Tampa St. Petersburg, FL, September 26, 2026 —

Candidates seeking to represent Florida’s newly redrawn 16th Congressional District participated in a virtual forum, engaging in discussions on key issues and exchanging critiques. The district encompasses a significant geographical area, stretching across parts of seven counties from St. Petersburg in the north to Arcadia in the south.

The forum featured three candidates: Republican Sydney Gruters, Democrat Kelly Kirschner, and Independent Mark Davis. Each candidate presented their views on matters pertinent to the district’s constituents and also offered criticisms of their opponents’ platforms or approaches.

The 16th Congressional District’s redrawn boundaries create a new electoral landscape for candidates. Information regarding the specific issues discussed during the forum was not provided in the summary. Similarly, details about the nature of the critiques exchanged between Gruters, Kirschner, and Davis were not specified.

The event was conducted virtually, allowing for broader participation from voters across the diverse geographical span of the district. This format enabled candidates to connect with constituents who may be located at significant distances from each other within the seven-county region.

Further details regarding the candidates’ specific policy proposals, the exact topics debated, or any resolutions or consensus reached during the forum have not been made available. The summary provided does not include information about the candidates’ backgrounds beyond their party affiliation, nor does it mention the specific counties included in the district beyond the general description from St. Petersburg to Arcadia.



Story summarized from the original created by By Emily L. Mahoney, Times staff on www.tampabay.com, see more information here.

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