Florida House, District 23

Mark Baker

DemocraticSign-shop owner, Crystal River; former head of the Citrus Coffee Coalition

Qualified for the Nov. 3, 2026 ballot according to the Florida Division of Elections, 2026 general election candidate list (Qualified).

Campaign website ↗Ballotpedia profile ↗

Campaign finance: state and county candidates file with the Florida Division of Elections or the county Supervisor of Elections. Search contributions ↗

Sources last checked 2026-10-17. Report an error ↗

Positions on the major issues

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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 Leans disagree· stated position

Statement: "Florida should eliminate or sharply reduce homestead property taxes, even if local governments must cut services or find other revenue."

Opposes the current property-tax-cut proposals, which he calls 'Property Tax Voodoo', saying they lack transparency and shift the burden onto renters, workers and small businesses.

"Property Tax Voodoo ... shift burden onto renters, workers, and small businesses."

Sources: Mark Baker for Florida House District 23 - Platform (2026-09-18)

Property insurance Leans agree· stated position

Statement: "The state should intervene more directly in the property-insurance market (rate caps, expanding Citizens, stricter insurer regulation) rather than relying mainly on market-based reforms."

Baker told VOTE411 he would combine anti-fraud and mitigation steps with requiring insurers to pass savings to consumers and strengthening the state's storm-coverage backup programs.

"require insurers to pass savings from reduced litigation and lower reinsurance costs directly to consumers"

Sources: VOTE411 (League of Women Voters) voter guide, State Represe… (2026-10-17)

Housing affordability Leans agree· stated position

Statement: "Government should do more to make housing affordable (subsidies, zoning changes, rent measures)."

Platform calls for expanding access to affordable housing for working families, seniors and first-time homebuyers.

"Expand access to affordable housing for working families, seniors, and first-time homebuyers."

Sources: Mark Baker for Florida House District 23 - Platform (2026-09-18)

Immigration Strongly disagrees· stated position

Statement: "Immigration enforcement should be stricter, including large-scale deportation of people in the country illegally."

In the News 6/News Collaborative questionnaire Baker said current immigration enforcement wastes money, separates families and hurts the economy, and called for legal pathways and reform.

"the current approach often destroys families, hurts the economy by removing workers and consumers"

Sources: WKMG News 6 ClickOrlando, 2026 Voter's Guide - Florida Hous… (2026-10-16)

Abortion Strongly agrees· stated position

Statement: "Abortion should be legal in most cases (Florida's six-week ban should be repealed or loosened)."

Platform calls for repealing Florida's abortion ban and protecting access to reproductive health care and IVF.

"Repeal Florida's extreme abortion ban that puts women's lives at risk."

Sources: Mark Baker for Florida House District 23 - Platform (2026-09-18)

Health care Strongly agrees· stated position

Statement: "Government should expand its role in health coverage (expand Medicaid in Florida, extend Affordable Care Act subsidies)."

Platform calls for expanding Medicaid to cover Floridians in the coverage gap and lowering prescription-drug costs.

"Expand Medicaid to cover the hundreds of thousands of Floridians who fall in the coverage gap."

Sources: Mark Baker for Florida House District 23 - Platform (2026-09-18)

Education & school choice Strongly disagrees· stated position

Statement: "Public money should follow students to private, charter or home schools (universal school vouchers)."

Opposes voucher programs, saying they divert resources from public education; supports fully funding public schools.

"Oppose voucher programs that divert resources from public education."

Sources: Mark Baker for Florida House District 23 - Platform (2026-09-18)

Environment & water Leans agree· stated position

Statement: "Protecting water quality, conservation land and climate resilience should take priority even if it slows development or raises costs."

Platform calls for protecting the Crystal River, Kings Bay, springs, rivers and coastline from pollution and overdevelopment.

"Protect the Crystal River and Kings Bay from pollution and overdevelopment."

Sources: Mark Baker for Florida House District 23 - Platform (2026-09-18)

Growth & development Leans agree· stated position

Statement: "Growth and development should be slowed or more tightly regulated (higher impact fees, density limits, stronger local control)."

Baker said he would restore local authority over zoning, land use, density and growth planning and make state preemption harder to pass.

"I can strengthen Home Rule by restoring local authority over zoning, land use, building density, environmental protections, and growth planning."

Sources: VOTE411 (League of Women Voters) voter guide, State Represe… (2026-10-17)

Elections & voting Strongly agrees· stated position

Statement: "Voting should be made easier (mail voting, drop boxes, restoring voting rights) rather than adding new restrictions."

Platform opposes voter-suppression laws and calls for protecting early voting and vote-by-mail access.

"Oppose voter suppression laws ... protect early voting and vote-by-mail access."

Sources: Mark Baker for Florida House District 23 - Platform (2026-09-18)

Crime & policing Mixed / neutral· stated position

Statement: "Criminal penalties should be tougher and police funding increased, rather than emphasizing reform and rehabilitation."

Platform pairs funding and training for local law enforcement with investment in mental-health crisis response to reduce use of force; a mixed position on the statement.

"Fund and support local law enforcement with proper training and resources. Invest in mental health crisis response to reduce unnecessary use of force."

Sources: Mark Baker for Florida House District 23 - Platform (2026-09-18)

Energy & utilities Leans agree· stated position

Statement: "Government should promote renewable energy and tighten oversight of utility rate increases, even at the expense of fossil-fuel production."

Platform calls for utility-rate fairness so families can keep the lights on.

"Fight for utility rate fairness so families can keep the lights on."

Sources: Mark Baker for Florida House District 23 - Platform (2026-09-18)

No public position found on 6 issues

We searched campaign sites, questionnaires, interviews, votes and official actions and did not find a clear stance on: Taxes & spending, Guns, Marijuana, Gender identity laws, 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.

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