Scott Franklin
Scott Franklin, a Republican businessman and Navy veteran who has served in the U.S. House since 2021 and represents Florida's 18th congressional district, seeks re-election in 2026 against Democrat Curtis Gibson.
2026 Races & Market Forecast
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- Born
- August 23, 1964
- Birthplace
- Thomaston, Georgia
- Education
- United States Naval Academy (Bachelor of Science, 1986)
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Master of Business Administration)
Armed Forces Staff College
Biography & Campaign Analysis
Background
Scott Franklin was born on August 23, 1964, in Thomaston, Georgia, and raised in Lakeland, Florida. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the United States Naval Academy in 1986 and later a Master of Business Administration from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, and he is a graduate of the Armed Forces Staff College.
Career
Scott Franklin spent 26 years in the United States Navy, 14 on active duty and 12 in the Naval Reserve, flying the S-3 Viking as a naval aviator from multiple aircraft carriers and routinely deploying overseas.
After the September 11 attacks he was recalled to active duty with U.S. Central Command, and he retired with the rank of commander.
In 2000 he joined the insurance agency Lanier Upshaw, where he became chief executive officer, and in 2017 he was elected city commissioner for the Southeast district of Lakeland, a seat he held until January 3, 2021, the day he was sworn into Congress.
Franklin reached Congress after announcing a primary challenge in March 2020 to freshman Republican Ross Spano in Florida's 15th congressional district. He won the nomination and then defeated Democratic nominee Alan Cohn in the general election.
He represented the 15th district from 2021 to 2023 and has represented the 18th district since 2023. In the 118th Congress he served on the Committee on Appropriations, the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
2026 race
Scott Franklin is the incumbent in Florida's 18th congressional district, which he won with 65.3% of the vote in 2024, and he is the Republican nominee again in 2026. His Democratic opponent is Curtis Gibson, a former Lake Wales city commissioner. Deva Simmons, a developmental therapist, has also declared as an independent candidate in the race. The general election takes place on November 3, 2026.