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U.S. House District 17
2026 Florida U.S. House District 17 — General Election · November 3, 2026
Current post-primary status comes from Florida’s candidate list. Final ballot placement is subject to the county’s official ballot. All published research retains its source evidence.
Last reviewed September 15, 2026Official records identify Matthew Montavon as a Democratic candidate for U.S. House District 17 and show the candidate in the current official primary-election material.
Policy statements from campaign-controlled sources are labeled candidate positions; they are not independently presented as proven outcomes.
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August 18, 2026
Democratic Voters
Representative in Congress
District 17
Allen L. Spence Jr.
Matthew Montavon
Only contact details published in official filing records, FEC filings, or a verified candidate-owned source with retained exact evidence appear here.
Post Office Box 17413 · Sarasota, FL 34276
[email protected]
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Post Office Box 17413
Sarasota, FL 34276
Phone: (941)203-9245
Email: [email protected]
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FEC committee ID: C00924787
FEC committee name: MONTAVON FOR CONGRESS
Published email: [email protected]
Published email: [email protected]
Published website: https://www.montavonforcongress.com/
FEC committee ID: C00853721
FEC committee name: MONTAVON FOR CONGRESS
Published email: [email protected]
Published email: [email protected]
Published website: https://www.montavon4congress.com/
Publication here means only that the contact detail appeared in the cited filing. It is not an endorsement, and older filings may remain visible until an amended official record is captured.
Verified records and candidate-provided claims are labeled separately.
He graduated with honors from the Catholic University of America with his Bachelor’s in Political Science and Spanish
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He graduated with honors from the Catholic University of America with his Bachelor’s in Political Science and Spanish
Continued his education at Indiana University, earning his Masters in Public Administration while completing two studies for the Indiana State government.
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Continued his education at Indiana University, earning his Masters in Public Administration while completing two studies for the Indiana State government.
College graduation 1978 with mother, sister and niece
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College graduation 1978 with mother, sister and niece
Matthew brings what’s often missing in politics: genuine empathy born from experience, technical expertise in how government works, and a proven commitment to lifting up marginalized communities.
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Matthew brings what’s often missing in politics: genuine empathy born from experience, technical expertise in how government works, and a proven commitment to lifting up marginalized communities.
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BA - The Catholic University of America (Political Science and Spanish); Masters in Public Administration - Indiana University (Received two year Lilly endowment fellowship)
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BA - The Catholic University of America (Political Science and Spanish); Masters in Public Administration - Indiana University (Received two year Lilly endowment fellowship)
Sarasota
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Sarasota
Florida
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Florida
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Each summary is supported by the candidate's own words from a campaign source, direct candidate response, or official primary record retained with the profile.
5 earlier policy or biographical entries could not be reverified in their current sources. They remain in the research archive and are excluded from current positions and issue comparisons. This does not establish that the statements are false.
Authored multiple publications and studies for improving public policy and services
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Authored multiple publications and studies for improving public policy and services
Matthew has worked to support democratic campaigns since before he could vote—starting with George McGovern.
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Matthew has worked to support democratic campaigns since before he could vote—starting with George McGovern.
As our representative, Matthew will work endlessly to promote progressive policies and ensure that that the government works for the people-- not the other way around.
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As our representative, Matthew will work endlessly to promote progressive policies and ensure that that the government works for the people-- not the other way around.
In Congress, Matthew Montavon will propose and support legislation to strengthen our democracy and the rights of all Americans. Matthew will fight to put people first with these policies.
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In Congress, Matthew Montavon will propose and support legislation to strengthen our democracy and the rights of all Americans. Matthew will fight to put people first with these policies.
Provided critical support to migrant farm workers through the Illinois Migrant Council.
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Provided critical support to migrant farm workers through the Illinois Migrant Council.
Ensure Free and Fair Elections In recent years, government actions have put more and more obstacles in the way of legitimate voters, with widely varying state laws about voter ID, mail-in ballots, drop boxes, and election schedules, as well as irrational, gerrymandered voting maps. The Supreme Court began gutting the Voting Rights Act in 2013 and has been eroding it further ever since. Congress must immediately pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to enshrine the basic principle of one person, one vote. Voting should be encouraged, not discouraged.
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Ensure Free and Fair Elections In recent years, government actions have put more and more obstacles in the way of legitimate voters, with widely varying state laws about voter ID, mail-in ballots, drop boxes, and election schedules, as well as irrational, gerrymandered voting maps. The Supreme Court began gutting the Voting Rights Act in 2013 and has been eroding it further ever since. Congress must immediately pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to enshrine the basic principle of one person, one vote. Voting should be encouraged, not discouraged.
27 years with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization supporting programs and activities fighting hunger and improving food systems worldwide.
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27 years with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization supporting programs and activities fighting hunger and improving food systems worldwide.
In recent years, government actions have put more and more obstacles in the way of legitimate voters, with widely varying state laws about voter ID, mail-in ballots, drop boxes, and election schedules, as well as irrational, gerrymandered voting maps. The Supreme Court began gutting the Voting Rights Act in 2013 and has been eroding it further ever since. Congress must immediately pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to enshrine the basic principle of one person, one vote. Voting should be encouraged, not discouraged.
The text below is the exact source material used for this statement.
In recent years, government actions have put more and more obstacles in the way of legitimate voters, with widely varying state laws about voter ID, mail-in ballots, drop boxes, and election schedules, as well as irrational, gerrymandered voting maps. The Supreme Court began gutting the Voting Rights Act in 2013 and has been eroding it further ever since. Congress must immediately pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to enshrine the basic principle of one person, one vote. Voting should be encouraged, not discouraged.
In recent years, government actions have put more and more obstacles in the way of legitimate voters, with widely varying state laws about voter ID, mail-in ballots, drop boxes, and election schedules, as well as irrational, gerrymandered voting maps. The Supreme Court began gutting the Voting Rights Act in 2013 and has been eroding it further ever since. Congress must immediately pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to enshrine the basic principle of one person, one vote. Voting should be encouraged, not discouraged.
The text below is the exact source material used for this statement.
In recent years, government actions have put more and more obstacles in the way of legitimate voters, with widely varying state laws about voter ID, mail-in ballots, drop boxes, and election schedules, as well as irrational, gerrymandered voting maps. The Supreme Court began gutting the Voting Rights Act in 2013 and has been eroding it further ever since. Congress must immediately pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to enshrine the basic principle of one person, one vote. Voting should be encouraged, not discouraged.
Reform Campaign Finance The Supreme Court ruled in favor of dark, unlimited campaign contributions in the Citizens United decision of 2010. Congress must enact laws to limit campaign donations and make campaign finance completely transparent. Choosing candidates should be the role of the people, not giant corporations and billionaires. Votes, not money, should decide elections.
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Reform Campaign Finance The Supreme Court ruled in favor of dark, unlimited campaign contributions in the Citizens United decision of 2010. Congress must enact laws to limit campaign donations and make campaign finance completely transparent. Choosing candidates should be the role of the people, not giant corporations and billionaires. Votes, not money, should decide elections.
The Supreme Court ruled in favor of dark, unlimited campaign contributions in the Citizens United decision of 2010. Congress must enact laws to limit campaign donations and make campaign finance completely transparent. Choosing candidates should be the role of the people, not giant corporations and billionaires. Votes, not money, should decide elections.
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The Supreme Court ruled in favor of dark, unlimited campaign contributions in the Citizens United decision of 2010. Congress must enact laws to limit campaign donations and make campaign finance completely transparent. Choosing candidates should be the role of the people, not giant corporations and billionaires. Votes, not money, should decide elections.
The Supreme Court ruled in favor of dark, unlimited campaign contributions in the Citizens United decision of 2010. Congress must enact laws to limit campaign donations and make campaign finance completely transparent. Choosing candidates should be the role of the people, not giant corporations and billionaires. Votes, not money, should decide elections.
The text below is the exact source material used for this statement.
The Supreme Court ruled in favor of dark, unlimited campaign contributions in the Citizens United decision of 2010. Congress must enact laws to limit campaign donations and make campaign finance completely transparent. Choosing candidates should be the role of the people, not giant corporations and billionaires. Votes, not money, should decide elections.
Expand Veterans’ Services Veterans sacrificed to serve their country, and they should return to civilian life with all the support they need: access to education, help finding a job, affordable housing, and good healthcare. This is no time to be cutting services for veterans or for military families, as current budget proposals do. Florida’s 17th District has a high percentage of residents who are veterans (8%), and they will have Matthew Montavon’s full support in Congress.
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Expand Veterans’ Services Veterans sacrificed to serve their country, and they should return to civilian life with all the support they need: access to education, help finding a job, affordable housing, and good healthcare. This is no time to be cutting services for veterans or for military families, as current budget proposals do. Florida’s 17th District has a high percentage of residents who are veterans (8%), and they will have Matthew Montavon’s full support in Congress.
Veterans sacrificed to serve their country, and they should return to civilian life with all the support they need: access to education, help finding a job, affordable housing, and good healthcare. This is no time to be cutting services for veterans or for military families, as current budget proposals do. Florida’s 17th District has a high percentage of residents who are veterans (8%), and they will have Matthew Montavon’s full support in Congress.
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Veterans sacrificed to serve their country, and they should return to civilian life with all the support they need: access to education, help finding a job, affordable housing, and good healthcare. This is no time to be cutting services for veterans or for military families, as current budget proposals do. Florida’s 17th District has a high percentage of residents who are veterans (8%), and they will have Matthew Montavon’s full support in Congress.
Veterans sacrificed to serve their country, and they should return to civilian life with all the support they need: access to education, help finding a job, affordable housing, and good healthcare. This is no time to be cutting services for veterans or for military families, as current budget proposals do. Florida’s 17th District has a high percentage of residents who are veterans (8%), and they will have Matthew Montavon’s full support in Congress.
The text below is the exact source material used for this statement.
Veterans sacrificed to serve their country, and they should return to civilian life with all the support they need: access to education, help finding a job, affordable housing, and good healthcare. This is no time to be cutting services for veterans or for military families, as current budget proposals do. Florida’s 17th District has a high percentage of residents who are veterans (8%), and they will have Matthew Montavon’s full support in Congress.
Our immigration system under Trump is cruel, inhumane and hurts our economy. People with civil violations are having their families ripped apart and are placed in abhorrent concentration camps. We need to drastically reform ICE because of its brutal treatment, and if it cannot be reformed, then abolish it and start over. Agents should be properly trained, must identify themselves, not use masks, and not use violence. We should offer green cards to long term residents who have built families here and have contributed to our communities and our economy. DACA recipients should be given a path to citizenship. We need a much more robust naturalization process and immigration reform. We can have a more secure border but also recognize the international right to asylum. Our current policy is extremely wasteful, now over $200 billion, the only purpose being racism and cruelty. Those immigrants being imprisoned and thrown out are contributing to our economy, paying taxes and social security.
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Our immigration system under Trump is cruel, inhumane and hurts our economy. People with civil violations are having their families ripped apart and are placed in abhorrent concentration camps. We need to drastically reform ICE because of its brutal treatment, and if it cannot be reformed, then abolish it and start over. Agents should be properly trained, must identify themselves, not use masks, and not use violence. We should offer green cards to long term residents who have built families here and have contributed to our communities and our economy. DACA recipients should be given a path to citizenship. We need a much more robust naturalization process and immigration reform. We can have a more secure border but also recognize the international right to asylum. Our current policy is extremely wasteful, now over $200 billion, the only purpose being racism and cruelty. Those immigrants being imprisoned and thrown out are contributing to our economy, paying taxes and social security.
Absolutely! We see this damage especially in our vulnerable state of Florida with increased drought, flooding and hurricanes. It is happening all over the country and will be an incredible health and financial burden. This will also affect our farm economy and habitats. There is a huge financial cost in adaptation and mitigation. We need to move as quickly as possible to renewable energy, as the rest of the world is doing. Renewables is a growth industry that we are abandoning to our competitors, especially China. It is also now the cheapest form of energy. Continued concentration on fossil fuels and their impact on climate change is extremely dumb and self-destructive.
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Absolutely! We see this damage especially in our vulnerable state of Florida with increased drought, flooding and hurricanes. It is happening all over the country and will be an incredible health and financial burden. This will also affect our farm economy and habitats. There is a huge financial cost in adaptation and mitigation. We need to move as quickly as possible to renewable energy, as the rest of the world is doing. Renewables is a growth industry that we are abandoning to our competitors, especially China. It is also now the cheapest form of energy. Continued concentration on fossil fuels and their impact on climate change is extremely dumb and self-destructive.
1. Affordability Food, housing and healthcare are basic needs that are becoming too expensive for many Americans. We need to encourage more affordable housing with subsidies and grants and move toward universal healthcare step by step. We need to restore safety net programs such as SNAP, Medicaid and ACA subsidies. 2. Restoration of our Constitutional Democracy Congress needs to reclaim its Constitutional power to be a check on the Executive. We should investigate the corruption and incompetence of the current Administration, censor or punish the offenders, and legislate curbs on future abuses.
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1. Affordability Food, housing and healthcare are basic needs that are becoming too expensive for many Americans. We need to encourage more affordable housing with subsidies and grants and move toward universal healthcare step by step. We need to restore safety net programs such as SNAP, Medicaid and ACA subsidies. 2. Restoration of our Constitutional Democracy Congress needs to reclaim its Constitutional power to be a check on the Executive. We should investigate the corruption and incompetence of the current Administration, censor or punish the offenders, and legislate curbs on future abuses.
The Constitutional right to freedom of speech means that the government, or any government official, cannot prohibit a person from expressing his or her views, even if those views are critical of the government. The only speech that can be legally limited is speech that creates a public danger (yelling “Fire! In a theater) or hateful speech that encourages violence. Freedom of speech is the foundation of the other principles in the first amendment, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly and freedom to petition. It and the others are the founding principle of our democracy and the people's right to demand accountability. Voting is an extension of those principles. The people's have the right to choose their leaders and the direction of policy. To me obstacles to voting are an infringement on freedom of speech and the freedom to petition.
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The Constitutional right to freedom of speech means that the government, or any government official, cannot prohibit a person from expressing his or her views, even if those views are critical of the government. The only speech that can be legally limited is speech that creates a public danger (yelling “Fire! In a theater) or hateful speech that encourages violence. Freedom of speech is the foundation of the other principles in the first amendment, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly and freedom to petition. It and the others are the founding principle of our democracy and the people's right to demand accountability. Voting is an extension of those principles. The people's have the right to choose their leaders and the direction of policy. To me obstacles to voting are an infringement on freedom of speech and the freedom to petition.
The President runs the agencies, but Congress has the oversight responsibility. Congress questions the actions of the agencies, brings agency heads to Congress to testify, and insists that the agencies carry out their mandate. It should also look to root out corruption and abuse of office, and in extreme cases could impeach agency personnel.
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The President runs the agencies, but Congress has the oversight responsibility. Congress questions the actions of the agencies, brings agency heads to Congress to testify, and insists that the agencies carry out their mandate. It should also look to root out corruption and abuse of office, and in extreme cases could impeach agency personnel.
It would be important for those concerned about this issue to work with concerned organizations, such as the LWV, to provide financial support, counseling, and guidance to help them find a path to register to vote. Should it become clear that there is a particular common obstacle to registering, then national legislation will be required to alleviate that obstacle. For instance, a federal office could be set up to help applicants seeking documentation from multiple state offices or across states. Voting by eligible citizens should be encouraged, not discouraged.
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It would be important for those concerned about this issue to work with concerned organizations, such as the LWV, to provide financial support, counseling, and guidance to help them find a path to register to vote. Should it become clear that there is a particular common obstacle to registering, then national legislation will be required to alleviate that obstacle. For instance, a federal office could be set up to help applicants seeking documentation from multiple state offices or across states. Voting by eligible citizens should be encouraged, not discouraged.
Education is generally driven at the state and local levels. The federal government's role is to support education where there are gaps, such as in the need for special education, application of non-discriminatory policies, and inclusiveness. Federal funds need to support special programs and underserved communities. Federal funds to support loans for college education is also a much-needed activity.
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Education is generally driven at the state and local levels. The federal government's role is to support education where there are gaps, such as in the need for special education, application of non-discriminatory policies, and inclusiveness. Federal funds need to support special programs and underserved communities. Federal funds to support loans for college education is also a much-needed activity.
Strengthen Social Security and Medicare We have been told that Social Security and Medicare are unsustainable, that they will not be able to pay out benefits much longer. Yet one Congress after another has done nothing to prevent the impending crisis. Congress needs to pass legislation to ensure the solvency of the system to pay benefits to retirees now and into the future. MY COMMITMENTI will vehemently support Social Security and defend that benefit.· No retirement age increase· No turning my back on seniors· Yes to protecting Social Security for the futureI do not and will never support raising the retirement age! Any claim otherwise is categorically false. I do not support raising the retirement age as a solution to the Social Security shortfall.Why I oppose raising the retirement ageRaising the retirement age is a bad idea. It is regressive, and the burden falls primarily on the working class — I am fully committed to protecting Social Security.SOLUTIONSI support raising the tax cap on earnings and taxing all income, including capital gains.Use a Consumer Price Index for the Elderly so Social Security keeps up with the true cost of living.Ensure that Social Security offices are fully funded so seniors do not face declines in services or long delays.Protect earned benefits without raising the retirement age.Social Security has been around for 90 years keeping tens of millions out of poverty. It has become the most popular federal program.Congress should also fix the Affordable Care Act’s gap in Medicaid coverage, which allows states like Florida to refuse extra federal funds to cover health insurance for low-income families.
The text below is the exact source material used for this statement.
Strengthen Social Security and Medicare We have been told that Social Security and Medicare are unsustainable, that they will not be able to pay out benefits much longer. Yet one Congress after another has done nothing to prevent the impending crisis. Congress needs to pass legislation to ensure the solvency of the system to pay benefits to retirees now and into the future. MY COMMITMENTI will vehemently support Social Security and defend that benefit.· No retirement age increase· No turning my back on seniors· Yes to protecting Social Security for the futureI do not and will never support raising the retirement age! Any claim otherwise is categorically false. I do not support raising the retirement age as a solution to the Social Security shortfall.Why I oppose raising the retirement ageRaising the retirement age is a bad idea. It is regressive, and the burden falls primarily on the working class — I am fully committed to protecting Social Security.SOLUTIONSI support raising the tax cap on earnings and taxing all income, including capital gains.Use a Consumer Price Index for the Elderly so Social Security keeps up with the true cost of living.Ensure that Social Security offices are fully funded so seniors do not face declines in services or long delays.Protect earned benefits without raising the retirement age.Social Security has been around for 90 years keeping tens of millions out of poverty. It has become the most popular federal program.Congress should also fix the Affordable Care Act’s gap in Medicaid coverage, which allows states like Florida to refuse extra federal funds to cover health insurance for low-income families.
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FEC candidate totals September 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026.
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Candidate ID: H4FL17060
Name: MONTAVON, MATTHEW
Office: House
State: FL
District: FL17
Coverage start: 2025-09-01
Coverage end: 2026-06-30
Total receipts: $90659.79
Total disbursements: $60673.27
Cash on hand: $29946.52
Debts owed by committee: $33000.00
Candidate contributions: $5453.88
Loans made by candidate: $33000.00
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Florida Division of Elections
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Federal Election Commission
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Federal Election Commission
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Federal Election Commission
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County Supervisor of Elections
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Matthew Montavon campaign
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Matthew Montavon campaign
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