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Ex-US Sen. Mel Martinez, a Republican, endorses Democrat Bale Dalton in House District 7 race
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Updated Oct 16, 2026, 2:28 PM ET
Bale Dalton, a Democrat and former NASA chief of staff, is his party's nominee for the open seat in Florida's 7th congressional district in 2026, facing Republican Ryan Elijah in the November 3 general election.
2026 Races & Market Forecast
Live TruthIndex™ and prediction market consensus for races contested by Bale Dalton.
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Recent media coverage for Bale Dalton.
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Mel Martinez crosses party lines to endorse Bale Dalton for Congress
Former U.S. Senator Mel Martinez, a Republican, endorsed Bale Dalton, a Democratic candidate, in Florida’s 7th Congressional District race.
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List of Orlando Sentinel endorsements for 2026 general election
Those races for which we have made endorsements are listed below.
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Biography & Campaign Analysis
2026 race
Bale Dalton, a former NASA chief of staff, is the Democratic nominee for Florida's 7th congressional district in 2026. The seat is open after the Republican incumbent, Cory Mills, lost the Republican primary to former WOFL reporter Ryan Elijah.
Dalton won the Democratic primary with 45.5% of the vote, ahead of former nuclear reactor supervisor Marialana Kinter (35.6%) and Alan Grayson (18.9%), a former U.S. representative who served from 2009 to 2011 and from 2013 to 2017.
In the general election on November 3, 2026, Dalton faces Elijah and Libertarian Christopher Dennison.