U.S. House · Florida's 6th District
Michael Gist
CandidateIND
- Race
- U.S. House · Florida's 6th District
- Result
- Randy Fine, projected winner
- Opponents
- Randy Fine (R); Eric Yonce (D); Andrew Parrott (LIB); Alec Pavlik (IND)
- Research
- Basic
Party linenone
No recorded floor votes — not a current legislator in our records.
Said vs. did0 statements · 0 votes
Michael Gist, a no-party-affiliation Marine Corps veteran and former public-school teacher, was a candidate in the November 3, 2026 election for Florida's 6th Congressional District, which Randy Fine won. He describes himself as a lifelong Volusia County resident. Ballotpedia lists him as having withdrawn while remaining on the ballot.[1][2][3]
On the ballotU.S. House · 6
2026-11-03
| Randy Fine R | incumbent |
| Eric Yonce D | challenger |
| Andrew Parrott LIB | challenger |
| Michael Gist IND | challenger |
| Alec Pavlik IND | challenger |
Unofficially withdrew from the race but remains on the November 3 general-election ballot.
Biography
Michael Gist, a no-party-affiliation Marine Corps veteran and former public-school teacher, was a candidate in the November 3, 2026 election for Florida's 6th Congressional District, which Randy Fine won. He describes himself as a lifelong Volusia County resident. Ballotpedia lists him as having withdrawn while remaining on the ballot.[1][2][3]
Basic profile — the most important sourced facts we found.
Gist describes his family as lifelong residents of Volusia County for over 100 years, and says his grandmother returned to Ormond Beach after working in New York in 1939.[3] According to Ballotpedia, he earned a high school diploma from Seabreeze High School, a graduate degree from National University (2002), a military citation from the Naval War College (2005), and a graduate degree from the University of Florida (2018). He says he served 14 years in the U.S. Marine Corps and later taught in Volusia County public schools.[3]
Gist ran as a self-described conservative Independent. According to his survey, his signature proposal, Freedom Accounts, was to redirect government spending into personal investment accounts. Ballotpedia lists him as having withdrawn but still on the ballot.[2][3] Randy Fine won the election, according to unofficial results reported by NBC News.[1]
In their own words
Priorities
- Proposes 'Freedom Accounts,' a market-based plan redirecting government spending into personal investment accounts for education, homeownership, healthcare and long-term security.[4]
- Says he is running as an independent because he believes both major parties are dominated by elites rather than ordinary people.[4]
Statements, quoted without a stance
- Expand immigration enforcement and deportations
“I believe in a strong national defense, secure borders, and policies that keep America safe.”[4]
In his 2026 Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey
- Public funding for school choice (vouchers / charters)
“I support real accountability, parental choice, and reforms that prioritize thinking skills and opportunity.”[4]
In his 2026 Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey
Campaign money$7,949 raised · 9% from individuals · FEC through 2026-09-17
Totals this cycle
Bars share one scale (raised = full). Cash on hand can include money carried over from earlier cycles.
Who gave
- Individuals $747
- Own money & loans $7,202
Largest committee contributions
No direct contributions from PACs or other committees in the FEC’s bulk data.
Direct contributions only; outside spending is not included. Individual donors are itemized in the FEC’s receipts. All itemized receipts ↗ FEC filing ↗
Profile: /people/michael-gist
Compare all 5 candidates side by side ›
Sources cited in this profile
- 1.U.S. House · Florida's 6th District results 2026 · NBC News News report
- 2.Florida's 6th Congressional District election, 2026 · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
- 3.Michael Gist - Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey · Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey · 2026-09-25 Candidate's own words
- 4.Michael Gist - Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey · Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey · 2026-09-25 Candidate's own words