Polling Average
40%30%20%10%0%
35.5%
20.9%
9%
Charles Burkett
Charles Burkett
Florida Republican Governor nominee?
$11.1M
AUG 19, 2026
Primary Election
Party selects its nominee.
Overview
Current roleMayor
Political ideologyConservative Republican
GenderMale
LocationFlorida
BackgroundMayor of Surfside, Florida
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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.comfacebook.commarylandmatters.orgballotpedia.orgmiamitimesonline.comwesh.comreutersconnect.commywcta.orgbgrdc.combluevoterguide.orgheraldmailmedia.cominstagram.comgovinfo.govfec.gov
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.
News
AINews Summary
Last updatedJul 17, 2026
Charles Burkett is in the news as one of the candidates in Florida’s crowded 2026 governor’s race, which has grown to 41 candidates. Recent coverage says the Republican primary is still unsettled, with the race for second place open and no endorsement yet from Gov. Ron DeSantis. Polling shows Byron Donalds leading the GOP field, while the broader race remains competitive and full of undecided voters.
dos.elections.myflorida.com+43
Articles
NNewsweek5 months ago
Democrats’ Chances of Defeating Republicans To Flip Florida: New Poll
Positive
NDNaples Daily News5 months ago
Florida governor's race swells to 41 candidates in 2026 election
Neutral
TDThe Daily Beast5 months ago
Billionaire Bucks Flood Campaign Coffers at Historic Levels
Neutral
NNews-Press5 months ago
Florida 2026 races: GOP holds single-digit leads in new poll
Neutral
Polls
Florida Republican Governor nominee?
Aggregation source: FiftyPlusOne
New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.
- Endorsements
- Fundraising