Republican CD-2 Congressional Debate 2026 Coverage

Last night, the county and the Republican Party of Florida hosted a debate between Keith Gross, Luke Murphy, Jim Norton, Evan Power, Austin Rogers, and Audie Rowell.

It was a spirited event, but all the candidates remained very respectful and on task. Letting the voters know where they stand on the issues. 

Like most of these events with so many candidates in the race. There was only a small number, if there were any, in the room that were undecided voters.

The people who will decide the race will watch online or caught the event on WJHG-TV. 

For them, it is somewhat of a daunting task to distinguish between the candidates, given that their positions are similar. 

They are all pro-life, support the president in his efforts in Iran, and more or less claim the MAGA banner. 

The only real policy debate in the room was between them and the soon-to-be former congressman Neal Dunn. Given that they all stated they would not support the “Dignity Act,” that is, mass amnesty for illegals paid for by you, the CD-2 voter. 

In this regard, no matter who wins the race. It will most certainly be an upgrade for roughly 80% of voters who agree. No one should be rewarded with citizenship or a green card for breaking our immigration laws. 

Good, bad, or indifferent, this means this race will be decided by two things. Poise/presentation style during the debates and name ID, which is a product of how much time you spend on the campaign trail and how much money you can raise or spend. 

So, let’s have a look at that in the order in which they spoke. 

Keith Gross's presentation style is as smooth as it gets, and his command of the issues matches that style. He also has a solid lead in the district in name ID and has been blessed with the ability to self-fund his campaign. 

In full disclosure, he is advertising in our paper, and I was a policy advisor for his mother’s campaign manager. When she ran for this seat two years ago. 

Luke Murphy's presentation style was what you would expect from a wounded hero. Straightforward, no-nonsense, and a take-no-prisoners approach to problem solving. Something D.C. is short of for sure. 

Jim Norton is the good old boy in the race, and not in a bad way. His presentation is as down-to-earth as they come. If you grew up in the South, outside of a major city. He would be the guy you would ask for life advice. 

Evan Power is the state GOP Chairman and comes off as such. He has a command of the issues to the degree that it seems robotic. Despite that title, most in the district are not familiar one way or the other with the party chairman. This is not unique to Florida, but it should help him with fundraising. 

Austin Rogers is a compelling candidate in presentation, and his resume does not hurt either. Having spent time in D.C., helping craft legislation and writing amicus briefs. However, depending on your view of D.C., this could be a plus or minus. 

Audie Rowell leaves no doubt that his life’s work has been that of a law enforcement officer. If you want someone to stand watch, he is your candidate.

The good news for the district is that no matter who wins in August, we should have someone in D.C. representing our values. 

That is, of course, if they honor their word. Let’s hope that is the case.