Mike Beltran challenges Castor for Florida's 14th District seat

Republican Mike Beltran is running for Florida's 14th Congressional District, which covers parts of Hillsborough County including Apollo Beach and Ruskin. He faces Democrat Kathy Castor, who is also profiled on this site, and Libertarian Brian Lambert on the Nov. 3, 2026, ballot.

Beltran won the Republican primary on Aug. 18, 2026, earning approximately 46% of the vote in a crowded field, according to Florida Politics. He launched his congressional campaign with $1 million in self-funding, according to Florida Politics.

Candidate information

Party: Republican
Residence: Riverview, Florida
Born: June 26, 1984, in New York City
Religion: Christian
Education: Bachelor's degree in international relations, University of Pennsylvania (2005); law degree, Harvard University (2008)

Experience and public service

Beltran moved to Florida in 2010. He served as a state representative for Florida House District 70 from 2018 to 2024, according to his Florida House biography. He was recognized as a 2017 Outstanding Young Florida Lawyer and served as past president of the Harvard Club of Tampa Bay, according to the same source. He is an Eagle Scout.

He has run his own law firm, Beltran Litigation PA, since 2013, according to BallotReady. Earlier in his career, he worked as a law clerk for U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday in 2010, according to his Florida House biography. He also worked as an associate at Boies, Schiller & Flexner LLP, according to Florida Politics.

Governors Rick Scott and Ron DeSantis appointed Beltran to the Judicial Nominating Commission for Florida's Thirteenth Circuit Court in Hillsborough County, according to the Osprey Observer. He also served on the Judicial Nominating Commission for Florida's Fifth District Court of Appeal, according to his Florida House biography.

On the issues

The following positions come from Beltran's campaign website and published campaign materials. All statements are the candidate's own.

Taxes and budget: Beltran said he supports the Working Families Tax Cut, including no tax on tips, no tax on overtime and relief for seniors on Social Security. He said he wants to cut government waste and lower taxes.

Immigration: Beltran said he supports finishing the border wall, deporting those he describes as criminals and fraudsters, and restoring law and order at the southern border. He said he would vote for the SAVE America Act, which he said would require photo identification for voting and remove noncitizens from voter rolls.

Education: Beltran said he championed school choice in Tallahassee and wants to bring that effort to Washington. He said parents, not bureaucrats, should decide how and where their children are educated.

Guns: Beltran said he opposes red flag laws and magazine bans. He described the Second Amendment as absolute.

Abortion: Beltran said he believes the Dobbs decision was correctly decided and that states should set their own abortion policies with exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother.