Florida general election: November 3, 2026
Who is running for Florida House, District 56 in 2026?
Here are the candidates for Florida House, District 56 on the November 3, 2026 ballot. This race is on the ballot for voters in Florida House District 56.
Positions come only from each candidate's own votes, official actions, statements and questionnaire answers, never from party labels. Every item links to its source.
Side by side
Each candidate's position on the issues this office handles, from their own record. Details and sources are in each profile below.
| Issue | Brad YeagerRepublican | Jose FreitesDemocrat |
|---|---|---|
| Abortion | Illegal, except to save the mother's life or in cases of rape or incestVoted · medium | No public position |
| Guns | Remove most restrictions; bearing arms is a rightVoted · medium | No public position |
| School choice | Yes, universal school choice for every familyVoted · medium | No, keep public money in traditional public schoolsSaid · medium |
| Curriculum and books | Parents, including the right to remove material they object toVoted · medium | No public position |
| Election rules | Strict photo ID, paper ballots, cleaner voter rolls and fewer mail ballotsVoted · low | No public position |
| Gender care for minors | No, ban these treatments for minorsVoted · medium | No public position |
| Redistricting | State legislatures draw maps and may redraw any time, including for partisan advantageVoted · medium | No public position |
| Death penalty | Expand it and use it more often, including for crimes like child rapeVoted · medium | No public position |
| Kids online | Ban social media accounts for minorsVoted · medium | No public position |
| E-Verify mandate | Require it for all employersVoted · medium | No public position |
| DEI programs | Ban DEI offices and required training at public institutionsVoted · medium | No public position |
| China policy | Get tougher: broad tariffs, state bans on land purchases, and forced app salesVoted · medium | No public position |
Brad Yeager
Republican · IncumbentFlorida State Representative, District 56
Brad Yeager of New Port Richey is a general manager in the automotive industry and small business owner who graduated from Charlotte High School in Punta Gorda in 19941. He was elected to the Florida House in 2022 and faces Democrat Jose Freites on November 3, 202612.
Where they stand 17 issues · tap any issue for the evidence
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
- Voted yes on HB 6025 (2025), which repealed automatic restrictions on firearms and ammunition during declared emergencies and became law; it passed the House 86 to 28. (2025-04-16) source
- Voted yes on HB 17 (2024), which would have made the three day firearm waiting period expire after three days even if the background check is not finished; it died in the Senate; it passed the House 78 to 36. (2024-03-04) source
- Voted yes on HB 1615 (2024), which would have repealed automatic restrictions on firearms and ammunition during declared emergencies; it died in the Senate; it passed the House 86 to 23. (2024-03-01) source
- Co-sponsored 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. (2026) source
- Co-sponsored HB 6025 (2025), which repealed automatic restrictions on firearms and ammunition during declared emergencies and became law. (2025) source
- Co-sponsored HB 1223 (2024), which would have lowered the minimum age to buy a rifle or shotgun from 21 to 18; it died in the Senate. (2024) source
- Co-sponsored HB 17 (2024), which would have made the three day firearm waiting period expire after three days even if the background check is not finished; it died in the Senate. (2024) source
- Co-sponsored HB 1615 (2024), which would have repealed automatic restrictions on firearms and ammunition during declared emergencies; it died in the Senate. (2024) source
E-Verify mandateRequire it for all employersmedium
Voted · medium confidence- Voted yes on HB 197 (2026), which would have required all private employers, not only those with 25 or more workers, to use E-Verify; it passed the House 80 to 30 and died in the Senate. (2026-01-15) 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
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 SB 1134 (2026), which bars counties and cities from funding or promoting diversity, equity and inclusion or taking official action on it; it passed the House 77 to 37. (2026-03-10) source
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
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
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
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 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
- 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
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
Kids onlineBan social media accounts for minorsmedium
Voted · medium confidence- Voted yes on HB 1 (2024), which would have barred social media accounts for children under 16; the governor vetoed it and a narrower bill, HB 3, later passed nearly unanimously; it passed the House 106 to 13. (2024-01-24) 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; he was recorded as not voting at the April 29, 2026 roll call and as yes afterward on May 8, 2026; it passed the House 83 to 28. (2026-05-08) source
Election rulesStrict photo ID, paper ballots, cleaner voter rolls and fewer mail ballotslow
Voted · low confidence- Voted yes on HB 991 (2026), which requires election officials to verify that registered voters are U.S. citizens and to record the proof used; it passed the House 83 to 31. (2026-02-25) source
ImmigrationNo single answer fitsmedium
Voted · medium confidence- 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
Religion in schoolsNo single answer fitslow
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
Nuclear powerNo single answer fitslow
Official action · low confidence- Co-sponsored HB 1461 (2026), which would have let the Public Service Commission regulate advanced nuclear reactors and set permit and approval rules; it died in the Senate. (2026) source
Term limitsNo single answer fitslow
Official action · low confidence- Co-sponsored HCR 693 (2024), which applies to Congress to call a convention to propose limits on the number of terms in the U.S. Congress. (2024) source
No public position found on: Safety net programs, Minimum wage, Business regulation, Healthcare, Housing and growth, Policing and crime, Judges, Politicians trading stocks, Marijuana, Campaign finance, Electoral College, Ranked-choice voting, Qualified immunity, Mandatory minimums, Drug prices, Childcare and pre-K, Paid leave, Student loans, AI regulation, School vaccines, Transgender athletes.
Jose Freites
DemocratPrivate citizen
Jose Freites describes himself on his campaign site as an activist, community organizer and Democratic Socialist2. His site lists housing affordability, environmental protection and insurance reform among his priorities2. He faces incumbent Republican Brad Yeager on November 3, 20261.
Where they stand 1 issues · tap any issue for the evidence
School choiceNo, keep public money in traditional public schoolsmedium
Said · medium confidence- His campaign site says he opposes expanding the universal school voucher system because it diverts public school money into private schools. (2026) source
No public position found on: Safety net programs, Minimum wage, Business regulation, Healthcare, Abortion, Guns, Immigration, Energy and climate, Curriculum and books, Housing and growth, Policing and crime, Election rules, Judges, Politicians trading stocks, Marijuana, Gender care for minors, Redistricting, Term limits, Campaign finance, Electoral College, Ranked-choice voting, Death penalty, Qualified immunity, Mandatory minimums, Drug prices, Childcare and pre-K, Paid leave, Student loans, AI regulation, Kids online, School vaccines, Nuclear power, E-Verify mandate, Transgender athletes, DEI programs, Religion in schools, China policy.
Last reviewed 2026-10-10. Spotted something wrong? Every claim links to its source so you can check it yourself.