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U.S. House · Florida's 18th District

Polk County and the Lakeland/Winter Haven area in central Florida, under Florida's 2026 congressional map.

General election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026

RESULT · UNOFFICIAL UNTIL CERTIFIED

Scott Franklin, projected winner

CandidateVotesShare
Scott Franklin137,59750.3%
Curtis Gibson127,57946.7%
Deva Simmons8,1103%

About 99% of the expected vote counted. As of November 9. Winners take office next year. Counts can change until states certify. NBC News ↗

Sources re-checked September 25, 2026 · How we research

  • Florida's U.S. House elections use a new congressional map for 2026; Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the new district boundaries into law on May 4, 2026.[1]
  • Both the Republican and Democratic primaries were canceled: incumbent Rep. Scott Franklin (R) and Curtis Gibson (D) each advanced unopposed.[1]

On the November 3 ballot · 3 candidates

Scott FranklinRINCUMBENTPROJECTED WINNERU.S. Representative (since 2021)Full profile →Curtis GibsonDFull profile →Deva SimmonsINDFull profile →

Issue evidence — side by side

Recorded votes, documented positions and candidates’ own words are shown with sources. “In their own words” quotes a candidate on the topic without inferring a stance. Votes describe specific bills or motions; they do not establish overall support or opposition to a broad issue. A dash means our research has no evidence on that topic, not that the candidate has no position.

Protect legal access to abortion

  • Scott Franklin
    Recorded votes[30][31]

    Voted no on Women's Health Protection Act of 2021 (H.R. 3755, 2021-09-24). Voted no on Women's Health Protection Act of 2022 (H.R. 8296, 2022-07-15).

  • Curtis Gibson
    —
  • Deva Simmons
    —

Stricter gun laws

  • Scott Franklin
    Recorded votes[28][29]

    Voted no on Assault Weapons Ban of 2022 (H.R. 1808, 2022-07-29), which would have banned the sale of many semiautomatic assault weapons. Voted no on Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (S. 2938, 2022-06-24), which expanded background checks for buyers under 21 and funded state red-flag programs.

  • Curtis Gibson
    —
  • Deva Simmons
    —

Expand immigration enforcement and deportations

  • Scott Franklin
    Recorded votes[15][16][17][18][19][20]

    Voted yes on Laken Riley Act (S. 5, 2025-01-22). Voted yes on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03), which funded expanded immigration enforcement, detention and border operations. Voted yes on Secure the Border Act of 2023 (H.R. 2, 2023-05-11). Voted no on American Dream and Promise Act of 2021 (H.R. 6, 2021-03-18).

  • Curtis Gibson
    —
  • Deva Simmons
    —

Raise taxes on high earners or corporations

  • Scott Franklin
    Recorded votes[16][17][18][24]

    Voted yes on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03), which made the 2017 individual tax rates, including the 37% top rate, permanent. Voted no on Inflation Reduction Act (H.R. 5376, 2022-08-12), which added a 15% minimum tax on large corporations and a stock-buyback excise tax.

  • Curtis Gibson
    —
  • Deva Simmons
    —

Expand public health coverage

  • Scott Franklin
    Recorded votes[16][17][18][22]

    Voted yes on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03), which reduced federal Medicaid spending and added Medicaid work requirements. Voted no on Breaking the Gridlock Act (H.R. 1834, 2026-01-08), which extended enhanced ACA premium subsidies.

  • Curtis Gibson
    —
  • Deva Simmons
    Supports[1][8]

    Says she will work to protect and restore Affordable Care Act subsidies and address the root causes of rising healthcare costs.

Faster transition away from fossil fuels

  • Scott Franklin
    Recorded votes[16][17][18][23][24]

    Voted yes on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03), which phased out Inflation Reduction Act clean-energy tax credits. Voted no on Build Back Better Act (H.R. 5376, 2021-11-19; 2022-08-12), which would have funded clean-energy tax credits.

  • Curtis Gibson
    —
  • Deva Simmons
    —

Raise the minimum wage

  • Scott Franklin
    —
  • Curtis Gibson
    —
  • Deva Simmons
    Supports[1][8]

    Supports raising the federal minimum wage, which she notes has been $7.25 since 2009, while helping small and local businesses adapt.

Broad tariffs on imported goods

  • Scott Franklin
    Recorded votes[27]

    Voted no on Resolution disapproving tariffs on Canada (H.J. Res. 72, 2026-02-11), which disapproved the tariffs on Canadian imports.

  • Curtis Gibson
    —
  • Deva Simmons
    —

Universal, publicly funded child care

  • Scott Franklin
    Recorded votes[23]

    Voted no on Build Back Better Act (H.R. 5376, 2021-11-19), which would have funded universal pre-K and child-care subsidies.

  • Curtis Gibson
    —
  • Deva Simmons
    —

Require documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote

  • Scott Franklin
    Recorded votes[21]

    Voted yes on SAVE Act (H.R. 22, 2025-04-10).

  • Curtis Gibson
    —
  • Deva Simmons
    —

Require Congress to approve U.S. military action abroad

  • Scott Franklin
    Recorded votes[25][26]

    Voted no on War Powers Resolution on Venezuela (H. Con. Res. 64, 2025-12-17), which would have directed the removal of U.S. forces from hostilities against Venezuela absent congressional authorization. Voted no on War Powers Resolution directing removal of forces from Iran hostilities (H. Con. Res. 86, 2026-06-03), which directed the removal of U.S. forces from hostilities against Iran absent congressional authorization.

  • Curtis Gibson
    —
  • Deva Simmons
    —

Bar transgender women and girls from women's and girls' school sports

  • Scott Franklin
    Supports[14]

    Cosponsored H.R. 28, the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act (119th Congress), which would bar transgender girls and women from girls' and women's school sports programs that receive federal funds.

  • Curtis Gibson
    —
  • Deva Simmons
    —

Research notes & limits

Curtis Gibson did not state specific policy positions on the fixed issue list in his Candidate Connection survey, so no Positions are recorded. Federal key votes and FEC finance totals for incumbent Scott Franklin are added separately by script. Deva Simmons's employment history beyond her survey is not independently sourced.

Sources · 35

Researched 2026-09-25. Green citations are official government records.

  1. 1.Florida's 18th Congressional District election, 2026 · Ballotpedia Reference
  2. 2.Scott Franklin · Ballotpedia Reference
  3. 3.Curtis Gibson · Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey Candidate's own words
  4. 4.Economy · Office of Rep. Scott Franklin, U.S. House Official record
  5. 5.Healthcare · Office of Rep. Scott Franklin, U.S. House Official record
  6. 6.Franklin Votes for Border Security Package, Acts to Restore the Rule of Law · Office of Rep. Scott Franklin, U.S. House · 2023-05-11 Official record
  7. 7.Second Amendment Rights · Office of Rep. Scott Franklin, U.S. House Official record
  8. 8.Issues & Platform · Deva Simmons for Congress Candidate's own words
  9. 9.Scott Franklin · Ballotpedia Reference
  10. 10.About · Office of Rep. Scott Franklin, U.S. House Official record
  11. 11.Scott Franklin (politician) · Wikipedia · 2026-10-21 Reference
  12. 12.Florida U.S. House District 18 election results 2026 · NBC News News report
  13. 13.H.R. 7296, the SAVE America Act (SAVE America Act) — sponsors and cosponsors · Congress.gov Official record
  14. 14.H.R. 28, the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act (Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2025) — sponsors and cosponsors · Congress.gov Official record
  15. 15.Roll call: Laken Riley Act — final passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-01-22 Official record
  16. 16.Roll call: One Big Beautiful Bill Act — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-05-22 Official record
  17. 17.H.R. 1 (119th Congress) — One Big Beautiful Bill Act: text and summary · Congress.gov Official record
  18. 18.Roll call: One Big Beautiful Bill Act — final passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-07-03 Official record
  19. 19.Roll call: Secure the Border Act of 2023 — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2023-05-11 Official record
  20. 20.Roll call: American Dream and Promise Act of 2021 — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2021-03-18 Official record
  21. 21.Roll call: SAVE Act — proof-of-citizenship voter registration · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-04-10 Official record
  22. 22.Roll call: Breaking the Gridlock Act — ACA subsidy extension · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2026-01-08 Official record
  23. 23.Roll call: Build Back Better Act — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2021-11-19 Official record
  24. 24.Roll call: Inflation Reduction Act — final House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2022-08-12 Official record
  25. 25.Roll call: War Powers Resolution on Venezuela · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-12-17 Official record
  26. 26.Roll call: War Powers Resolution directing removal of forces from Iran hostilities · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2026-06-03 Official record
  27. 27.Roll call: Resolution disapproving tariffs on Canada · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2026-02-11 Official record
  28. 28.Roll call: Assault Weapons Ban of 2022 — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2022-07-29 Official record
  29. 29.Roll call: Bipartisan Safer Communities Act — final House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2022-06-24 Official record
  30. 30.Roll call: Women's Health Protection Act of 2021 — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2021-09-24 Official record
  31. 31.Roll call: Women's Health Protection Act of 2022 — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2022-07-15 Official record
  32. 32.Curtis Gibson · Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey Candidate's own words
  33. 33.U.S. House · Florida's 18th District results 2026 · NBC News News report
  34. 34.Deva Simmons · Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey Candidate's own words
  35. 35.U.S. House · Florida's 18th District results 2026 · NBC News News report