Scott Franklin
Scott Franklin has represented the district since January 2021 (first elected in the old 15th, then the 18th after 2022 redistricting). He served in the U.S. Navy from 1986 to 2000 and the Navy Reserve from 2000 to 2012, worked in business, and was a Lakeland city commissioner. He is the Republican nominee on the Nov. 3, 2026 ballot; under the 2026 map the district is centered on Polk County with part of Osceola County.
How they got on the ballot: Republican nominee (Ballotpedia; primary details not found in snippets)
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 Strongly agrees· based on record
Franklin voted for H.R. 1 (the One Big Beautiful Bill Act) on final passage in July 2025. The law made the 2017 individual tax-rate cuts permanent and added new deductions while reducing projected federal spending on Medicaid and SNAP.
Immigration Strongly agrees· based on record
Franklin voted for the Laken Riley Act (mandatory federal detention of unauthorized immigrants arrested for theft and certain other offenses) in January 2025 and for H.R. 1, which appropriated funds for border-wall construction, Border Patrol hiring and expanded immigration detention and removal operations.
Abortion Strongly disagrees· stated position
Franklin has described himself as 'a defender of the unborn' who would welcome any decision overturning Roe v. Wade; SBA Pro-Life America records him as voting consistently to restrict abortion and bar taxpayer funding of it.
"As a defender of the unborn, I would welcome any decision that overturns Roe v. Wade."
Health care Leans disagree· based on record
Franklin voted for H.R. 1, which added work-reporting requirements and more frequent eligibility checks for Medicaid expansion enrollees and reduced projected federal Medicaid spending. No statement on expanding Medicaid in Florida or extending ACA subsidies was found.
Elections & voting Leans disagree· based on record
Franklin voted for the SAVE Act (H.R. 22), which would require documentary proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote in federal elections. No statement on mail voting or drop boxes was found.
Energy & utilities Strongly disagrees· based on record
Voted for H.R. 1 (2025), which phased out most Inflation Reduction Act clean-energy tax credits and expanded oil and gas leasing.
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: Housing affordability, Guns, Social Security & Medicare, Education & school choice, Environment & water, Crime & policing, Gender identity laws, Tariffs & trade, Ukraine, 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
- SCHEDULES Act of 2026 (H.R. 8199) — Introduced a 2026 bill referred to the House Veterans' Affairs Committee; the bill's contents were not captured in this research.
- Health and agriculture legislation — Ballotpedia and Congress.gov describe him as a sponsor of health- and agriculture-related bills for the Polk County-centered district.
- Military background — Served in the U.S. Navy (1986-2000) and Navy Reserve (2000-2012) before entering business and local politics in Lakeland.Sources: Scott Franklin - Ballotpedia
Record: votes, actions and documented facts
- Voted yes on final passage of H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (July 3, 2025), which extended the 2017 tax cuts, funded border and immigration enforcement, and changed Medicaid and SNAP eligibility rules.
- Voted yes on S. 5, the Laken Riley Act (Jan. 22, 2025), requiring federal detention of unauthorized immigrants charged with theft-related and certain violent offenses.
- Voted yes on H.R. 22, the SAVE Act (Apr. 10, 2025), which would require documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections.
- GovTrack's vote record, as summarized in search results, shows Franklin voted against the Honoring our PACT Act of 2022 (H.R. 3967), which expanded VA benefits for veterans exposed to toxic substances; the specific roll call was not verified here.
- Had not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey as of the search date.Sources: Scott Franklin - Ballotpedia
- Voted for H.R. 1 (2025), the budget reconciliation law that extended the 2017 tax cuts, added Medicaid work requirements, reduced clean-energy tax credits and funded expanded immigration enforcement.