James Pericola

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Over more than 30 years, James Pericola has built a career in public service — as a Presidential appointee in the Clinton Administration, a congressional staff member, an attorney, and a senior government affairs executive. A husband and father, he’s running for Congress to lean on his decades of experience to lower costs and restore a common-sense approach to public service.

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Oppose any cuts or privatization of Social Security and Medicare, and push to let Medicare negotiate lower prescription drug costs for seniors.

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Expand access to affordable, high-quality healthcare by protecting the Affordable Care Act.

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Secure federal funding to combat our housing crisis and lower property insurance costs.

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James will fight to end gerrymandering, pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, and defend our democracy from MAGA attacks.

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“Working in Washington, I’ve seen how broken the system is. I’m running to fight back.”

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James believes Washington has become consumed by division and partisan fights while too many families worry about making ends meet, affording healthcare, and building a secure future. He knows the problems facing Florida won’t be solved by slogans or political games — but by leaders willing to listen, build consensus, and do the hard work of delivering results.

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Expand access to affordable, high-quality healthcare by protecting the Affordable Care Act.

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Secure federal funding to combat our housing crisis and lower property insurance costs.

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James will fight to end gerrymandering, pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, and defend our democracy from MAGA attacks.

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For James, the fight to lower costs is personal. Helping his aging mother navigate an increasingly costly and complex healthcare system gave him a firsthand understanding of the challenges facing families across the district — and a determination to fix what’s broken.

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For too long, Washington has treated immigration as a political bargaining chip instead of doing the hard work of fixing a broken system. The result is an approach that relies too heavily on broad enforcement and not enough on actual public safety. Federal resources should target trafficking, violent crime, and genuine security threats—not workplace raids, family separation, or sweeping actions against people who pose no danger. As the husband of an immigrant, I know how deeply personal this system is for families. No one should be left waiting years for a decision because immigration courts lack the judges and staff to hear cases. We should build a system that resolves claims fairly and promptly and create a rigorous, earned path to citizenship for long-term residents who have built lives here, raised families, worked, paid taxes, and contributed to their communities. We can uphold the law, strengthen public safety, and treat people with dignity at the same time.

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Yes. Climate change is already imposing enormous costs on families, businesses, local governments, and taxpayers. Hurricanes, flooding, extreme heat, drought, and wildfires damage homes and infrastructure, disrupt supply chains, raise insurance premiums, strain electric grids, and reduce agricultural productivity. In Florida, we see the consequences directly as homeowners face skyrocketing insurance costs and communities spend more to recover from increasingly destructive storms. Ignoring those costs does not make them disappear; it shifts them onto working families and future generations. Congress should fund resilient infrastructure and disaster preparedness, support the construction of a more reliable and modern electric grid, and use federal investments and incentives to expand affordable, cleaner energy produced here at home. Those investments will lower long-term costs, protect communities, create jobs, and make the economy more competitive.

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My first priority is lowering costs for working families. Too many people are doing everything right, yet still falling behind because the cost of basic necessities keeps rising. Congress should focus on putting more money back in their pockets by cutting taxes for middle-class households and holding corporations accountable when they exploit consumers or raise prices without justification. My second priority is restoring the cuts made to Medicaid and protecting the healthcare and retirement benefits Americans depend on. These cuts threaten coverage for children, seniors, people with disabilities, and families already struggling to afford care. I will fight to restore that funding and protect Social Security and Medicare. These programs are promises Americans have earned and depend on, not bargaining chips for Washington.

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Freedom of speech means people have the right to speak honestly about what they believe, challenge those in power, organize for change, practice their faith, and criticize their government without fear of retaliation. That protection matters most when the speech is unpopular, uncomfortable, or directed at people with authority. We cannot defend free speech only when we agree with the speaker or when it benefits our political side. A free society depends on citizens, journalists, advocates, and peaceful protesters being able to expose wrongdoing, question government decisions, and make their voices heard. I will defend the First Amendment, protect a free press, and oppose government efforts to punish lawful speech or silence political opposition.

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Both branches have a role, but they are not the same. The President directs the executive branch and is responsible for carrying out the law. Congress writes those laws, funds federal agencies, and has the authority and responsibility to oversee whether the administration is following them. The President’s management authority does not include the power to dismantle agencies created by law, ignore congressional mandates, or withhold money Congress has approved. We have seen what happens when Congress surrenders that authority. Essential agencies lose experienced staff and critical resources, public services are disrupted, and decisions affecting millions of Americans are handed to unelected advisers with little transparency or accountability. That is not efficient government. It is an abuse of executive power. Congress must enforce spending laws, investigate unlawful cuts, and require agency leaders to answer for their decisions.

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No eligible American should lose the right to vote because they cannot afford a certified document or because their legal name no longer matches the name on their birth certificate. If such a requirement became law, I would fight to ensure that every necessary document is free and easy to obtain. Congress should provide the funding necessary to make certified birth, marriage, adoption, and name-change records free for citizens who need them to register. Voters must also receive meaningful notice and enough time to correct any issues before an election. The burden should be on the government to help eligible citizens verify their status—not on citizens to navigate an expensive and complicated system before exercising a constitutional right.

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The federal government should help ensure that a child’s future is not determined by where they were born, how much their parents earn, or whether their local school district has a strong tax base. Families should be able to find affordable, high-quality preschool that prepares children to learn without forcing parents to choose between childcare and a paycheck. Local communities should continue to make most classroom decisions, while the federal government protects civil rights and helps public schools provide qualified teachers, safe classrooms, special-education services, and the support every student needs to succeed. Federal funding should strengthen public schools, not divert resources away from them. After graduation, students should have multiple affordable paths to a secure future, including college, apprenticeships, and career and technical training. The federal government should help lower those costs so people can build useful skills without taking on a lifetime of debt.