Polling Average
40%30%20%10%0%
35.5%
20.9%
9%
Republican
Charles Burkett
Republican candidate for Governor in Florida
Florida Republican Governor nominee?
$63.4M
AUG 19, 2026Primary Election
Party selects its nominee.
Live Odds — Florida Republican Governor nominee?
Current prediction-market probability for the candidate, updated as market prices change.
0%chance to win
$63.4MAUG 19, 2026Candidate Overview
Key details about the candidate’s background, party, office sought and current campaign.
Current roleMayor
PartyRepublican
Political ideologyConservative Republican
GenderMale
LocationFlorida
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BackgroundMayor of Surfside, Florida
EducationUniversity of Miami (finance degree)
Notable personal detailsCharles W. Burkett is a Florida politician and businessman who has served multiple terms as mayor of the Town of Surfside, Florida, including terms beginning in 2006, 2020, and 2024. He founded the Burkett Companies in 1983 and has described his career as focused on property investment and management. In 2026, he filed and qualified as a candidate for Governor of Florida.
SourcesShowHide
dos.elections.myflorida.comburkettforgov.comamericawantsbetter.orgtownofsurfsidefl.govwlrn.orgen.wikipedia.orgreference.orgelectiondesk.orgspokesman.comapnews.comdos.fl.govnga.orglocal10.commultistate.uspredictmarketcap.compbs.orgteamsurfside.comfloridapolitics.comvinnews.comsouthfloridashtetl.comwpbf.comfloridaphoenix.comflsenate.govivoterguide.compresidency.ucsb.eduyahoo.comocalagazette.comtheinvadingsea.comwoods.stanford.eduwlky.comgoodmorningamerica.combgrdc.comtime.commarylandmatters.orgnews4jax.comcbs12.compredictionedge.cominstagram.comcivoren.comfacebook.comballotpedia.orgmywcta.orgballotready.orggovinfo.govfec.govtransition.fec.govcongress.govjustfacts.votesmart.orgnews.ballotpedia.orghistory.house.gov
Political Positions
LiberalConservative
Economy & Taxes
Supports significant tax cuts, including slashing and eventually eliminating property taxes for existing Florida homeowners and renters, and prioritizes controlling government costs while promoting business and tourism growth.
Healthcare
Healthcare should be provided as a safety-net for vulnerable Americans who cannot work and for those not of working age; no detailed plan for universal coverage or for-market reforms is specified on the candidate's public positions pages.
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Immigration & Border
The candidate advocates enforcing immigration laws and prioritizing long-term Florida residents over new arrivals, including policy proposals that disadvantage recent arrivals (e.g., residency-based waiting periods for certain benefits). Public materials emphasize stronger enforcement rather than expanded legal pathways or regularization.
Abortion & Reproductive Rights
The candidate's stated positions endorse broad legal access to abortion, describing bodily autonomy as a non-negotiable right and affirming that a woman may remove a pregnancy from day one up to one minute before birth while urging that medical professionals prioritize preserving the mother’s life. The policy language on his political-positions site frames a pro-choice approach though it also emphasizes physicians' ethical duty to preserve life.
Climate & Energy
Supports developing and incentivizing renewable and clean energy technologies and policies to modernize energy production while promoting innovation and environmental stewardship. Emphasizes respecting and caring for the environment and encouraging incentives for new clean energy production. Policy materials do not call for aggressive fossil-fuel phaseouts or Green New Deal–style language.
Public Safety & Guns
Supports the Second Amendment and emphasizes protecting the right to bear arms while endorsing measures to keep firearms out of the hands of people intent on killing; favors strong, fully funded policing and a "zero tolerance" approach to violent crime. Policy language stresses solutions that do not violate the Constitution while permitting open discussion of ways to prevent dangerous people from obtaining guns.
Latest News
AINews Summary
Last updatedAug 19, 2026
Charles Burkett is in the news because he is running in Florida’s crowded Republican governor primary, which is set for August 18. Recent reports focus on ballot confusion in the race: some voters have mistakenly marked two Republican candidates, creating overvotes that would not count unless corrected with a replacement ballot. The race has drawn heavy attention because it is crowded and Trump has endorsed Byron Donalds, while Burkett is among the other candidates on the ballot.
dos.elections.myflorida.com+49
Articles
TDTallahassee Democrat27 days ago
Florida ballot for Republican governor may be confusing to some voters
Neutral
NNewsweek6 months ago
Democrats’ Chances of Defeating Republicans To Flip Florida: New Poll
Positive
HHerald-Tribune1 month ago
Florida state, congressional elections, candidates, schedules in 2026
Neutral
NDNaples Daily News6 months ago
Florida governor's race swells to 41 candidates in 2026 election
Neutral
Latest Polls
Florida Republican Governor nominee?
Recent polling results and the candidate's current average in the race.
Charles Burkett currently averages 1.7%, ranking 7th in this race, 0.7 points behind the next candidate.
Polling average: 1.7%Position: 7thMargin: -0.7 ptsLatest poll: 0.5% (Mar 29 - 31)Polls included: 4
Average recalculated from polls through Mar 29 - 31.
Aggregation source: FiftyPlusOne
New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.
- Endorsements
- Fundraising