Research as of Nov. 1, 2026. Early voting: Mon., Oct. 19 to Sun., Nov. 1. Election Day: Tue., Nov. 3, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m..Early voting runs through 7 p.m. Sun., Nov. 1; Election Day is Tue., Nov. 3.Early voting ended Sun., Nov. 1. Election Day is Tue., Nov. 3, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., at your precinct's polling place.Election Day, Tue., Nov. 3: polls are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at your precinct's polling place.Polls closed at 7 p.m. Tue., Nov. 3; anyone in line by then still votes. Check your voter info at votehillsborough.gov

U.S. House, District 12

Federal

Listen: this contest in 1:32

Research as of Nov. 1, 2026

Read by a synthetic voice from this page’s research. A summary, not a recommendation.

Read the transcript

Part of Hillsborough County now sits in the redrawn Twelfth Congressional District, where Republican Gus Bilirakis, in Congress since 2007, is seeking another term. His challengers are Democrat Kimberly Overman, a former Hillsborough County commissioner, and Branden Scrivener, a 27-year-old Medicare case manager with no party affiliation. One estimate has the new district voting for Trump by about 14 points in 2024. As of October 20, Cook and Inside Elections rated it solidly Republican. No public polls were found. In filings through October 14, Bilirakis had raised about 2.3 million dollars and Overman about 280 thousand. Scrivener reported about 8 thousand through September. Creative Loafing Tampa Bay's editors back Overman, calling her the more qualified candidate. They criticize Bilirakis for a 2023 letter seeking a lighter sentence for a January 6 defendant, and for his vote for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The Tampa Bay Times editorial board recommends Bilirakis, calling him a measured consensus builder who fits the district, and says he already serves as the advocate Overman promises to be. Bilirakis is endorsed by Donald Trump, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the NRA and Florida Right to Life. Overman is endorsed by the Florida AFL-CIO and the West Central Florida Labor Council. Research as of November 1, 2026. Sources and the full picture are on this page.

This contest is on some Hillsborough County ballots, not on the example ballot this site is built around. Find my ballot shows whether it’s on yours, or check your county’s sample ballot or the official precinct finder.Check your county’s sample ballot or the official precinct finder to see whether it’s on yours.

FactOfficial sample ballot wording

Representative in Congress, District 12 · Vote for one

Gus Michael BilirakisRepublican Party
Kimberly OvermanDemocratic Party
Branden ScrivenerNo Party Affiliation

Lead recommendationEditorialCreative Loafing Tampa Bay, Oct. 22, 2026

Creative Loafing’s pick

Kimberly Overman

Why, as they argue it (our summary of their write-up)

More qualified. Overman, a former Hillsborough County commissioner, is the more qualified candidate, with a focus on affordable housing and access to health care.
Her priorities. She wants to overturn Citizens United, protect reproductive rights and do more for military families.
Why not the Times' pick. CL rejects the Tampa Bay Times' recommendation of Gus Bilirakis and points to the Times' own reporting: a 2023 letter seeking a lighter sentence for a Jan. 6 rioter who had guns and explosives, money from indicted pharmaceutical fraudsters, and taking credit for legislation he had nothing to do with.
The Big Beautiful Bill vote. Bilirakis also defended his vote for Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill," which CL calls arguably one of the worst laws in modern history.

Colin Wolf · Creative Loafing voting guide 2026: Hillsborough and Pinellas congressional seats · every pick: the full guide

Creative Loafing’s reporting on this race (4)

Tampa Bay Democratic congressional candidates Overman, Kirschner and Gray win primaries Aug. 19, 2026
Primary results: Kimberly Overman will face Gus Bilirakis in CD12, Robert People faces Laurel Lee in CD15, and Mike Beltran won the GOP nod to challenge Kathy Castor, who was unopposed in her primary, in the redrawn CD14.
Breaking down the changes in Florida’s new congressional districts May 5, 2026
Lists changes in Florida's new congressional map: the 12th shifts into Hillsborough, the 14th turns Trump-leaning (Castor still running), and the 15th gains Citrus County. Bilirakis and Laurel Lee seek reelection.
La Gaceta: Luis Salazar upsets Mike Suarez in ‘good ole West Tampa brawl’ for state house nomination Aug. 23, 2026 · La Gaceta, republished by Creative Loafing
La Gaceta recap of primary results: Overman won the CD12 nomination to face Bilirakis, Salazar upset Suarez in HD64, Aileen Rodriguez won the county commission 7 nomination, and Perez led Gay for school board 6.
Here’s who the Democratic Progressive Caucus of Florida is endorsing for the Aug. 18 primaries July 22, 2026 · Florida Phoenix, republished by Creative Loafing
A progressive Democratic caucus's primary slate backed Kimberly Overman in CD12, Robert People in CD15, Angie Nixon for Senate, and Earle Ford over Annette Taddeo for CFO.

Why this leads: The site owner's choice (Oct. 24): the recommendation that best matches the owner's values, shown first on every contest. Still an editorial: one outlet's opinion, not this site's.

Where it stands

Fact

Bilirakis, the incumbent, has served in the U.S. House since 2007. Florida's 2026 mid-decade map moved District 12 out of Citrus, Hernando and Marion counties; it kept part of Pasco and moved south into Hillsborough. A WUSF source said the new district still voted for Trump by about 14 points in 2024. As of Oct. 20, 2026, Cook and Inside Elections rated the race Solid Republican, Decision Desk Safe Republican and Sabato's Crystal Ball Likely Republican. No public polls were found. FEC summaries through Oct. 14 show Bilirakis with about $2.26 million raised and Overman about $280,000. Scrivener reported about $8,100 through Sept. 30.^{26,20,18,11,4,12,8}

2026: Democratic primary (new lines): Kimberly Overman 52.7% vs Darren McAuley 47.3%. The Republican primary was canceled.²⁶
2024: Gus Bilirakis (R) 71.0% vs Rock Aboujaoude Jr. (D) 29.0%, under the district's previous boundaries²⁶
2022: Gus Bilirakis (R) 70.4% vs Kimberly Walker (D) 29.6%, under the district's previous boundaries²⁶
2024: 2024 presidential vote in the district as listed on Ballotpedia's 2026 page (compiled by The Downballot): Trump 57.2%, Harris 41.8%. Ballotpedia does not say which lines it uses; WUSF quoted a political scientist saying the new district voted for Trump by about 14 points.^26,20

No polls found in the research.

Research as of Oct 23, 2026.

The money gap

Fact

8.1×Gus Michael Bilirakis has raised 8.1 times as much as Kimberly Overman.

Gus Michael BilirakisRepublican · incumbent
$2,255,342as of Oct 14, 2026
Kimberly OvermanDemocrat
$280,118as of Oct 14, 2026
Branden ScrivenerNo party affiliation
$8,095as of Sep 30, 2026

Monetary contributions reported to election officials. In-kind contributions and loans are left out here and listed under each candidate below. The latest figures run to different dates, shown beside each amount.

Candidates and money

Fact

Gus Michael BilirakisRepublican · incumbent

Gus Bilirakis is the Republican incumbent. He has served in the U.S. House since 2007 and represents District 12. WUSF reports that his father, Michael Bilirakis, held the seat for 20 years before him. Before Congress he ran a law practice focused on estate planning. He holds a University of Florida bachelor's degree and a Stetson law degree.^{2,1,6,20,11,27}

He sits on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, where he chairs the Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade Subcommittee, and on the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party.^10,27
He sponsored the TICKET Act (H.R. 1402), which requires ticket sellers to show full prices. It passed the House 409-15 on April 29, 2025, and was placed on the Senate calendar on Sept. 16, 2025.^9,15
His AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act (H.R. 979) passed the House and was placed on the Senate legislative calendar on Sept. 16, 2026.⁹
He introduced a House version of the Kids Online Safety Act (H.R. 6484) on Dec. 5, 2025. A subcommittee forwarded an amended version to the full committee on a 13-10 vote on Dec. 11, 2025.⁹
In 2026 he introduced the Homeowners Premium Tax Reduction Act (H.R. 9978), the Part D Premium Protection Act (H.R. 10185) and the Commission on Sustaining Medicare and Social Security Act (H.R. 9089). All were referred to committee.⁹
In 2025 he introduced the Eliminate DEI in Colleges Act (H.R. 1282), which was referred to the Education and Workforce Committee.⁹
On July 3, 2025, he voted yes on concurring in the Senate amendment to H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which passed 218-214 (Roll Call 190).¹⁶
He voted Yea on the TAKE IT DOWN Act (S. 146) on April 28, 2025, which passed 409-2 (Roll Call 104).¹⁴
He voted Yea on the SAVE Act (H.R. 22) on April 10, 2025, which passed 220-208 (Roll Call 102).¹³
He voted Yea on the Laken Riley Act (H.R. 29) on Jan. 7, 2025, which passed 264-159 (Roll Call 6).¹⁷
In 2023, the Times reported, he wrote to a federal judge seeking a sentence below the nine years a Tampa Bay-area Jan. 6 protester faced. That man had been convicted of illegally possessing weapons, grenades and a classified document. The letter cited the man's lack of criminal history, and prosecutors argued against leniency. The article included no further comment from Bilirakis.²²
In 2018 the Times reported that three pharmacy owners later indicted in a telemedicine fraud case had given his campaign a combined $6,810. His campaign said he knew them through church, was unaware of the indictment and would donate the money to a Pasco substance-abuse prevention group.²³

Raised $2,255,342, spent $2,122,513, cash on hand $254,246 (2026 Pre-General (cycle-to-date FEC summary, coverage 01/01/2025 to 10/14/2026), as of Oct 14, 2026)FEC also shows $54,639.01 in debts owed by the committee. The end date matches the Pre-General close of books; the Form 3 itself was not opened.^4,3

Kimberly OvermanDemocrat

Kimberly Overman is a certified financial planner and former Hillsborough County commissioner. She describes herself as a small-business owner and retired financial advisor with more than 30 years in the field. She won the Aug. 18, 2026 Democratic primary over Darren McAuley with 52.7% of the vote.^2,1,7,20,26

On May 4, 2026, after the new congressional map was enacted, her campaign said she would run in the redrawn District 12. Her FEC candidate ID (H6FL15200) reflects an original filing for District 15.^29,12
In Ballotpedia's candidate survey she lists her priorities as lowering costs for families, protecting access to health care, strengthening Social Security and Medicare, supporting caregivers and defending voting rights.²⁶
In the same survey she says she wants to fix immigration policies she describes as broken, and to protect access to women's health care.²⁶

Raised $280,118, spent $250,591, cash on hand $29,526 (2026 Pre-General (cycle-to-date FEC summary, coverage 07/01/2025 to 10/14/2026), as of Oct 14, 2026)FEC shows $31,296.56 in debts owed by the committee and $14,000 in loans from the candidate.^12,3

Branden ScrivenerNo party affiliation

Branden Scrivener, 27, is a no-party candidate who works as a Medicare case manager, according to WUSF. He told Ballotpedia he has a bachelor's degree in human services and more than three years of experience in health care, including securing insurance authorizations. He has not held public office.^2,1,5,20,26

He says he would push to expand the size of Congress, set congressional term limits and tighten limits on corporate campaign donations.²⁶
He says he wants to strengthen the U.S. Department of Education, fully fund Title I, and opposes voucher programs he says take money from public schools.²⁶
He supports expanding Medicaid and Medicare, strengthening Social Security and lowering housing costs.²⁶

Raised $8,095, spent $8,056, cash on hand -$214 (2026 October Quarterly (FEC summary coverage 04/01/2026 to 09/30/2026), as of Sep 30, 2026)$7,000.03 of receipts came from the candidate. The FEC summary lists -$213.71 ending cash, which does not reconcile with its $100.39 beginning cash plus receipts minus spending. No Pre-General figures were posted yet.^8,3

Other editorial pages

Opinion columns, not endorsements

Editorial Creative Loafing Tampa (Oct 22, 2026): Kimberly Overman. Writer Colin Wolf called Overman the more qualified and reasonable choice, citing her work on affordable housing and health care access. He also cited her support for overturning Citizens United and for reproductive rights. He criticized Bilirakis for his 2023 letter seeking a lighter sentence for a Jan. 6 defendant, past donations from indicted pharmacy owners and his vote for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The guide did not mention Scrivener.¹⁹

Not found in the research

No qualified write-in candidates: neither the DOS candidate list nor the Hillsborough sample ballot shows one, and the ballot has no write-in line for this contest.
No public polls of the 2026 FL-12 general election were found (Ballotpedia district page and web searches).
No endorsements were found for Branden Scrivener (web searches and Ballotpedia). No independent coverage of his campaign beyond WUSF and Ballotpedia was found.
Searched for Planned Parenthood, Sierra Club, Equality Florida (own site), League of Conservation Voters and End Citizens United endorsements of Overman; none confirmed on the groups' own pages. Planned Parenthood's Florida PAC slate covered state races. Overman's campaign page lists Unrig Washington/End Citizens United as a reform pledge, so it is not recorded as an endorsement. Florida Conservation Voters and the Florida Education Association were not separately searched (federal races).
Searched for police unions (FOP/PBA), sheriffs, Americans for Prosperity, Florida Farm Bureau, Florida Realtors, Florida Medical Association, Florida Family groups and the Florida Chamber/AIF for 2026 endorsements of Bilirakis; none found. Sheriff endorsements found were from 2024.
Ballotpedia lists 2026 endorsements of Bilirakis by U.S. Reps. Byron Donalds, Jim Jordan and Anna Paulina Luna and former Rep. Matt Gaetz. These are individuals, so they are not recorded as group endorsements.
Overman's exact county commission dates were not confirmed in a primary source. The Times editorial says 2018 to 2022, but that is editorial content.
FEC figures come from cycle-to-date committee summary pages, because the OpenFEC API was rate-limited. The individual Pre-General Form 3 filings were not opened. Scrivener's FEC summary has a cash-on-hand inconsistency, and his Pre-General figures were not yet posted.
Ballotpedia does not say which lines its 2024 presidential figure for the district uses. The share of the district inside Hillsborough County was not quantified.
Status of the court challenge to the 2026 map: WUSF (May 2026) reported a suit filed in Leon Circuit Court; no later ruling was researched. The map is in use for this election.
Independent expenditures in FL-12 were not researched. Ballotpedia shows no satellite spending data yet.

Tampa Bay Times

EditorialMoney map

Gus Michael Bilirakis

The Times' case: Both recommenders, Times chairman Conan Gallaty and Viewpoints editor Graham Brink, chose Bilirakis. They called him a measured consensus builder who works behind the scenes, citing his TICKET Act and Take It Down Act work and his constituent-service awards. They said he fits the district even under its new lines. They described Overman as a former county commissioner who understands government and is strong on affordability and public health, but concluded Bilirakis already serves as the advocate she promises to be. The recommendation did not mention Scrivener.

EditorialAs recorded in each guide

Endorsements, both lenses

Neither lens is this site's voice

Progressive lens

Lens

Gus Michael BilirakisREPIncumbent0 support · 0 oppose

No listings found in this guide.

Kimberly OvermanDEM20 support · 0 oppose

SupportEndorsement

Labor: Florida AFL-CIO · Listed as 'Kim Overman' for Congressional District 12.Direct
West Central Florida Labor Council, AFL-CIO · Hillsborough section of list dated Oct. 7, 2026.Direct
LGBTQ+: Equality Florida · Listed on the candidate's campaign endorsement page; not confirmed on the group's own site.Aggregator only
Progressive & community organizing: National Organization for Women (NOW) PAC · Listed on the candidate's campaign endorsement page; not confirmed on the group's own site.Aggregator only
Feminist Majority · Listed on the candidate's campaign endorsement page; not confirmed on the group's own site.Aggregator only
National Women's Political Caucus · Listed on the candidate's campaign endorsement page; not confirmed on the group's own site.Aggregator only
Progressives for Democracy in America · Listed on the candidate's campaign endorsement page; not confirmed on the group's own site.Aggregator only
National Security Leaders for America · Listed on the candidate's campaign endorsement page; not confirmed on the group's own site.Aggregator only
Voices & Votes · Listed on the candidate's campaign endorsement page; not confirmed on the group's own site.Aggregator only
Civil rights & civil liberties: Emgage Action · Muslim American advocacy group; listed under Florida federal endorsements, Congressional District 12.Direct
Muslims for Democracy and Fairness (MDF) PAC 22 · Listed on the candidate's campaign endorsement page; not confirmed on the group's own site.Aggregator only
Gun safety: Moms Demand Action (Everytown) · Campaign says she was named a 2026 Gun Sense Candidate; the group's own candidate page did not render names, so it could not be confirmed.Aggregator only
Brady PAC · Listed on the candidate's campaign endorsement page; not confirmed on the group's own site.Aggregator only
Democratic Party & caucuses: Democratic Progressive Caucus of Florida · Named in the caucus's congressional slate for the Aug. 18 primary, as reported by Florida Phoenix/WLRN.Direct
The Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus · Listed on the candidate's campaign endorsement page; not confirmed on the group's own site.Aggregator only
Democratic Environmental Caucus of Florida · Listed on the candidate's campaign endorsement page; not confirmed on the group's own site.Aggregator only
Florida Democratic Agricultural Caucus · Listed on the candidate's campaign endorsement page; not confirmed on the group's own site.Aggregator only
Democratic Women's Club of Florida · Listed on the candidate's campaign endorsement page; not confirmed on the group's own site.Aggregator only
Democratic Hispanic Caucus of Florida · Listed on the candidate's campaign endorsement page; not confirmed on the group's own site.Aggregator only
Democratic Veterans Caucus of Florida · Listed on the candidate's campaign endorsement page; not confirmed on the group's own site.Aggregator only

Branden ScrivenerNPA0 support · 0 oppose

No listings found in this guide.

Searched, nothing found

Not found in the research.

Right-leaning lens

Lens

Gus Michael BilirakisREPIncumbent5 support · 0 oppose

SupportEndorsement

Republican Party & officials: Hillsborough County Republican Party · Listed on the party's 2026 slate card for District 12.Direct
Donald Trump · An individual, not a group. He endorsed Bilirakis's 2026 re-election on Truth Social (reported Nov. 3, 2025); the post itself was not opened.Direct
Business & industry: U.S. Chamber of Commerce · Announced July 28, 2026.Direct
Gun rights: NRA Political Victory Fund · Bilirakis carries an 'NRA Endorsed' badge and an A grade. Overman is graded F, which the NRA calls a grade, not an opposition endorsement. Scrivener is not listed.Direct
Anti-abortion & religious conservative: Florida Right to Life · Listed on its 2026 general election endorsements page.Direct

Kimberly OvermanDEM0 support · 0 oppose

No listings found in this guide.

Branden ScrivenerNPA0 support · 0 oppose

No listings found in this guide.

Searched, nothing found

Not found in the research.

Sources

37 for this contest, official records first

1.2026 General Election All Races Sample Ballot · Hillsborough County Supervisor of ElectionsTier 1: Official / primary record
2.2026 General Election candidate list (United States Representative) · Florida Division of ElectionsTier 1: Official / primary record
3.2026 quarterly reporting dates · Federal Election CommissionTier 1: Official / primary record
4.Bilirakis for Congress (C00408534) committee summary, 2025-2026 · Federal Election CommissionTier 1: Official / primary record
5.Candidate detail: Branden Scrivener, U.S. Representative District 12 · Florida Division of ElectionsTier 1: Official / primary record
6.Candidate detail: Gus Michael Bilirakis, U.S. Representative District 12 · Florida Division of ElectionsTier 1: Official / primary record
7.Candidate detail: Kimberly Overman, U.S. Representative District 12 · Florida Division of ElectionsTier 1: Official / primary record
8.Citizens for Branden Scrivener (C00936328) committee summary, 2025-2026 · Federal Election CommissionTier 1: Official / primary record
9.Gus M. Bilirakis: sponsored legislation · Congress.gov (Library of Congress) APITier 1: Official / primary record
10.Member profile: Gus M. Bilirakis (committee assignments) · Office of the Clerk, U.S. HouseTier 1: Official / primary record
11.Member record: Gus M. Bilirakis (B001257) · Congress.gov (Library of Congress) APITier 1: Official / primary record
12.Overman for Congress (C00914317) committee summary, 2025-2026 · Federal Election CommissionTier 1: Official / primary record
13.Roll Call 102 (H.R. 22, SAVE Act) · Office of the Clerk, U.S. HouseTier 1: Official / primary record
14.Roll Call 104 (S. 146, TAKE IT DOWN Act) · Office of the Clerk, U.S. HouseTier 1: Official / primary record
15.Roll Call 107 (H.R. 1402, TICKET Act) · Office of the Clerk, U.S. HouseTier 1: Official / primary record
16.Roll Call 190 (H.R. 1, One Big Beautiful Bill Act) · Office of the Clerk, U.S. HouseTier 1: Official / primary record
17.Roll Call 6 (H.R. 29, Laken Riley Act) · Office of the Clerk, U.S. HouseTier 1: Official / primary record
18.A breakdown of the changes for Florida's new congressional map · WUSFTier 2: Regional or national press, aggregators
19.Creative Loafing voting guide 2026: Hillsborough and Pinellas congressional seats · Creative Loafing TampaTier 2: Regional or national press, aggregators
20.Democrat Kimberly Overman wins primary, setting up face-off against U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis · WUSFTier 2: Regional or national press, aggregators
21.Democratic Progressive Caucus of Florida releases congressional slate for Aug. 18 primaries · WLRN / Florida PhoenixTier 2: Regional or national press, aggregators
22.Gus Bilirakis writes letter in support of Tampa Bay Jan. 6 protester · Tampa Bay TimesTier 2: Regional or national press, aggregators
23.Indicted donors gave to Bilirakis campaign · Tampa Bay TimesTier 2: Regional or national press, aggregators
24.Our picks for U.S. House of Representatives | Recommendations · Tampa Bay TimesTier 2: Regional or national press, aggregators
25.Trump Endorses Gus Bilirakis for 2026 Election · The Floridian PressTier 2: Regional or national press, aggregators
26.Florida's 12th Congressional District election, 2026 · BallotpediaTier 3: Nonpartisan reference / policy analysis
27.Gus M. Bilirakis · BallotpediaTier 3: Nonpartisan reference / policy analysis
28.2026 General Election Endorsements · Florida Right to LifeTier 4: Advocacy or endorsing organization (cited for its own position)
29.An important update about the Overman for Congress campaign · Kimberly Overman campaignTier 4: Advocacy or endorsing organization (cited for its own position)
30.Emgage Action Endorsements · Emgage ActionTier 4: Advocacy or endorsing organization (cited for its own position)
31.Endorsements (campaign endorsement list) · Kimberly Overman campaignTier 4: Advocacy or endorsing organization (cited for its own position)
32.Endorsements: Moms Demand Action Endorses Kimberly Overman · Kimberly Overman campaignTier 4: Advocacy or endorsing organization (cited for its own position)
33.Florida AFL-CIO Labor 2026 Endorsements · Florida AFL-CIOTier 4: Advocacy or endorsing organization (cited for its own position)
34.Grades: Florida · NRA Political Victory FundTier 4: Advocacy or endorsing organization (cited for its own position)
35.Hillsborough County Republican Party Endorsed Candidates for 2026 (slate card) · Hillsborough County Republican PartyTier 4: Advocacy or endorsing organization (cited for its own position)
36.U.S. Chamber Endorses Rep. Gus Bilirakis for Florida's Twelfth District · U.S. Chamber of CommerceTier 4: Advocacy or endorsing organization (cited for its own position)
37.West Central Florida Labor Council Election Endorsements (as of Oct. 7, 2026) · West Central Florida Labor Council, AFL-CIOTier 4: Advocacy or endorsing organization (cited for its own position)