James Martin
James Martin, 33, is a fourth-generation Floridian, U.S. Coast Guard veteran and former White House national security aide who served as chief of staff for national security affairs and executive secretary in the Office of the Vice President during the Biden-Harris administration. He launched his campaign against Rep. Brian Mast in 2025 and won the Aug. 18, 2026 Democratic primary by 359 votes (50.4% to 49.6%) over firefighter Bernard Taylor, who conceded after the AP called the race. He was endorsed by Kamala Harris.
How they got on the ballot: Won Aug 18, 2026 Democratic primary 50.4%-49.6% (359 votes out of nearly 48,000) over Bernard Taylor (Florida Politics; AP call reported by CBS12)
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.
Immigration Leans disagree· stated position
Martin says the immigration system should be overhauled to be 'safe, fair, transparent, and humane': investing in immigration judges to clear asylum backlogs, ending the use of enforcement 'as a political weapon,' creating a workable path to legal status for long-term residents and fixing the visa system.
Health care Strongly agrees· stated position
Would restore Affordable Care Act subsidies and create a public health-insurance option to increase competition and expand access.
Social Security & Medicare Strongly agrees· stated position
Pledges he 'will never vote to cut Social Security, Medicare, or veterans' benefits.'
Environment & water Leans agree· stated position
Names clean water one of his two top priorities alongside cost of living.
Tariffs & trade Strongly disagrees· stated position
Says he would push to repeal tariffs he believes are raising consumer prices.
Veterans Leans agree· stated position
A Coast Guard veteran, he pledges never to vote to cut veterans' benefits; specific VA-expansion proposals were not captured.
No public position found on 11 issues
We searched campaign sites, questionnaires, interviews, votes and official actions and did not find a clear stance on: Taxes & spending, Housing affordability, Abortion, Guns, Education & school choice, Elections & voting, Crime & policing, Gender identity laws, Energy & utilities, Ukraine, Trump administration. 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
- Cost of living — Says rising costs are the top issue and that Washington has failed to deliver on pocketbook issues; would repeal tariffs he says raise prices.
- Clean water — Lists clean-water concerns as a top priority for the Treasure Coast district.
- Data centers — Discussed data-center development and its local impacts in a long-form campaign interview.
- Accountable representation / democracy — Argues the incumbent has 'turned a blind eye to attacks on democracy at home' and presents himself as a pragmatic Democrat who can win independents and Republicans.
Record: votes, actions and documented facts
- Won the Democratic primary by 359 votes out of nearly 48,000 cast (50.4% to 49.6%) over Bernard Taylor; the AP called the race and Taylor conceded.
- Reported raising $150,000 on his first day as a candidate.
Endorsements (as reported)
- Former Vice President Kamala Harris