Fabian Basabe
Fabián Basabe, a Miami Beach businessman who appeared on the reality show Filthy Rich: Cattle Drive, was elected in 2022 by 240 votes and re-elected in 2024. He describes himself as fiscally conservative and socially liberal. In July 2026 a civil jury found him liable for sexual harassment, battery and defamation claims brought by two former House employees and awarded $450,000; he denied wrongdoing.
Campaign finance: state and county candidates file with the Florida Division of Elections or the county Supervisor of Elections. Search contributions ↗
Sources last checked 2026-09-18. Report an error ↗
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 taxes Strongly agrees· based on record
Basabe voted for HJR 1-F, the homestead property-tax amendment placed on the 2026 ballot; he did not vote on HJR 203.
Property insurance Leans disagree· based on record
Voted for SB 2-A (Dec. 2022), the December 2022 property-insurance law that ended one-way attorney fees and assignment of benefits and created a state reinsurance program, a market-based approach; a vote for it is coded as leaning against more direct state intervention.
Housing affordability Leans agree· based on record
Voted for CS/SB 102 (2023), the 2023 Live Local Act that put $711 million into state housing programs, required local governments to allow multifamily housing in commercial areas when at least 40 percent of units are affordable, and created property-tax exemptions for affordable developments; a vote for it is coded as leaning toward more government action on housing.
Immigration Strongly agrees· based on record
Basabe voted for SB 2-C, the 2025 state immigration-enforcement package.
Abortion Mixed / neutral· based on record
Basabe did not vote on the six-week abortion law in 2023; he said he would not vote on it until it was right for all Floridians and has been reported as favoring a 12-week limit.
"My statement was I will not vote on it until it's right to represent all Floridians."
Guns Strongly disagrees· based on record
He voted for permitless carry in 2023 and for lowering the long-gun purchase age to 18 in 2025 and 2026.
Education & school choice Strongly agrees· based on record
Basabe voted for HB 1, the 2023 universal school-choice expansion.
Elections & voting Strongly disagrees· based on record
Voted for SB 7050 (2023), the 2023 elections law that raised penalties and shortened deadlines for third-party voter-registration groups and changed vote-by-mail and voter-roll procedures.
Gender identity laws Strongly agrees· based on record
Voted for SB 254 (2023), the 2023 law barring gender-affirming medical treatment for minors and restricting it for adults.
Energy & utilities Leans disagree· based on record
Voted for CS/CS/HB 1645 (2024), the 2024 energy law that removed climate change as a priority of state energy policy, repealed several renewable-energy goals and grant programs, banned offshore wind turbines in state waters and eased regulation of natural-gas pipelines; a vote for it is coded as leaning against promoting renewable energy.
No public position found on 8 issues
We searched campaign sites, questionnaires, interviews, votes and official actions and did not find a clear stance on: Taxes & spending, Health care, Environment & water, Growth & development, Marijuana, Crime & policing, 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
- Civil verdict — In July 2026 a jury found Basabe liable for sexually harassing, battering and defaming two former House employees and awarded $450,000; he denied wrongdoing.
- Attack ads against opponent — Basabe told the Miami Herald he did not finance or create the ads targeting Baez-Geller but considers them fact-based, and in his own video questioned her campaign finances, endorsers and stance on Israel. He is appealing the July civil verdict against him.
Record: votes, actions and documented facts
- CS/HJR 1-F (2026 special session), the homestead property-tax amendment (Amendment 3): voted Yes
- CS/CS/HJR 203 (2026), proposal to eliminate non-school property taxes on homesteads: voted did not vote
- SB 2-C (2025 special session), state immigration-enforcement package: voted Yes
- HB 1 (2023), universal school-choice vouchers: voted Yes
- SB 300 (2023), the six-week abortion law: voted did not vote
- HB 543 (2023), permitless concealed carry: voted Yes
- HB 759 (2025), lowering the long-gun purchase age from 21 to 18: voted Yes
- HB 133 (2026), lowering the long-gun purchase age from 21 to 18: voted Yes
- HB 1423 (2023), restricting children's attendance at adult live performances: voted yes in the State Administration & Technology Appropriations Subcommittee, saying it was about preserving the innocence of children
- Voted for CS/HJR 1-F (2026), the June 2026 joint resolution that placed Amendment 3 on the ballot to raise the non-school homestead exemption to $250,000 by 2028 and let counties and cities exempt homesteads entirely; because the vote sent the question to voters rather than cutting taxes itself, a vote for it is coded as leaning toward sharply reducing homestead property taxes rather than as full agreement.Sources: Bill page · Roll-call vote
- Voted for CS/CS/HB 1645 (2024), the 2024 energy law that removed climate change as a priority of state energy policy, repealed several renewable-energy goals and grant programs, banned offshore wind turbines in state waters and eased regulation of natural-gas pipelines; a vote for it is coded as leaning against promoting renewable energy.Sources: Bill page · Roll-call vote
- Voted for CS/SB 102 (2023), the 2023 Live Local Act that put $711 million into state housing programs, required local governments to allow multifamily housing in commercial areas when at least 40 percent of units are affordable, and created property-tax exemptions for affordable developments; a vote for it is coded as leaning toward more government action on housing.Sources: Bill page · Roll-call vote
- Voted for SB 2-C (2025), the February 2025 special-session immigration law that created a State Board of Immigration Enforcement, made entering Florida as an unauthorized immigrant a state crime and required local cooperation with federal detention.Sources: Bill page · Roll-call vote
- Voted for HB 543 (2023), the 2023 law allowing adults to carry a concealed firearm without a permit.Sources: Bill page · Roll-call vote
- Voted for HB 1 (2023), the 2023 law that made every Florida student eligible for a state-funded scholarship usable at private schools or for home education.Sources: Bill page · Roll-call vote
- Voted for SB 254 (2023), the 2023 law barring gender-affirming medical treatment for minors and restricting it for adults.Sources: Bill page · Roll-call vote
- Voted for SB 7050 (2023), the 2023 elections law that raised penalties and shortened deadlines for third-party voter-registration groups and changed vote-by-mail and voter-roll procedures.Sources: Bill page · Roll-call vote
- Voted for SB 2-A (Dec. 2022), the December 2022 property-insurance law that ended one-way attorney fees and assignment of benefits and created a state reinsurance program, a market-based approach; a vote for it is coded as leaning against more direct state intervention.Sources: Bill page · Roll-call vote
Endorsements (as reported)
- Beverly Heller, Miami Beach education advocate (she first denied endorsing him, then told Florida Politics she endorses both Basabe and Lucia Baez-Geller)