Former Mayor of Sarasota (higher education administrator)

Kelly Kirschner is a third-generation Floridian, former Peace Corps volunteer, and former Sarasota city commissioner and mayor who says he founded a nonprofit helping first-generation students attend top universities; he holds a graduate degree from Georgetown University (1998)². He won the August 18, 2026 Democratic primary for the open District 16 seat¹².

Where they stand 8 issues · tap any issue for the evidence

• Income taxesRaise taxes on the highest earners and corporations to pay for programsmedium

  Said · medium confidence

  • His campaign site pledges to tear up the tax breaks that let billionaires pay less than working families and to close loopholes that let some corporations pay zero federal tax. (2026) source
• HealthcareKeep the Affordable Care Act and fix what is brokenmedium

  Said · medium confidence

  • His campaign site pledges to protect people with pre-existing conditions, restore cuts to Medicare and Medicaid, and create an insurance backstop to lower insurance costs. (2026) source
• Safety net programsKeep them about as they aremedium

  Said · medium confidence

  • His campaign site pledges to restore every recent cut to Medicaid and Medicare and to keep Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid as earned promises. (2026) source
• Business regulationStronger rules on big corporations, banks and tech companiesmedium

  Said · medium confidence

  • In his Ballotpedia survey he pledged to end price gouging by oil, electric utility and grocery giants and to hold insurance companies accountable. (2026) source
  • His campaign site pledges to stop Wall Street from buying up single-family homes. (2026) source
• Energy and climateA gradual shift to cleaner energy, driven by incentivesmedium

  Said · medium confidence

  • His campaign site supports prohibiting offshore drilling and investing in affordable, reliable alternative energy that lowers utility bills. (2026) source
• Social SecurityRaise the payroll tax cap so high earners pay more; no benefit cutsmedium

  Said · medium confidence

  • At a League of Women Voters of Manatee County virtual forum he said Congress needs to scrap the cap on income subject to the Social Security payroll tax. (2026-09) source
• ImmigrationNo single answer fitsmedium

  Said · medium confidence

  • At a League of Women Voters of Manatee County virtual forum he called ICE raids around the country political theater and called for bipartisan, comprehensive immigration reform. (2026-09) source
• Drug pricesNo single answer fitsmedium

  Said · medium confidence

  • His campaign site says he would allow the government to negotiate for lower prescription drug prices. (2026) source

No public position found on: National debt, Minimum wage, Abortion, Guns, Trade and tariffs, Foreign policy, Judges, Politicians trading stocks, Marijuana, Redistricting, Term limits, Campaign finance, Electoral College, Supreme Court reform, Death penalty, Qualified immunity, Mandatory minimums, Childcare and pre-K, Paid leave, Student loans, AI regulation, Kids online, School vaccines, Nuclear power, Birthright citizenship, E-Verify mandate, Transgender athletes, DEI programs, Religion in schools, Aid to Israel, Aid to Ukraine, China policy.