Mike Beltran wins GOP primary, will challenge Castor in Florida's 14th Congressional District
Published Aug. 18, 2026, 7:53 p.m. ET | Updated Aug. 18, 2026
TAMPA, Fla. — Former state Rep. Mike Beltran won the Republican primary Tuesday for Florida’s 14th Congressional District, advancing to challenge longtime Democratic Rep. Kathy Castor in a newly redrawn, Republican-leaning Tampa-area seat.
Beltran defeated seven other Republicans in a crowded field for the nomination.
Beltran will face Castor, a 10-term incumbent first elected in 2006, in the Nov. 3 general election. A Libertarian candidate and two write-in candidates are also on the November ballot.
Florida’s 14th District was redrawn this spring by the Republican-controlled Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis. The new boundaries lie entirely within Hillsborough County and include eastern and southern portions of the county, Brandon, Valrico, Plant City, Riverview, Sun City Center and surrounding communities, along with parts of south Tampa.
The previous version of the district leaned Democratic. Under the …