Florida general election: November 3, 2026
Who is running for Florida Senate, District 20 in 2026?
Here are the candidates for Florida Senate, District 20 on the November 3, 2026 ballot. This race is on the ballot for voters in Florida Senate District 20.
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 | Gerald BaldiDemocrat | Jim BoydRepublican |
|---|---|---|
| Abortion | No public position | Illegal, except to save the mother's life or in cases of rape or incestVoted · medium |
| Immigration | No public position | Secure the border first; deport those with criminal records; keep legal immigration steadySaid · medium |
| School choice | No public position | Yes, universal school choice for every familySaid · high |
| Curriculum and books | No public position | Parents, including the right to remove material they object toVoted · medium |
| Housing and growth | No single answer fits; see evidence | Allow townhomes and apartments in more places to bring prices downSaid · medium |
| Policing and crime | No public position | Tougher sentences, more police funding, and stricter bailVoted · medium |
| Election rules | No public position | Strict photo ID, paper ballots, cleaner voter rolls and fewer mail ballotsVoted · medium |
| Gender care for minors | No public position | No, ban these treatments for minorsVoted · medium |
| Redistricting | No public position | State legislatures draw maps and may redraw any time, including for partisan advantageVoted · medium |
| Death penalty | No public position | Expand it and use it more often, including for crimes like child rapeVoted · medium |
| Kids online | No public position | Ban social media accounts for minorsVoted · medium |
| School vaccines | No public position | Keep requirements with simple personal-belief exemptionsVoted · medium |
| Transgender athletes | No public position | No, teams should be based on biological sex, with open or coed optionsVoted · medium |
| DEI programs | No public position | Ban DEI offices and required training at public institutionsVoted · medium |
| China policy | No public position | Get tougher: broad tariffs, state bans on land purchases, and forced app salesVoted · medium |
Gerald Baldi
DemocratPrivate citizen; retired banking and financial services executive
Gerald Baldi, 70, of Bradenton worked in advertising, real estate, financial services and banking and helps organize Indivisible Manatee rallies1. He entered the race in March 2026, won the August 18 Democratic primary with about 67 percent of the vote, and faces Senate President-designate Jim Boyd on November 3123.
Where they stand 2 issues · tap any issue for the evidence
Housing and growthNo single answer fitsmedium
Said · medium confidence- His campaign platform calls for building infrastructure before any new home building projects. (2026-08) source
- Told the Manatee Chamber of Commerce he would pass a law requiring impact studies and approval from surrounding communities, with infrastructure built first, before construction is allowed. (2026) source
Energy and climateNo single answer fitslow
Said · low confidence- His platform includes developing clean water and affordable solar energy. (2026-08) source
No public position found on: Safety net programs, Minimum wage, Business regulation, Healthcare, Abortion, Guns, Immigration, School choice, Curriculum and books, 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.
Jim Boyd
Republican · IncumbentFlorida State Senator, District 20; Senate Majority Leader and Senate President-designate
Jim Boyd is a Bradenton native, a 1978 Florida State University graduate and the CEO of the family owned Boyd Insurance and Investment Services who served in the Florida House from 2010 to 2018 and has served in the Senate since 2020, becoming Majority Leader in 202413. Senate Republicans designated him in October 2025 to be Senate President for the 2026 to 2028 term, and he faces Democrat Gerald Baldi on November 3, 202645.
Where they stand 19 issues · tap any issue for the evidence
School choiceYes, universal school choice for every familyhigh
Said · high confidence- His campaign site says the 2023 law expanded school choice eligibility to all Florida students and that parents have options whether it is another district school, a charter school or a private school. (2026) 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 Senate 26 to 12. (2023-03-23) 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 Senate 26 to 13. (2023-04-03) 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 Senate 23 to 15. (2022-03-03) source
ImmigrationSecure the border first; deport those with criminal records; keep legal immigration steadymedium
Said · medium confidence- His campaign site says he has increased penalties for illegal immigrants who commit crimes and that crime, especially from illegals, will not be tolerated in Florida. (2026) 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 Senate 27 to 10. (2023-04-28) 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 Senate 27 to 10. (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 Senate 25 to 11. (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 Senate 27 to 12. (2023-04-28) 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 Senate 24 to 15. (2022-03-10) 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 Senate 26 to 13. (2023-05-04) source
- His campaign site says conversations about name changes, gender and other personal characteristics must involve a parent or guardian. (2026) 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 Senate 23 to 16. (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 Senate 23 to 17. (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 Senate 24 to 14. (2022-03-04) 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 Senate 23 to 17. (2021-04-15) source
- His campaign site says public safety is one of the most important roles of government and that he has reaffirmed Florida as a law and order state. (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 Senate 24 to 15. (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 Senate 27 to 12. (2023-05-03) 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 Senate 22 to 17. (2022-03-08) 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 Senate 34 to 5. (2023-04-18) 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 Senate 29 to 10. (2023-03-30) 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 Senate 31 to 8. (2023-05-04) source
- His campaign site says he led passage of SB 674 (2024), which requires taxpayer funded projects to choose American made steel and iron over products from Russia and China. (2024) source
Housing and growthAllow townhomes and apartments in more places to bring prices downmedium
Said · medium confidence- His campaign site says he shepherded the 2023 Live Local Act, which it describes as a statewide strategy that works with developers to create more affordable options, increases the supply of multifamily housing and incentivizes home ownership. (2026) 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 Senate 23 to 14. (2024-02-22) source
School vaccinesKeep requirements with simple personal-belief exemptionsmedium
Voted · medium confidence- Voted yes on SB 1756 (2026), which would have added a conscience based exemption from school vaccine requirements, banned mRNA vaccine mandates and let pharmacists sell ivermectin; it passed the Senate and died in the House; it passed the Senate 23 to 15. (2026-03-09) source
RedistrictingState legislatures draw maps and may redraw any time, including for partisan advantagemedium
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 Senate 24 to 15. (2022-04-20) source
- 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 Senate 21 to 17. (2026-04-29) source
GunsNo single answer fitsmedium
Voted · medium confidence- Voted yes on SB 7026, the 2018 school safety law passed after the Parkland shooting, which raised the minimum age to buy a firearm to 21, added a three day waiting period, banned bump stocks and created risk protection orders; it passed the House 67 to 50. (2018-03-07) source
- Voted yes on HB 543 (2023), which allows carrying a concealed weapon without a permit; it passed the Senate 27 to 13. (2023-03-30) 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 Senate 27 to 10. (2023-04-28) 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 Senate 28 to 12. (2024-03-07) 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 Senate 28 to 12. (2024-03-06) source
No public position found on: Safety net programs, Minimum wage, Business regulation, Healthcare, 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, Nuclear power.
Last reviewed 2026-10-06. Spotted something wrong? Every claim links to its source so you can check it yourself.