Ben Braver
Science teacher who ran for state Senate District 23 in 2024 and is the Democratic nominee for HD 65 after the Aug. 18, 2026 primary.
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Positions on the major issues
Compare with opponents →Each entry describes what the candidate has said or done, and what they say they will do, in neutral terms with sources. The chip shows how that relates to the statement voters rate in the matching tool.
Property insurance Strongly agrees· stated position
Braver said bringing down insurance rates is a top priority and that the cost of living is high because monopolies control insurance, housing and energy; he would regulate companies with too much control and create a public option where competition does not exist.
"We can regulate companies that have too much control over you, ensure there is real competition and create a public option where there isn't."
Housing affordability Strongly agrees· stated position
Braver said building truly affordable housing and mass transit is part of how he would lower living costs, and that money spent on data centers would do more good invested in affordable housing and schools.
Health care Strongly agrees· stated position
Braver said Medicaid needs to be expanded, which he said would cover about 800,000 more people with federal tax dollars Floridians have already paid.
"Medicaid needs to be expanded."
Education & school choice Leans disagree· stated position
Braver, a public-school teacher, said Florida should address teacher shortages, pay and classroom resources and should reduce spending on the voucher program.
Environment & water Leans agree· stated position
Braver, who teaches science, says protecting Florida's water supply, wetlands and natural resources from unsustainable development is a priority, and has spoken against energy-intensive data centers.
Growth & development Strongly agrees· stated position
Braver said Florida should further regulate data centers, citing water use during the state's worst drought in 25 years, few permanent jobs, and public opposition.
Marijuana Leans agree· stated position
In an interview with Suncoast NORML, Braver pointed out that Florida voters approved medical marijuana in 2016 and that a majority backed adult-use legalization in 2024, and argued lawmakers have not responded to those results. He also called for evidence-based employment protections so medical cannabis patients are not fired over tests that do not measure impairment.
Energy & utilities Strongly agrees· stated position
Braver said investing in solar energy is part of his plan to lower the cost of living.
No public position found on 10 issues
We searched campaign sites, questionnaires, interviews, votes and official actions and did not find a clear stance on: Taxes & spending, Property taxes, Immigration, Abortion, Guns, Elections & voting, Crime & policing, Gender identity laws, Trump administration, Veterans. This is reported as unknown rather than guessed from party affiliation; these issues are excluded from this candidate's match score.
Other issues this candidate has raised
- Hope Florida — He confronted Gov. DeSantis over the Hope Florida settlement, accusing him of taking $10 million from a Medicaid settlement for political committees.
- Platform — NORML reports his priorities include affordable housing, functional schools, lower costs, clean water, government accountability and workers' rights.
- Workers' rights and government accountability — Braver says Florida lacks a state Department of Labor and ties cannabis employment protections to broader worker-protection gaps. He also argues corporate and donor influence in Tallahassee has pulled lawmakers away from what ordinary Floridians want.
- Housing and transit — A profile of his campaign describes him running on what it calls kitchen-table ideas aimed at monopolistic landlords and housing costs, and on addressing urban sprawl with public transit.
- Teacher pay and money in politics — Braver named raising teacher wages his first priority, saying teachers must be able to afford to live in Florida, and getting big money out of politics his third. He said he would spend a $1 million appropriation on after-school programs in Hillsborough County schools.