U.S. House District 17 elections overview: Incumbent Greg Steube v. Andrea Doria Kale
Voters in U.S. House of Representatives District 17 will choose between conservative incumbent Rep. Greg Steube and Democratic candidate Andrea Doria Kale for the seat, which includes Sarasota and Charlotte counties, and upper Lee County.
A non-party candidate, Theodore “Pink Tie” Murray, also is listed as a candidate in this race, but efforts to reach him were unsuccessful.
Early voting is open and runs through Nov. 6. General election day is Nov. 8.
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About the candidates
Andrea Doria Kale (D)
Andrea Doria Kale is a resident of North Port and is a mother, stepmother and grandmother. Kale, 64, has 37 years of experience as a researcher and IT director at a nonprofit studying the effects of substance and alcohol abuse.
A newcomer to running for a federal-level position, Kale is using her experiences of volunteering for political campaigns to guide her in this race, including working as the deputy operations director for Hilary Clinton’s Tampa headquarters and as the statewide IT director during the 2016 election. Her compassion for her community is another driver in her decision to run.
More on Kale: North Port home of U.S. House candidate severely damaged by Hurricane Ian
“I’m doing it for my community, my children, my stepchildren, and my grandchildren,” Kale said.
Her campaign hasn’t been without obstacles. She suffered substantial damage to her home during Hurricane Ian, but she has not allowed the obstacle to deter her from continuing with the race.
Instead, she's finding time to visit early polling locations, listening to the complaints of her possible future constituents and helping the community as they recover. She has raised about $26,000 in contributions for her campaign.
Kale’s four priorities if elected to Congress will be focusing on the Freedom to Vote Act to ensure every citizen has a right to vote; the Women’s Health Protection Act to ensure every woman has a choice; the Respect for Marriage Act; and the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.
Greg Steube (Incumbent - R)
Greg Steube is a resident of Sarasota County, a father, and a veteran. Steube, 44, was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2018 following eight years in the Florida Legislature. The Republican candidate currently represents District 17 and has approximately $1.5 million in total contributions to his campaign.
He graduated from the University of Florida and enlisted to serve in the U.S. Army from 2004 to 2008, where he served as an Airborne Infantry Officer, a JAG Corps Officer, and the Chief of Detainee Operations for Multinational Division North in Iraq.
Steube serves on the House Judiciary and Foreign Affairs committees. He said his top priority will focus on border security and immigration. If re-elected, Steube said he will work with Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) on a comprehensive immigration bill and look to bring Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas into impeachment proceedings.
He pointed to his past and current legislation, as well as his track record of which bills he's supported, as an indication of the work he plans to continue in Washington D.C., including working to expand health insurance options for veterans.
Steube will also be focused on the House Republican Leadership policy platform, Commitment to America, "to get America back on track," according to a news release on his website.
Steube said he suspended his re-election campaign following Hurricane Ian, stating in a previous Sarasota Herald-Tribune article he “has been focusing on meeting the needs of those most impacted across the district.”
Theodore 'Pink Tie' Murray (No Party Affiliation)
The Sarasota Herald-Tribune was unable to reach Murray for an interview for this story, and there is little information publicly available about the non-party candidate as there is no campaign website or Facebook page promoting his candidacy.
Murray has reported no campaign contributions as of Oct. 25, according to the Federal Election Commission’s website.
Murray previously ran for the U.S. House District 17 seat against Steube in 2020 and received 1.3% of the votes during the 2020 election, according to a previous story by The Ledger.
Key issues
Abortion
Kale stands behind an individual’s right of choice and Roe v. Wade, and it comes from her own personal experience. At 18, Kale said she had a choice to make when she became pregnant.
She chose to give her daughter up for adoption, but it was her choice to make, she said, as it should be every woman’s choice about what is best for them after consulting a doctor.
Kale added Roe v. Wade should be the law of the land. However, she would support legislation that lowers the limit down to 20 weeks since there has been advancement in technology.
She clarified that there are medical situations that should also be taken into account, especially in situations that risk the mother’s life.
Steube firmly stands behind the pro-life movement and has said he will support legislation that supports this in Congress.
“I stand fully behind life,” Steube said, adding he stands behind all the legislation he voted for in the state Legislature including sponsoring the 15-week fetal heartbeat bill, which was halted by a court but has recently been reintroduced by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Crime and Gun Control
A strong proponent of the Second Amendment, Steube’s website includes a flash poll for constituents to weigh in on the debate of how to keep kids safe in school.
When asked about addressing crime and the numerous shootings across the nation, Steube said he would focus on giving police departments the resources they need to be successful.
He blamed the push to defund police as having caused many officers to quit and discouraged new officers from filling in those positions.
He added that the Republicans’ plans to shut down the border will promote law and order, as it could cut down the trafficking of fentanyl into the U.S.
Kale, who has been a gun owner since 2020, said she supports a national buyback program where those who wish to trade in their guns can do so.
She is against the red flag laws which she feels can be taken advantage of by upset neighbors or family members who have ulterior motives. Instead, she believes it would be better to involve mental health professionals to conduct evaluations that are then submitted to federal agents who perform background checks.
She emphasized she isn’t looking to take away responsible gun owners’ guns.
“We have to come up with modern-day solutions that are going to ease the minds of responsible gun owners, protect our children, protect our community, protect our schools," Kale said.
Inflation
Kale said the current Congress, and most Democrats, have done a good job in tackling the increasing inflation and getting gas prices down.
She approves of the Inflation Reduction Act, which was signed by President Joe Biden in August, and aims at reducing the deficit and lowering inflation.
Among some of the legislation, she would support would be to expand support for parents so they can afford childcare or senior care which could free people to get back into the workforce and earn more money to put back into the economy, thus helping to decrease inflation.
Steube said his second priority if re-elected is focused on lowering inflation, which he indicated had increased over the four years he's been in office.
When Stuebe was elected four years ago to Congress, the deficit was over $25 trillion, and it’s now $31 trillion, according to the Department of the Treasury and the Bureau of the Fiscal Service’s Fiscal Data website.
Steube said the debt “has a huge detrimental effect on inflationary costs that we’re seeing.”
Steube blamed President Biden’s war on energy policy as causing inflation by driving up the prices of gas and oil, something he said he intends to look into if re-elected.
Gabriela Szymanowska covers the legal system for the Herald-Tribune in partnership with Report for America. You can support her work with a tax-deductible donation to Report for America. Contact Gabriela Szymanowska at gszymanowska@gannett.com, or on Twitter.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Who is running for U.S. House of Representatives Florida District 17
