U.S. Rep. Daniel Webster, who has represented District 11 in the U.S. House, is retiring. Here’s a look at the Republican and Democratic candidates seeking that seat. The winners of the respective party primaries will move on to the general election.
Which communities are in District 11?
Florida’s 11th Congressional District encompasses Sumter and Lake counties, including The Villages; Orange County, stretching east to Apopka; south down to Walt Disney World and slightly east into the area surrounding Universal Studios. The boundaries reflect changes made under a newer map drawn by the governor and approved by lawmakers.
When is the primary election?
The primary will take place on Aug. 18. Early voting is Aug. 6-15. For full details, please visit lakevotes.gov/200/Early-Voting-Locations-Status
The general midterm election is Nov. 3.
Here is the Daily Commercial’s guide to the Republican and Democratic candidates seeking Webster’s congressional seat.
Information from congressional candidate forums, news articles, online state election records and candidate websites was sourced for the below listing:
Republican candidates
Carey Baker
Background: Small business owner (AW Peterson Gun Shop), 32-year Florida Army National Guard veteran (combat mission in Iraq), former Florida House and Senate member, and former Lake County property appraiser. Webster has publicly endorsed Baker, and according to Baker, urged him to run as his successor, as have Lake County commissioners Leslie Campione, Anthony Sabatini and Sean Parks.
Core philosophy: Positioned himself as a proven conservative running on a record rather than promises. “I’m not running on promises. I’m running on a lifetime of conservative action,” he said during a recent Spectrum News debate.
Key platform priorities: Veteran healthcare and suicide prevention. Named veteran mental health as a primary legislative focus.
“One of my first bills will be how can we better get the VA to focus on these suicides and protect and take care of the folks that risk their lives for us,” he said at the debate.
Baker has emphasized securing borders, strengthening military capabilities and supporting law enforcement based on his personal military experience. He has spoken out for energy independence and stopping national debt accumulation.
Website: careybaker.com
Nizam Razack
Background: Neurosurgeon (35 years in practice), law school professor teaching healthcare and constitutional law, and former president of the Florida State Neurosurgical Society.
Core philosophy: A constitutional conservative focused heavily on systemic healthcare reform and curbing administrative waste. He doesn’t think universal healthcare is the answer and advocates for seniors, veterans and “normal people” who need clarity in their healthcare.
“We cannot let socialist medicine take over our country,” he said during the Leesburg candidate forum on June 10.
Key platform priorities: Price transparency in healthcare: Pushes for mandatory upfront pricing for hospitals and medical providers across state lines to reduce costs. Razack has pointed out that of the $5 trillion healthcare industry, $1 trillion is wasted or fraudulent, directly driving bankruptcies and unsustainable co-pays. He is opposed to cuts to Medicare and Medicaid.
Website: razackforcongress.com
Tim Wilkins
Background: U.S. Marine veteran, business owner (private school, animation/production company focused on social issues), consumer debt industry background, and professional communicator.
Core philosophy: Focuses on anti-career politics, term limits and bringing a fighter’s mindset to Congress. “We all want term limits (in order) to have fresh ideas and fresh energy in Congress. We don’t want any more career politicians,” he said at the Leesburg candidate forum. “When you need a fighter, you send in the Marines.”
Key platform priorities: Immigration and cost of living dominate Wilkins’ talking points. He connects housing affordability directly to border enforcement, advocating for stricter immigration laws, and he wants to expand local constituent services to help veterans navigate the VA system, highlighting the large veteran population in the district. He has stressed the urgency of standing firm against “far-left” policies in Washington and sanctuary cities.
Website: timwilkinsforcongress.com
Joe Strada
Background: According to his website, air-conditioning business mogul Strada is “Chicago by birth and Floridian by choice,” and he describes himself as a “self-made, successful businessman, an advocate for traditional trades and a staunch conservative.”
He founded the Strada Services Training Program in Sanford in 2003, which offers on-the-job, paid training, employment opportunities and mentorship in high-demand trades.
State Attorney Bill Gladson, Sen. Keith Truenow and Rep. Taylor Yarkosky have publicly endorsed him.
Core philosophy: Strada focuses on his real-world business experience rather than career politics, emphasizing a desire to put Central Florida families first and align with Donald Trump’s “America First” agenda. “I’m running for Congress because I’ve built a business and solved real problems without looking to government for help,” he told The Apopka Chief.Key platform priorities: Strada has spoken out in favor of strict enforcement of immigration and public safety. He stresses the need to provide law enforcement with resources to crack down on illegal immigration and praises President Trump’s border policies.
Drawing on his own business experience, he emphasizes the need to address labor shortages in the U.S. by promoting and training people in trade skills. Aims to root out bureaucrats and policies that enrich politicians and fraudulent NGOs, stating that “no one should get rich in public office.” Website: votestrada.com
Ivette Palomo
Background: Palomo is a single mother, teacher, farmer and writer based in Bushnell.
Core philosophy: She calls herself a whistleblower for “a system that was hurting the very people it was supposed to protect,” she said during the candidate forum held in Leesburg on June 10.
Key platform priorities: Healthcare reform, legislative integrity, legal fairness and rooting out corruption in politics. She’s supporting the REINS Act (Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act), a proposed U.S. legislative bill that requires affirmative congressional approval and a presidential signature before major federal agency rules can take effect, the Administrative Independence Act, and the Sunshine Mandate — “no seizure without exposure.”
AI free rein? At a recent debate, all Republican candidates publicly supported congressional oversight of AI except Ivette Palomo.
Website: AmericanKitchenTable.com
Democratic candidates
James Pericola
Background: Founder of Seward Square Group, Pericola has said during recent appearances that his recent personal experiences have helped his aging mother navigate an expensive and difficult healthcare system. An attorney, he is a graduate of the Catholic University of America.
Core philosophy: Driven to confront dysfunction and corruption in Washington, he believes that too many leaders prioritize their own power over serving the public and delivering results for working families.
Key platform priorities: Pericola focuses on affordability and taxes, cutting taxes for working and middle-class families struggling with the rising costs of housing, insurance, groceries and utilities. He prioritizes safeguarding Social Security and Medicare, ensuring seniors can rely on the benefits they’ve earned, and says he’s dedicated to making healthcare more affordable and easier to navigate.
Website: jamespericola.com
Royal Webster
Background: Webster is a U.S. Army veteran (served 1980 to 1995) and former teacher from Winter Garden.
Core philosophy: Focuses on practical, bipartisan solutions to improve the daily lives of constituents, restoring the “American Dream” by making life more affordable for working families.
Key platform priorities: Webster proposes the “RISE Act,” a hybrid Universal Basic Income proposal providing an economic floor with a sliding-scale benefit to encourage work and offset rising costs. He advocates for fully funding the VA, improving timely access to care, expanding mental health resources and reducing claims backlogs.
He also pushes for a national priority on literacy (“Literacy 2040”) and has called for a one-year moratorium on new AI hyperscale data centers to develop comprehensive environmental and energy standards.
Website: electroyalwebster.org
Dan Williams
Background: College professor who emphasizes that an informed public is the foundation of a healthy democracy. He is currently a professor at Full Sail University in Winter Park.
Core philosophy: According to an interview with VoxPopuli, Williams is a strong proponent of “Direct Democracy,” transparency and using technology to make government more accessible and accountable to everyday people rather than special interests.
Key platform priorities: According to state candidate records, he emphasizes ending corruption and supports term limits, banning stock trading for all representatives and their families and ending pay-to-play politics. He fights for universal healthcare access through Medicare for All and supports raising the tax cap to ensure Social Security’s solvency. Williams also advocates for replacing antiquated agencies with a modern system built on due process, rejecting profiling and investing in tech for efficient legal processing.
Website: danwilliamsforcongress.com
jgaristo@usatodayco.com
This article originally appeared on Daily Commercial: Primary election preview | U.S. House District 11
Reporting by Julie Garisto, Leesburg Daily Commercial / Daily Commercial
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Julie Garisto, Leesburg Daily Commercial | USA TODAY Network
