Florida State Representative, District 65

Karen Gonzalez Pittman is a Tampa native and former public school teacher with bachelor's and master's degrees in education from the University of South Florida who works as vice president of public affairs for Vein911 vein treatment centers, where her husband is medical director¹². Elected to the Florida House in 2022, she won re-election in 2024 with 57.2 percent and faces Democrat Ben Braver on November 3, 2026¹⁴.

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

• AbortionLegal in early pregnancy, restricted after thathigh

  Said · high confidence

  • Asked when abortion should be allowed, wrote that she supports the current Florida law, supported by Governor DeSantis, which limits abortion to the first 15 weeks. (2022) source
  • Voted no 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
• School choiceYes, universal school choice for every familyhigh

  Said · high confidence

  • Strongly agreed that she supports school choice, including voucher programs, tax credits, charter schools, private schools and home schools. (2022) source
  • 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
• GunsRemove most restrictions; bearing arms is a rightmedium

  Said · medium confidence

  • Asked what restrictions on gun ownership are needed, wrote that the Constitution guarantees the right of gun ownership for citizens and that it should not be infringed. (2022) source
  • 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
• ImmigrationDeport everyone here illegally, as quickly as possiblemedium

  Said · medium confidence

  • Wrote that anyone who wants to come to the United States legally should be able to apply and go through a stringent review process, and that lawbreakers who have violated immigration laws should be sent back to the countries they came from and have to apply. (2022) 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
• 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
• 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
• Election rulesPhoto ID required, with current access otherwisemedium

  Questionnaire answer · medium confidence

  • Strongly disagreed that people should be able to vote without photo identification, and wrote that she wanted to see how recently passed election laws affected the 2022 election before proposing changes. (2022) source
• Qualified immunityYes, keep it as courts apply it nowmedium

  Questionnaire answer · medium confidence

  • Strongly agreed that police officers should be immune from prosecution for conduct consistent with departmental policy while on duty, described in the question as qualified immunity. (2022) source
• Energy and climateMaximize oil and gas; climate rules hurt the economymedium

  Questionnaire answer · medium confidence

  • Chose the answer that stricter environmental laws and regulations cost too many jobs and hurt the economy, and agreed with using hydraulic fracturing to extract oil and gas. (2022) source
  • 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
• Curriculum and booksParents, including the right to remove material they object tomedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • 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
• 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
• RedistrictingState legislatures draw maps and may redraw any time, including for partisan advantagemedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Voted yes on HB 1-D (2026), which redrew Florida's congressional districts in the middle of the decade at the governor's request; it passed the House 83 to 28. (2026-04-29) source
• HealthcarePrivate insurance with more competition and price transparency, keeping protections for pre-existing conditionslow

  Questionnaire answer · low confidence

  • Chose the answer that Medicaid and Medicare should remain available but no other taxpayer funded health programs are necessary. (2022) source
• Policing and crimeNo single answer fitsmedium

  Questionnaire answer · medium confidence

  • Strongly disagreed with redirecting funds from police departments to mental health and community programs, and wrote that mental health programs should be funded without taking money from police. (2022) 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

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, Mandatory minimums, Drug prices, Childcare and pre-K, Paid leave, Student loans, AI regulation, Kids online, School vaccines, Nuclear power, Transgender athletes.