Former Florida State Representative, District 51; cattle rancher

Josie Tomkow is a seventh generation Floridian and cattle rancher with a political science degree from the University of Florida who worked for the Florida Farm Bureau and the Florida Cattlemen's Association before serving in the Florida House from 2018 to 2026, where she chaired the Health and Human Services Committee¹². She left the House to run in the March 24, 2026 special election for Senate District 14, lost to Brian Nathan 50.3 percent to 49.7 percent, and is running against him again on November 3³⁴.

Where they stand 17 issues · tap any issue for the evidence

• AbortionIllegal, except to save the mother's life or in cases of rape or incestmedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Voted yes on SB 300 (2023), which banned most abortions after six weeks, with exceptions for rape, incest and trafficking up to 15 weeks and for the mother's life or serious health risk; it passed the House 70 to 40. (2023-04-13) source
  • Voted yes on HB 5 (2022), which banned most abortions after 15 weeks with exceptions for the mother's life or health and fatal fetal conditions but not for rape or incest; it passed the House 78 to 39. (2022-02-17) source
  • Voted yes on SB 404 (2020), which requires parental consent before a minor can have an abortion; it passed the House 75 to 43. (2020-02-20) source
• GunsRemove most restrictions; bearing arms is a rightmedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Voted yes on HB 543 (2023), which allows carrying a concealed weapon without a permit; it passed the House 76 to 32. (2023-03-24) source
  • Voted yes on HB 759 (2025), which would have lowered the minimum age to buy a rifle or shotgun from 21 to 18; it died in the Senate; it passed the House 78 to 34. (2025-03-26) source
  • Voted yes on HB 133 (2026), which would have lowered the minimum age to buy a rifle or shotgun from 21 to 18; it died in the Senate; it passed the House 74 to 37. (2026-01-15) source
• ImmigrationSecure the border first; deport those with criminal records; keep legal immigration steadymedium

  Said · medium confidence

  • Her campaign site says she supports law enforcement's mission including working with the federal government to ensure that criminal illegal aliens are deported to their country of origin. (2026) source
  • Voted yes on SB 168 (2019), which barred sanctuary policies and required state and local agencies to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement; it passed the House 68 to 45. (2019-05-02) source
  • Voted yes on SB 1718 (2023), which required private employers with 25 or more workers to use E-Verify, created penalties for transporting people who entered the country illegally, and voided out of state driver licenses issued to people without legal status; it passed the House 83 to 36. (2023-05-02) source
  • Voted yes on SB 2-C (2025), which created a State Board of Immigration Enforcement, funded local cooperation with federal immigration agents and required local law enforcement to take part; it passed the House 85 to 30. (2025-02-13) source
  • Voted yes on SB 4-C (2025), which created state crimes for entering Florida after entering the country illegally and required those charged to be held without bond; it passed the House 85 to 29. (2025-02-13) source
• School choiceYes, universal school choice for every familymedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Voted yes on HB 1 (2023), which made every Florida K-12 student eligible for a state scholarship that can pay for private school or home education; it passed the House 83 to 27. (2023-03-17) source
• DEI programsBan DEI offices and required training at public institutionsmedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Voted yes on SB 266 (2023), which barred public colleges and universities from spending money on diversity, equity and inclusion programs; it passed the House 81 to 34. (2023-05-03) source
  • Voted yes on HB 7 (2022), the Individual Freedom Act often called the Stop WOKE Act, which restricted how race related concepts can be taught in schools and in workplace training; it passed the House 74 to 41. (2022-02-24) source
• Gender care for minorsNo, ban these treatments for minorsmedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Voted yes on SB 254 (2023), which banned puberty blockers, hormones and surgery for minors as treatment for gender dysphoria; it passed the House 83 to 28. (2023-05-04) source
• Transgender athletesNo, teams should be based on biological sex, with open or coed optionsmedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Voted yes on SB 1028 (2021), which limits school and college sports teams designated for girls or women to students who were female at birth; it passed the House 79 to 37. (2021-04-28) source
• Election rulesStrict photo ID, paper ballots, cleaner voter rolls and fewer mail ballotsmedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Voted yes on SB 90 (2021), which limited ballot drop boxes, required voters to renew mail ballot requests more often and added identification requirements for mail ballot requests; it passed the House 77 to 40. (2021-04-29) source
  • Voted yes on SB 524 (2022), which created a state election crimes office, expanded voter roll maintenance and raised penalties for collecting others' ballots; it passed the House 76 to 41. (2022-03-09) source
• Policing and crimeTougher sentences, more police funding, and stricter bailmedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Voted yes on HB 1 (2021), which created new crimes and tougher penalties tied to riots and let the state review local cuts to police budgets; it passed the House 76 to 39. (2021-03-26) source
  • Her campaign site says she is supported by every sheriff in Tampa Bay because she has always supported their mission of keeping people safe. (2026) source
• Curriculum and booksParents, including the right to remove material they object tomedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Voted yes on HB 1467 (2022), which required school districts to post library materials, have certified media specialists review them and give parents a process to object to books; it passed the House 79 to 41. (2022-03-10) source
  • Voted yes on HB 1069 (2023), which extended limits on instruction about sexual orientation and gender identity through eighth grade and expanded the process for parents to object to school library books; it passed the House 77 to 35. (2023-03-31) source
  • Voted yes on HB 1557 (2022), the Parental Rights in Education law, which barred classroom instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity in kindergarten through third grade; it passed the House 69 to 47. (2022-02-24) source
• Death penaltyExpand it and use it more often, including for crimes like child rapemedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Voted yes on HB 1297 (2023), which allows the death penalty for sexual battery of a child under 12; it passed the House 95 to 14. (2023-04-13) source
  • Voted yes on SB 450 (2023), which allows a death sentence when at least 8 of 12 jurors recommend it instead of requiring a unanimous jury; it passed the House 80 to 30. (2023-04-13) source
• China policyGet tougher: broad tariffs, state bans on land purchases, and forced app salesmedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Voted yes on SB 264 (2023), which restricts people and companies from China and several other countries from buying land in Florida, with the strictest limits on China; it passed the House 95 to 17. (2023-05-04) source
• RedistrictingNo single answer fitsmedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Voted yes on SB 2-C (2022), which adopted the congressional map proposed by the governor after the 2020 census; it passed the House 68 to 38. (2022-04-21) source
• E-Verify mandateNo single answer fitslow

  Voted · low confidence

  • Voted yes on SB 1718 (2023), which required private employers with 25 or more workers to use E-Verify, created penalties for transporting people who entered the country illegally, and voided out of state driver licenses issued to people without legal status; it passed the House 83 to 36. (2023-05-02) source
• Religion in schoolsNo single answer fitslow

  Voted · low confidence

  • Voted yes on HB 931 (2024), which lets school districts choose to allow volunteer chaplains in schools; it passed the House 89 to 25. (2024-02-22) source
• Energy and climateNo single answer fitslow

  Voted · low confidence

  • Voted yes on HB 1645 (2024), a broad energy bill that removed most references to climate change from state law, banned offshore wind turbines, eased natural gas pipeline rules and ordered a study of advanced nuclear technology; it passed the House 81 to 29. (2024-03-07) source
• HealthcareNo single answer fitslow

  Said · low confidence

  • Her campaign site says she fought to extend Medicaid coverage for new mothers after childbirth. (2026) source

No public position found on: Safety net programs, Minimum wage, Business regulation, Housing and growth, Judges, Politicians trading stocks, Marijuana, Term limits, Campaign finance, Electoral College, Ranked-choice voting, Qualified immunity, Mandatory minimums, Drug prices, Childcare and pre-K, Paid leave, Student loans, AI regulation, Kids online, School vaccines, Nuclear power.