Lois Frankel
Lois Frankel, a former West Palm Beach mayor and Florida House minority leader, has served in Congress since 2013 and currently represents the 22nd District; after the 2026 map she shifted her candidacy to the new 23rd. She is the ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations subcommittee on National Security, Department of State and Related Programs. She won the Aug. 18, 2026 Democratic primary with about 75%, defeating Victoria Doyle (about 23%) and Mark Piper (about 2%). Florida Politics reports she says protecting entitlements and reforming immigration are her top priorities for an eighth term.
How they got on the ballot: Won Aug 18, 2026 Democratic primary with ~75% over Victoria Doyle (~23%) and Mark Piper (~2%) (WPTV; WLRN)
Campaign finance (FEC filings through 10/14/2026): raised $2,631,968, spent $2,355,306, cash on hand $564,090; $1,863,049 from individual donors, $676,000 from PACs. FEC filings ↗
Sources last checked 2026-10-06. 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.
Taxes & spending Leans disagree· based on record
Frankel voted against H.R. 1 (2025), which extended the 2017 tax cuts while reducing Medicaid and SNAP spending; her statement cited 'the largest Medicaid cut in history.' She has not stated that tax cuts should take priority over services.
Immigration Strongly disagrees· based on record
Voted against the Laken Riley Act (S. 5), the 2025 law requiring federal detention of unauthorized immigrants charged with theft or violent crimes and letting states sue over immigration enforcement.
Abortion Strongly agrees· stated position
Frankel co-leads the Women's Health Protection Act, which would guarantee a right to abortion care nationwide, and says women, not politicians, should decide whether and when to start a family, with access to abortion, contraception and IVF.
Guns Leans agree· based on record
Frankel voted for the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (2022), which expanded background checks for buyers under 21 and funded state red-flag laws. Her position on other measures was not captured.
Health care Leans agree· based on record
Frankel voted no on H.R. 1 (2025), saying it would 'rip health care away from nearly 17 million Americans, including two million Floridians' through Medicaid cuts. A specific statement on extending ACA subsidies or Florida Medicaid expansion was not captured.
Social Security & Medicare Strongly agrees· stated position
Frankel told Florida Politics that protecting entitlements (Social Security and Medicare) is one of her top priorities for another term; her office maintains a Social Security and Medicare issue page. Her position on new revenue was not captured.
Elections & voting Leans agree· based on record
Frankel voted against the SAVE Act (H.R. 22, April 2025), which would require documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote; only four Democrats supported it. In 2026 she publicly weighed in on SAVE America Act provisions in a reconciliation package.
Crime & policing Leans disagree· based on record
Voted against the Protecting Our Nation's Capital Emergency Act (H.R. 2096), the 2025 bill repealing parts of the District of Columbia police-accountability law; a vote for it is coded as leaning toward tougher policing.
Gender identity laws Leans disagree· based on record
Voted against the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act (H.R. 28), the 2025 bill barring transgender girls and women from female school sports under Title IX; a vote for it is coded as leaning toward keeping restrictions in place.
Energy & utilities Leans agree· based on record
Voted against the Protecting American Energy Production Act (H.R. 26), the 2025 bill barring a presidential moratorium on hydraulic fracturing without an act of Congress; a vote for it is coded as leaning toward fossil-fuel production.
Ukraine Strongly agrees· based on record
Frankel voted for the $60.8 billion Ukraine Security Supplemental Appropriations Act (H.R. 8035) in April 2024, which passed 311-112 with all Democrats in favor. As ranking member of the State-Foreign Operations subcommittee she criticized 2026 cuts to humanitarian aid, citing Ukraine.
Trump administration Strongly disagrees· stated position
Frankel voted against and publicly labeled the administration's signature 2025 bill the 'Big, Ugly Bill,' and has criticized the administration's foreign-aid cuts and reinstatement of the 'Global Gag Rule.'
Veterans Strongly agrees· stated position
Frankel announced that the No Fallen Heroes Foundation received $750,000 in federal funding through the Department of Veterans Affairs' Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program, to expand mental health and suicide prevention services in Palm Beach, Monroe, Miami-Dade and Broward counties for veterans not connected to VA care.
"This investment will expand access to critical mental health and suicide prevention resources for veterans who are not connected to VA care."
No public position found on 4 issues
We searched campaign sites, questionnaires, interviews, votes and official actions and did not find a clear stance on: Housing affordability, Education & school choice, Environment & water, Tariffs & trade. 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
- Foreign aid and State Department funding — As ranking Democrat on the National Security/State subcommittee, Frankel opposed a 42% cut to humanitarian aid and the reinstatement of the 'Global Gag Rule' in the 2026 bill; her office says she later led House passage of the FY26 State Department funding bill.
- Women's Health Protection Act — Co-lead of legislation to codify a nationwide right to abortion care.
- Seniority as an asset — In the primary Frankel campaigned on her seniority and appropriations role.
- Entitlement protection and immigration reform — She lists protecting Social Security/Medicare and reforming immigration as her top priorities for the next term.
- State stock-trading disclosure form — The Florida Phoenix reported that Frankel checked the box on Florida's new federal-candidate form saying she intends to trade stocks if re-elected; the paper said she did not respond to a request for comment.
Record: votes, actions and documented facts
- Voted NO on H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (final passage July 3, 2025, 218-214).
- Voted NO on the SAVE Act (H.R. 22, April 10, 2025; passed 220-208 with four Democrats in favor).
- Voted YES on the Ukraine Security Supplemental Appropriations Act (H.R. 8035, April 20, 2024).
- Voted for the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (2022).
- Co-lead of the Women's Health Protection Act (H.R. 12).
- Ranking member, House Appropriations Subcommittee on National Security, Department of State and Related Programs.
- Voted against the Laken Riley Act (S. 5), the 2025 law requiring federal detention of unauthorized immigrants charged with theft or violent crimes and letting states sue over immigration enforcement.
- Voted against the SAVE Act (H.R. 22), the 2025 bill requiring documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote.
- Voted against the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1), the July 2025 budget law that made the 2017 tax cuts permanent and added new deductions while cutting Medicaid and food-assistance spending.
- Voted against the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1), the July 2025 budget law that added Medicaid work requirements and eligibility checks projected to reduce coverage.
- Voted against the Protecting American Energy Production Act (H.R. 26), the 2025 bill barring a presidential moratorium on hydraulic fracturing without an act of Congress; a vote for it is coded as leaning toward fossil-fuel production.
- Voted against the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act (H.R. 28), the 2025 bill barring transgender girls and women from female school sports under Title IX; a vote for it is coded as leaning toward keeping restrictions in place.
- Voted against the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act (H.R. 21), the 2025 bill setting criminal penalties for providers who fail to care for an infant born alive after an attempted abortion; a vote for it is coded as leaning toward more abortion restrictions.
- Voted against the Protecting Our Nation's Capital Emergency Act (H.R. 2096), the 2025 bill repealing parts of the District of Columbia police-accountability law; a vote for it is coded as leaning toward tougher policing.
- Voted for the Social Security Fairness Act (H.R. 82), the 2024 law repealing the Windfall Elimination Provision and Government Pension Offset, raising benefits for some public-sector retirees.
- Voted Yea on H.Con.Res. 93, a War Powers Resolution directing the President to remove U.S. armed forces from hostilities with Iran (Roll Call 307, Sept. 15, 2026; agreed to 220-204).
- Voted Nay on the motion to table H.Res. 1486, a resolution impeaching President Trump (Roll Call 298, Sept. 15, 2026; tabled 232-147 with 47 voting present). A Yea vote set the resolution aside; a Nay vote would have kept it before the House.
- Voted Nay on H.J.Res. 210 and Nay on H.J.Res. 213, Congressional Review Act resolutions disapproving EPA authorizations of California's at-berth ocean-going vessel and commercial harbor craft diesel-emission rules (Roll Calls 306 and 311, Sept. 15-16, 2026; passed 216-211 and 214-208).
Endorsements (as reported)
- Palm Beach Post Editorial Board