Former U.S. Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell emerged from a four-way Democratic primary, to challenge first-term Republican senator Rick Scott for one of Florida’s seats in the U.S. Senate. Scott, a former Florida governor, easily defeated two challengers in the Republican primary. Joining them on the November ballot will be Libertarian Feena Bonoan, and two other candidates running without party affiliation, Ben Everidge and Tuan “TQ” Nguyen. There is also a write-in candidate who qualified, but whose name will not appear on ballots.
News4Jax sent a questionnaire to each candidate asking about their background and their views on several issues. Scroll down to read the responses of those seeking your vote in their own words.
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Note: Responses are sorted alphabetically by party and are presented exactly as submitted, with no editing by News4Jax staff.
| DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE |
Debbie Mucarsel-Powell
Occupation: Candidate for United States Senate
Age: 53
Family: I am the proud mother of two daughters and a son. I am also happily married to my husband Robert. We have two furry friends – Kali our dog and Ashanti our rabbit.
Education: Pitzer College (BA), Claremont Graduate University (MA)
Political experience: U.S. Representative (FL-26) 2018-2020
What do you see as the top three issues in this race, and how do you plan to address them?
I’m running to expand and protect economic opportunities, protect reproductive freedoms, and preserve Social Security and Medicare. Florida is facing an affordability crisis that started under Rick Scott when he was governor. I’m fighting to lower the cost of gas, groceries, and insurance.
Additionally, I will defend American jobs from outsourcing and focus on creating high-paying jobs by expanding solar panel production in Florida to lower energy costs statewide. I’ll always champion Floridians’ rights to make their own decisions without government interference and protect our freedoms from extremists like Rick Scott who back Florida’s abortion ban with no real exceptions for rape, incest, or the health of the mother. My mom worked two jobs to make ends meet in our family. I watched her earn the Social Security and Medicare benefits she relies on today. I will always fight to preserve her hard-earned benefits, and the benefits of every hardworking Floridian.
How can you help voters in a way that others running for this office cannot?
I’ll never stop fighting for the issues important to Floridians because they’re personal to me. The people that Rick Scott has hurt with his extremist policies are my friends, my family, and my community. Only in Florida is it possible for an immigrant like me to have gone from working a minimum-wage job to serving in Congress. My story shouldn’t be the exception, it should be the rule. But under Rick Scott, those opportunities are harder to come by. Rick Scott backs Florida’s abortion ban and wrote the plan to raise taxes on the middle class and sunset Social Security and Medicare. I’m running to expand opportunities like the ones I had growing up, protect your hard-earned benefits, and champion Floridians’ freedoms. I am uniquely able to deliver on these promises because I’ve always put politics aside to bring coalitions together for investment and positive change in my community – from leading the FIU Medical School to securing better access to health care and millions of dollars for Everglades restoration while in Congress.
What would you hope to be remembered for accomplishing after serving in this office?
I hope to be remembered as a Senator who fought and delivered for Floridians – a Senator who put partisan politics aside and prioritized our families’ and children’s well being above anything else. I will address Florida’s affordability crisis, and I am ready to work with anyone from any political party to tackle the rising cost of living in Florida, expand Medicare and Social Security, and protect our fundamental freedoms.
I will push legislation to lower home insurance rates by 25%, expand the Child Tax Credit to help over 1 million Florida families, and fight against the corporate consolidation of big grocery chains that drive up prices. I’d also back initiatives to compete with China by bringing the solar panel supply chain to Florida, lowering energy costs and creating jobs. Additionally, I would vote to protect Floridians’ reproductive freedoms, including access to abortion, IVF, and contraception.
Campaign website: https://www.debbieforflorida.com/
Campaign social media: Facebook | X | Instagram | YouTube | TikTok
Feena Bonoan
Occupation: Artist and political activist.
Age: 39
Family: Yes I have family, I was born in Sarasota. Most of my relatives are from and still live in Florida or North Carolina. Feena was first my great grandmother’s name and in Cherokee it means “cute.” Bonoan is my husband’s family name, he is first generation Filipino, born and raised in Hawaii where we met while we were both serving active duty in the Navy.
Education: Graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts, Lambda Pi Eta from Hawaii Pacific University in 2020. I also have several certificates from 2+ years of formal military education in the area of computer networking and electronic engineering.
Political experience: My political experience begins with 10 years of military service, during which I was a community relations coordinator and prison guard. As a community relations coordinator I was the liaison between the US Navy and communities in foreign countries like Ukraine, Greece, Denmark, Romania, Italy, and Georgia. As a prison guard I saw first hand our criminal justice system corrupt plea bargain system that is failing the people and degrading the moral fabric of our country. With a passion for Liberty and Freedom I ran for office in 2020 and in 2022 in Hawaii where I lived. I am here now, back in Florida, I am out of the loop in local politics and it would be disingenuous to the people of Florida to run a local campaign, but I know Washington politics. A Libertarian in the US Senate is a Libertarian in the US Senate, regardless of whether they are from Florida, North Carolina, or Hawaii, and I can’t think of a better gift to the American people than a young patriotic LIBERTARIAN in the US Senate, from Florida, with love.
What do you see as the top three issues in this race, and how do you plan to address them?
The economy is number one. I am talking housing, food, goods and services, and the root of the problem stems from inflation and sending tax dollars, that could be helping Americans, to supply foreign countries’ arsenals. Number 2 is Freedom, regardless of which political hue you most align with, most people want freedom and autonomy over their own bodies. In the US Senate I will fight to keep the government from infringing on your freedoms. Your right to defend yourself, your right to own yourself, your medical freedom, and product of your labor. The third most pressing issue is government corruption and a lack of transparency. That is an easy solve for a Libertarian because we can’t be bought or intimidated and a voice independent of the duopoly will be a beacon to the American people. If I win I will not be alone. There will be more elected Libertarians because if I win it will be because the people are tired of the gridlock, corruption, and being broke. That sentiment is shared with people in many states with fantastic Libertarian candidates that are better than the status quo.
How can you help voters in a way that others running for this office cannot?
One thing I can do better than the two old parties is working all sides of the political aisles for the people without party retribution. I have one goal if elected, more freedom, less government. That means protecting your rights and lowering the financial burden the government inflicts on the American people through waste, fraud, and abuse.
What would you hope to be remembered for accomplishing after serving in this office?
If elected I will be remembered as the first Libertarian in the US Senate signaling a prosperous change in the dynamics of American politics.
Campaign website: www.feenaforus.com | www.feenabonoan.com
Campaign social media: Facebook | X | Instagram | YouTube
Rick Scott
Occupation: U.S. Senator from Florida, first elected in 2018
Campaign website: https://rickscott.com/
The Republican incumbent has not responded to email and telephone invitations to complete the News4JAX candidate questionnaire. If responses are received, they will be promptly posted in this space.
Ben Everidge
Occupation: Healthcare executive and charity fundraiser.
Age: 66
Family: Married to Nan Everidge with four adult children, Emily, Greyson, Nia, and Zachary.
Education: Master’s degree and University Fellow in American Government from Georgetown University, Bachelor’s degree in International Studies from American University, attended Brevard Community College after graduating from Cocoa Beach High School.
Political experience: Professional, campaign, and personal office staff in the United States Senate (Senator Lawton Chiles of Florida), U.S. House of Representatives (Congressman Bill Nelson of Florida & the House Committee on Energy and Commerce), and more than two dozen campaigns for federal, state, and local offices in paid and volunteer roles
What do you see as the top three issues in this race, and how do you plan to address them?
The top three issues are protecting democracy, protecting Florida, and fixing our economy. Protecting democracy includes fighting political extremism, overcoming obstructionism in the halls of Congress, defending the Constitution, and ensuring our Bill of Rights such as fighting to preserve a woman’s right to make her own medical decisions, voters access to the ballot box, and assuring the 2nd amendment right to bear arms. Protecting Florida includes helping provide good jobs with fair pay, safer neighborhoods, fighting proposed cuts to Social Security and Medicare benefits that people have paid for their entire adult lives, looking out for our veterans and their needs, helping young families with child care, accessible healthcare, affordable education, and a more de-regulated over-regulated society. Fixing our economy includes fighting inflation by opposing radical tariffs, working toward a balanced federal budget, proposing a fair flat tax instead of the current broken and unfair tax code, addressing our climate challenges responsibly, and investing in work such as manufacturing, chip making, battery plants, infrastructure improvements, medical innovation, pioneering space exploration both public and private, an even stronger military, and helping first responders and teachers get higher pay for their services to our state and nation.
How can you help voters in a way that others running for this office cannot?
By not being extreme, doing what was promised in this campaign, representing all Floridians and not just those who belong to a political party, looking for solutions and not having my head buried in the political sand ignoring what is most needed, not being a bought and paid for politician, and serving with transparency, integrity, and independence.
What would you hope to be remembered for accomplishing after serving in this office?
I would like to be remembered after serving in this office for having truly worked together with rational Democrats and Republicans as a political independent to solve some of our most pressing challenges, not just being someone who will spout the empty rhetoric of failing political parties or personal gain.
Campaign website: www.BenForFlorida.com
Campaign social media: Facebook | X | Instagram | TikTok | LinkedIn
Tuan “TQ” Nguyen
Occupation: Engineer by profession
Human Rights Advocate by vocation
Age: (no response given)
Family: Married
Education: M. Sc. in Global Strategic Communication (Florida Institute of Technology)
M. Sc. in Information Technology Management
Bachelor in Electrical Engineering
Political experience: I have not held any public office before.
However, I have lived through the Vietnam War and then lived under the Vietnamese communist regime for 8 years. I had a chance to travel to more than 30 countries. Those experiences have equipped me with a broad understanding of international affairs that other candidates may not have. Foreign policy is one of my focus to provide a long term vision for the US interests in the world stage.
What do you see as the top three issues in this race, and how do you plan to address them?
1. Unlawful immigration at the Southern Texas border.
- I propose to secure our border with a physical structure (wall) and to hire more border patrols to effectively stop illegal immigration. On the other hand, I will propose to hire more immigration officers to address the multi-year backlog to judiciously approve visas to those who apply to come to the US legally. The cost to build the wall and hiring of border patrol and immigration officers (job creation for US citizens) will be paid by the income tax and penalty imposed on illegal immigrants
2. Supply chain disruptions caused by our adversaries (Russia, China, and Iran to some extent.
- I propose a strong and robust foreign policy to promote and diversify our supply chain with our allies who share our democratic values. At the same time, we should impose tariffs on those who take advantage of the US through unfair practices that cause job loss to American workers and those who steal our intellectual properties and trade secrets.
3. Polarization and divisiveness caused by intensified partisan spirit.
As an independent Senator, I will help implement all the good programs from both sides by providing a cover for both parties to advance bills introduced by me without them being concerned that they may upset their bases or their party.
How can you help voters in a way that others running for this office cannot?
With today fierce partisan spirit, a GOOD bill introduced by a Democrat Senator to the Senate floor will unlikely be support by Senate Republicans and vice versa. However, a bill with the same contents introduced by me, an independent Senator, will surely garner more votes from both sides since no one will be blamed for siding with the opponents. In this very capacity, I can help voters in a way that others running for this office cannot.
What would you hope to be remembered for accomplishing after serving in this office?
America is a great land of opportunities, which has allowed a foreign-born candidate to become a U.S. Senator, so that he was able to contribute his skill, his experiences and his passion to serve this country and the American people during a trying time dominated by partisan politics. Most importantly, he has served this country with goodness and his belief in America’s ideal of LIBERTY and JUSTICE FOR ALL. He was a Good Samaritan in American politics.
Campaign website: letsbe-american.com
Campaign social media: Facebook