Gruters, Kirschner Vie for Open District 16 Seat
Republican Sydney Gruters and Democrat Kelly Kirschner are competing to replace retiring Representative Vern Buchanan in the redrawn district.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Elections
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Republican Sydney Gruters and Democrat Kelly Kirschner are candidates to succeed Representative Vern Buchanan in Florida's District 16, with voting scheduled for Tuesday. The district has been redrawn to run from southern St. Petersburg into Manatee, Hardee, and DeSoto Counties, and includes portions of Sarasota and Polk Counties.
Why it matters
Buchanan's retirement creates an open seat in a newly configured district, making the outcome a change in the district's representation. Gruters, who was endorsed by President Donald Trump, has a long working relationship with Buchanan, while Kirschner brings a background in local government.
The contest is for District 16 under newly drawn boundaries, with voting set for Tuesday. The extraction does not report vote projections or polling data for either candidate.
The players
Sydney Gruters
Republican candidate who was endorsed by President Donald Trump and previously worked under Buchanan and in Trump's first administration.
Kelly Kirschner
Democratic candidate who previously served on the Sarasota City Commission and as Mayor of Sarasota, and spent four years with the Peace Corps in Guatemala.
Vern Buchanan
Retiring Republican Representative for Florida's District 16 whose departure creates the open seat.
The details
Sydney Gruters has worked under Buchanan for more than a decade, served as district director for Congressman Greg Steube in 2018, and worked under Trump in his first administration; she is married to Republican National Committee Chair Joe Gruters. Kelly Kirschner spent four years in northern Guatemala with the Peace Corps and has served on the Sarasota City Commission and as Mayor of Sarasota.
Timeline
Tuesday, November 3, 2026: Voting in the District 16 race.
Political Context
The race is being contested under boundaries that changed with Florida's redistricting, so the open seat is shaped by a new geographic footprint. Candidates are therefore competing for a district whose composition differs from the one Buchanan represented.
Voters in the redrawn district will choose a new representative when they cast ballots on Tuesday. The winner will represent residents across the new boundaries, which now include parts of St. Petersburg, Manatee, Hardee, DeSoto, Sarasota, and Polk areas.
The takeaway
Because the district has been redrawn, voters should check their registration and confirm their district assignment before Tuesday's election.
What happens next
Voting in the District 16 race takes place on Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
Further reading
For broader coverage of how these contests are shaping up, explore Florida Elections on our site.
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