilchez Santiago publicly identifies ActBlue as his employer while seeking the Democratic nomination for Florida House District 43. Gamboa, who is publicly identified as an ActBlue employee, serves as Vilchez Santiago’s campaign treasurer and also holds a leadership role with Central Floridians for Change, a Florida political committee associated with Vilchez Santiago.

The overlap places two ActBlue employees at the center of a competitive Orlando-area legislative contest while congressional investigators and federal authorities continue examining allegations involving straw donors, potentially prohibited foreign contributions, donor verification, payment safeguards and ActBlue’s internal compliance procedures.

There is no public evidence identified by Florida National News that Samuel Vilchez Santiago or Jose Gamboa has been named as a subject or target of any federal investigation involving ActBlue.

Their employment with ActBlue does not establish that either participated in, knew about or was responsible for any conduct being examined by federal authorities.

The federal scrutiny concerns ActBlue’s broader fundraising and compliance practices and should be distinguished from the activities of individual employees unless evidence establishes a connection.

ActBlue Faces Continuing Federal Scrutiny

ActBlue has faced congressional and federal scrutiny involving its online political fundraising practices.

Congressional inquiries have examined issues including donor identity verification, fraud prevention, potentially prohibited foreign contributions, prepaid-card transactions, suspicious contribution patterns and ActBlue’s internal compliance procedures.

The scrutiny has involved the U.S. House Committee on House Administration, House Committee on the Judiciary and House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

Federal scrutiny expanded following President Donald Trump’s April 24, 2025 presidential memorandum, which directed the attorney general, in consultation with the Treasury secretary, to investigate allegations involving online political fundraising platforms.

The memorandum addressed allegations involving straw or “dummy” contributions, prohibited foreign contributions, identity-related fraud and other potential violations of federal campaign-finance law.

The presidential memorandum ordered federal officials to investigate the allegations. It did not establish that ActBlue or any individual committed a crime.

Straw and “Dummy” Donor Allegations

One focus of the federal scrutiny involves allegations of straw donations, generally referring to political contributions made in another person’s name to conceal the true source of the funds.

Federal law prohibits making a political contribution in the name of another person or knowingly permitting one’s name to be used to disguise the actual source of a contribution.

Investigators have examined whether vulnerabilities in online fundraising systems could potentially allow political money to be divided into smaller transactions and attributed to other individuals.

Trump’s April 2025 memorandum specifically directed federal officials to investigate allegations involving “straw” or “dummy” contributions and potentially prohibited foreign contributions made through online fundraising platforms.

Federal scrutiny has also included questions about whether prepaid cards, gift cards, false identities, unauthorized payment information or other methods could be used to conceal the actual source of political contributions or circumvent fraud-detection systems.

The directive ordered an investigation into allegations; it did not establish that those allegations were proven.

Foreign Contributions and Online Fundraising

Another focus has been whether prohibited foreign money could enter U.S. elections through online fundraising platforms.

Federal law generally prohibits foreign nationals from directly or indirectly making contributions or donations in connection with federal, state or local elections.

Congressional investigators have examined whether foreign individuals or organizations could exploit weaknesses in online donation systems to route political contributions into American campaigns while obscuring the original source.

The April 2025 presidential memorandum cited congressional investigative findings stating that ActBlue had detected at least 22 “significant fraud campaigns,” nearly half of which reportedly had a foreign nexus.

The memorandum also cited findings that during one 30-day period in the 2024 election cycle, ActBlue detected 237 donations originating from foreign IP addresses and involving domestic prepaid cards.

Those figures were cited as reasons for further investigation.

They do not establish that all 237 transactions were illegal foreign contributions or that the individuals involved violated federal law.

Donor Identity and Payment Verification

Congressional scrutiny has also focused on how ActBlue verifies donor identities and determines whether the person making a contribution is the individual identified in the transaction.

Investigators have examined issues involving donor identity verification, suspicious-transaction detection, prepaid cards, foreign IP addresses, potentially unauthorized payment information and repeated or unusual contribution patterns.

Another area of inquiry has involved ActBlue’s historical policies concerning card verification value, or CVV, the security code commonly associated with credit- and debit-card transactions.

Investigators have questioned whether stronger identity and payment-verification requirements could help prevent fraudulent transactions, contributions made in another person’s name or attempts by prohibited foreign sources to participate financially in U.S. elections.

Congressional Investigation Reaches ActBlue Personnel

Congressional scrutiny has expanded beyond ActBlue’s fundraising technology to include current and former employees, executives and personnel involved in legal and compliance operations.

House investigators have sought documents and testimony concerning ActBlue’s handling of potentially fraudulent or prohibited contributions and what employees and executives knew about suspicious fundraising activity.

Congressional investigators reported that five current or former ActBlue employees invoked their Fifth Amendment rights in response to substantive questions during depositions, according to a 2026 joint congressional staff report.

Invoking the Fifth Amendment is a constitutional right and does not establish guilt or prove that an individual committed a crime.

Investigators have also examined personnel changes within ActBlue’s legal and compliance operations following the 2024 election and sought information about how senior officials responded to internal concerns.

Scrutiny Expands to ActBlue Leadership

Congressional investigators have also sought information from individuals within ActBlue’s leadership structure, including members of its board.

Investigators have requested documents, communications and testimony concerning what senior leadership knew about fraud concerns, potentially prohibited foreign contributions, internal compliance procedures and ActBlue’s responses to congressional inquiries.

Congressional committees have additionally examined whether requested information was fully provided and whether representations made to lawmakers accurately reflected ActBlue’s internal fraud-prevention and compliance practices.

Those allegations remain disputed and do not constitute findings of criminal wrongdoing by a court.

Justice Department and FBI Scrutiny

The scrutiny has extended beyond Congress.

Trump’s April 24, 2025 memorandum directed the attorney general, in consultation with the Treasury secretary, to investigate allegations involving unlawful straw or dummy contributions, prohibited foreign contributions and other potential violations involving online fundraising platforms.

Congressional investigators have also referred or provided information from their ActBlue investigation to federal law-enforcement authorities.

House Administration Committee Chairman Bryan Steil said in 2025 that he received a classified briefing at FBI headquarters concerning active campaign-finance investigations following congressional concerns about potential foreign participation in U.S. elections through online fundraising platforms.

Because portions of federal investigative activity are not public, the full scope and current status of any Justice Department or FBI investigation cannot necessarily be determined from publicly available information.

The existence of an investigation does not establish that ActBlue, its employees or campaigns using its platform committed a crime.

ActBlue Denies Wrongdoing

ActBlue has denied allegations of wrongdoing and has maintained that it complies with federal campaign-finance laws and maintains systems designed to detect and prevent fraudulent or prohibited contributions.

Evidence that ActBlue detected suspicious transactions does not necessarily mean those transactions were completed, accepted as lawful political contributions or ultimately determined to violate federal law.

Congressional subpoenas, investigative reports, federal inquiries and employee testimony likewise do not, by themselves, establish criminal or civil liability.

Against that national backdrop, the involvement of ActBlue employees Samuel Vilchez Santiago and Jose Gamboa in Florida House District 43 gives the federal scrutiny a direct Central Florida political connection.

Samuel Vilchez Santiago, Jose Gamboa Hold Key HD 43 Roles

Public campaign records identify Samuel Vilchez Santiago as a candidate for the Democratic nomination for Florida House District 43.

Publicly available professional information identifies Vilchez Santiago as holding a management position with ActBlue. His employment with the organization is separate from his candidacy for public office.

Vilchez Santiago’s campaign website states that, as a Senior Nonprofit Manager at ActBlue, he helps thousands of nonprofits and grassroots movements across the country build people-powered fundraising programs aimed at shifting political influence away from corporations and toward communities.

Jose Gamboa is publicly identified as an Account Management Specialist at ActBlue and serves as treasurer of Vilchez Santiago’s campaign.

Florida campaign-finance records also identify Gamboa as an officer of Central Floridians for Change, a Florida political committee associated with Vilchez Santiago.

The arrangement places Vilchez Santiago and Gamboa — both publicly identified ActBlue employees — in significant campaign and campaign-finance positions surrounding the same Florida legislative contest.

Vilchez Santiago is the candidate.

Gamboa is responsible for campaign treasury operations while also holding leadership roles (chairman and treasurer) with an associated political committee.

Their employment and campaign roles do not, by themselves, establish a violation of state or federal law.

They do, however, create a public-interest question about what safeguards ActBlue maintains when its employees simultaneously become candidates, campaign treasurers or political committee officials.

Political Relationship Between Vilchez Santiago and Gamboa Dates to 2020

The political relationship between Samuel Vilchez Santiago and Jose Gamboa predates the current House District 43 campaign.

When Vilchez Santiago sought the Democratic nomination for the Florida House in 2020, then-Orange County School Board member Johanna López served as his campaign manager.

Gamboa served as deputy campaign manager, while Diana Joaquin served as campaign treasurer.

Vilchez Santiago ultimately lost the 2020 Democratic primary to Daisy Morales, who went on to win the general election and serve in the Florida House.

The political relationships continued to overlap in later election cycles.

According to campaign-finance reports from López’s 2024 Florida House campaign, the campaign reported $2,250 in expenditures to Joaquin and $1,440 in expenditures to Gamboa.

López has endorsed Vilchez Santiago’s 2026 House District 43 campaign, while Central Floridians for Change reported contributing $1,000 to López’s 2026 Orange County Commission District 4 campaign on or about March 20.

The contribution and endorsement do not establish an exchange, agreement or improper relationship.

However, together with the documented campaign relationships dating to 2020, they provide additional context for examining the financial, professional and political relationships surrounding the House District 43 race.

Overall, those expenditures do not indicate wrongdoing. They provide historical context showing that several individuals involved in the current political network have worked together across multiple Central Florida Democratic campaigns.

Gamboa’s involvement with Vilchez Santiago therefore dates at least to the 2020 election cycle, progressing from deputy campaign manager to campaign treasurer while he also holds a leadership position with Central Floridians for Change.

Credit: Samuel Vilchez Santaiago Campaign

Vilchez Santiago Campaign, Associated Committee Report About $217,000 Combined

Campaign-finance reports show substantial fundraising surrounding Vilchez Santiago’s campaign and Central Floridians for Change.

According to publicly reported figures:

• Samuel Vilchez Santiago campaign: approximately $155,000 raised
• Central Floridians for Change: approximately $62,000 raised
• Combined reported fundraising: approximately $217,000

The campaign and political committee are legally separate entities and report their finances independently.

One transaction has drawn particular attention during the closing weeks of the Democratic primary.

Central Floridians for Change contributed $50,000 to the Florida House Democratic Campaign Committee in July 27, 2026, through three separate contributions of $25,000, $15,000 and $10,000, according to Florida campaign-finance reports.

Based on approximately $62,000 in reported committee fundraising, the $50,000 contribution represents roughly 81% of the committee’s reported receipts.

The contribution came weeks before the Aug. 18 Democratic primary.

The Florida House Democratic Campaign Committee is an affiliated party committee that raises and spends political funds in connection with Democratic efforts involving Florida House races.

The contribution itself does not establish wrongdoing.

Its size and timing, however, add another campaign-finance dimension to a primary in which an ActBlue employee is the candidate and another ActBlue employee serves as campaign treasurer and a political committee official.

Credit: Samuel Vilchez Santaiago Campaign

Vilchez Santiago Draws Major Democratic Support

Vilchez Santiago has announced endorsements from numerous elected officials, labor organizations and political groups.

His publicly announced supporters include U.S. Reps. Darren Soto and Maxwell Frost, Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, State Attorney Monique Worrell and State Rep. Johanna López, along with other current and former elected officials.

Organizational endorsements announced by the campaign include the Florida Education Association, Orange County Classroom Teachers Association and Orange County Fire Fighters Association, among other labor and advocacy organizations.

The endorsements demonstrate substantial institutional and political support for Vilchez Santiago.

However, an endorsement should not be interpreted as evidence that an elected official or organization independently investigated, reviewed or cleared Vilchez Santiago, Gamboa or ActBlue regarding matters under federal scrutiny unless that official or organization specifically states that such a review occurred. (vetting a candidate for endorsement)

The endorsements represent support for Vilchez Santiago’s candidacy.

No Public Evidence Vilchez Santiago or Gamboa Are Federal Targets

The distinction between federal scrutiny of ActBlue and the status of Samuel Vilchez Santiago and Jose Gamboa is critical.

Florida National News has identified no public evidence naming either Vilchez Santiago or Gamboa as a subject or target of the congressional or federal investigations involving ActBlue.

Their employment with the organization should therefore not be interpreted as evidence that either participated in, knew about or was responsible for conduct under investigation.

FNN has also identified no public announcement by federal authorities alleging that Vilchez Santiago’s House campaign or Central Floridians for Change is part of the federal inquiries into ActBlue.

Credit: Samuel Vilchez Santiago Campaign

ActBlue Employee Political Activity Raises Policy Questions

While there is no public indication that Vilchez Santiago or Gamboa is individually under federal investigation, their simultaneous professional and political roles raise broader policy, transparency and compliance questions.

Among them:

What policies does ActBlue maintain when an employee becomes a candidate for public office?

Are ActBlue employees permitted to serve simultaneously as campaign treasurers or officers of political committees?

What safeguards separate an employee’s ActBlue responsibilities from outside campaign or PAC activities?

Are employees with access to political fundraising systems subject to additional compliance requirements when they become candidates or campaign-finance officers?

Have congressional investigators sought information concerning ActBlue employees who simultaneously serve as candidates, campaign treasurers, political committee officials or political consultants?

The existence of these questions does not establish misconduct.

Answers could provide voters with a clearer understanding of how ActBlue manages employee political activity and potential conflicts involving outside campaigns..

ActBlue Connection Adds National Dimension to Central Florida Primary

The House District 43 Democratic primary is fundamentally a Central Florida legislative contest.

But the employment of candidate Samuel Vilchez Santiago and campaign treasurer Jose Gamboa by ActBlue adds a national dimension as the fundraising organization continues to face congressional and federal scrutiny.

Vilchez Santiago has assembled significant financial, labor and political support as he seeks the Democratic nomination.

Morales is seeking to return to the Legislature after representing Florida House District 48 from 2020 to 2022.

The candidates previously faced each other in the 2020 Democratic primary for House District 48, when Morales defeated Vilchez Santiago and two other candidates before winning the general election.

Redistricting later changed the legislative boundaries, with portions of the former House District 48 now located within House District 43.

FNN Continuing Coverage

Florida National News will continue examining the ActBlue federal investigations and their broader implications while separately monitoring the political and campaign-finance activities of ActBlue employees Samuel Vilchez Santiago and Jose Gamboa in Florida House District 43.

FNN will seek responses from ActBlue, Vilchez Santiago, Gamboa and other individuals or organizations identified in this report when their comments materially contribute to the public’s understanding of the issues.

FNN will also monitor campaign-finance disclosures, congressional developments and any publicly released information from the Justice Department or other federal authorities.

Florida National News will update, correct or clarify this reporting when new verified information warrants doing so.

Election Day Aug. 18

The Democratic primary for Florida House District 43 will be held Aug. 18, 2026, with early voting underway.

The Democratic nominee will advance to the Nov. 3 general election to face the Republican nominee and any qualified write-in candidate.