James Bush III
James Bush III is a Miami-Dade Democrat who represented House District 109 in 2008-2010 and 2018-2022 (local coverage says he first held the seat in the 1990s). He lost the 2022 and 2024 Democratic primaries to Ashley Gantt and won the four-way Democratic primary on Aug. 18, 2026 with about 49% of the vote. His campaign site describes him as an educator, minister and community advocate and stresses public schools, jobs, seniors and community-centered public safety.
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Sources last checked 2026-10-07. 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.
Abortion Leans disagree· based on record
As a state representative in 2022 he voted for CS/HB 5, which limited most abortions to the first 15 weeks of pregnancy; it passed the House 78-39 on Feb. 17, 2022. This is a 2022 vote; no current statement on abortion was found.
Education & school choice Leans agree· based on record
In 2019 he voted for CS/SB 7070, which created the Family Empowerment Scholarship (state-funded private-school scholarships, then income-limited); it passed the House 76-39 on Apr. 30, 2019. No statement on today's universal program was found; his 2026 site lists support for "public schools, teachers, students, scholarships".
Elections & voting Leans agree· based on record
He voted against the House passage of three election bills that added new rules for voting and petitions: CS/SB 7066 (2019, final House vote May 3, 2019), CS/CS/CS/SB 90 (2021, mail-ballot and drop-box limits) and CS/CS/SB 524 (2022, election crimes office). These are 2019-2022 votes.
Crime & policing Leans disagree· based on record
In 2021 he voted against CS/HB 1 (Combating Public Disorder), which created new riot-related offenses and penalties; it passed the House 76-39. His 2026 campaign site describes public safety in terms of "community-centered approaches that strengthen neighborhoods, reduce violence, improve safety."
Gender identity laws Leans agree· based on record
In 2022 he voted for CS/CS/HB 1557 (Parental Rights in Education), which restricted classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity, and in 2021 for CS/CS/SB 1028, which included the Fairness in Women's Sports Act. These votes predate the 2023 law on gender-affirming care for minors; no current statement was found.
No public position found on 13 issues
We searched campaign sites, questionnaires, interviews, votes and official actions and did not find a clear stance on: Taxes & spending, Property taxes, Property insurance, Housing affordability, Immigration, Guns, Health care, Environment & water, Growth & development, Marijuana, Energy & utilities, 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
No additional issues found in public statements as of the last data review.
Record: votes, actions and documented facts
- Voted against CS/HB 7 (2022, "Individual Freedom"), which passed the House 74-41 on Feb. 24, 2022.
- Voted against CS/CS/SB 7030 (2019), which carried out Marjory Stoneman Douglas commission recommendations including letting school districts arm classroom teachers through the guardian program; it passed the House 65-47 on May 1, 2019.