Sarasota County 2026 Midterm Election Recommendations

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Bill Bunkley’s
Sarasota County
November 3, 2026, Midterm Election Recommendations

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SPECIAL ALERT: If you request a vote by mail ballot, I recommend that you DO NOT mail it back via the U. S. Postal Service. Ensure your signature matches what is on file with your Supervisor of Elections office. Hand-deliver your mail-in ballot IN PERSON to an early voting site. On election day, you may not drop off your mail-in ballot at your local precinct but must deliver it to your county election office.  

The following represents my personal recommendations, not endorsements, for the 2026 Midterm Election on November 3, 2026. They DO NOT represent the opinion of Salem Media Group, Salem Radio, or the Florida Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission. It is based on faith in a Biblical Worldview and time-tested Biblical principles, serving as THE guiding compass for the affairs of men and women… including their actions in elected office. The world around us is rapidly changing. God's instructions to us through His word do not change.  

If a race on your ballot is not listed here, it means I am not publicly recommending that race. This decision is not a suggestion to leave it blank or to refrain from voting in that race. It simply means that, for various reasons, I have chosen not to give public input in that race. I encourage you to study the candidates and make your best selection in that race. 

This recommendation list is not a list of Christian candidates. Self-identifying as a Christian today means something different than it did decades ago. Just calling oneself a Christian doesn't tell us much. For example, a non-Christian may support traditional orthodox Biblical values and principles on that office's issues, and they may do so more than a self-described Christian candidate of the same race. How one stands on public issues counts, not just a label or sound bite. 

Remember, this is not about picking the next 12 Apostles. It's an election of public officials who, like you and me, have their faults and disappointments. They will never be perfect, just as you and I will never be, on our own. Your role is crucial. Do your homework, study their qualifications, and pray about your choices. And remember, I am merely making a recommendation; the final decision is yours. And if we disagree in the end, that's okay, too. Now, study the candidates' positions, make your decisions, and BE SURE TO VOTE.

United States Senator

• Ashley Moody 

Representative in Congress

• District 17 Greg Steube

Governor/Lt. Governor

• Byron Donalds/Bryan Avila

Attorney General

• James Uthmeier

Chief Financial Officer

• Blaise Ingoglia

Commissioner of Agriculture

• Wilton Simpson 

State Senator

• District 22 James Buchanan

State Representative

• District 73 Fiona McFarland 

Charter Review Board

• No Recommendations

Supreme Court Justice Retention

• Carlos G. Muniz          YES

2^nd District Court of Appeal Justice Retention

• Drew Atkinson             YES
• Morris Siberman         YES
• Daniel H. Sleet             YES
• Andrea Teves Smith    YES

County Commission

• District 4 Jim DeNiro

School Board

• District 1 Hedi Brandt

Florida Constitutional Amendments

• #1   NO
• #2  YES
• #3  YES

County Board Referendums

• No Recommendations