Josie Tomkow

Taxes & spending Leans agree· stated position

Tomkow said her affordability agenda includes returning as much as possible to taxpayers and expanding sales-tax holidays, and cited working-family tax cuts in her record.

Property insurance Mixed / neutral· based on record

Mixed. Tomkow voted for SB 2-A in December 2022, the market-based property-insurance law that ended one-way attorney fees and assignment of benefits and created a state reinsurance program. In 2026 she told the Tampa Bay Times that insurers must be held accountable for passing savings on to consumers and that Florida should stop insurers using shell companies to hide profits in order to justify rate increases — a step toward stricter regulation. The vote and the statement point in opposite directions.

"Insurers have to be accountable to pass along savings to consumers. We can take a giant step towards that by eliminating the ability to use shell companies to hide profits to justify rate hikes."

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

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.

Abortion Strongly disagrees· based on record

Voted for SB 300 (2023), the 2023 law limiting most abortions to six weeks of pregnancy.

Guns Strongly disagrees· based on record

Voted for HB 543 (2023), the 2023 law allowing adults to carry a concealed firearm without a permit.

Health care Mixed / neutral· stated position

Asked whether Medicaid should be cut or expanded, Tomkow did not back expansion but pointed to her support for extending Medicaid benefits for new mothers from six weeks to a year, saying Florida can do more 'while also not leaving a huge budget hole.'

Education & school choice Strongly agrees· based on record

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.

Environment & water Leans agree· stated position

Tomkow named combating flooding one of her three priorities, said she would work with local officials to pull down state grant money for flooding and resiliency projects, and would direct a $1 million appropriation to flooding infrastructure.

Growth & development Leans agree· stated position

Tomkow said data centers should be left up to local governments to approve, said she supported a bill studying their effects on the state's resources and power grid, and said Floridians should be able to enjoy Florida's beauty, 'not watch it be paved over.'

"Yes, data centers should be left up to local governments to approve."

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.

Crime & policing Strongly agrees· based on record

Voted for HB 1 (2021), the 2021 Combating Public Disorder law that created new riot-related offenses and penalties and let the state override local cuts to police budgets.

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.