FL · Candidate
Sydney Gruters
RCandidate
On the ballot Nov 3, 2026: U.S. House · Florida's 16th District
Biography
Sydney Gruters is the Republican nominee for the open 16th District seat, endorsed by President Trump. She spent years on congressional staffs and held a federal agriculture post in the first Trump administration before working at the New College Foundation in Sarasota. This is her first run for office; her campaign materials emphasize lowering costs, border security and election security.[1][2]
Gruters is a native Floridian and a working mother of three, according to her campaign website.[1] She worked for more than a decade in Washington, D.C., and Manatee County for Rep. Vern Buchanan, whose seat she is now seeking.[1][2] In 2017 President Trump appointed her State Director for Florida and the U.S. Virgin Islands at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Development agency, according to her campaign website.[1] After Rep. Greg Steube's 2018 election she served as his district director.[1][2]
Gruters most recently served as vice president of advancement and executive director of the New College Foundation, per her campaign website and WGCU.[1][2] She is married to Joe Gruters, a Florida state senator and chairman of the Republican National Committee, according to her campaign website and WGCU.[1][2] WGCU reports that this is her first bid for elected office.[2] She won the August 18, 2026 Republican primary with 63.6% of the vote over Eddie Speir and Ed Pope.[3]
- 1.Sydney Gruters For Congress · Gruters for Congress campaign site Candidate's own words
- 2.Three very different candidates vying for Congress in Florida District 16 · WGCU News · 2026-10-16 News report
- 3.Sydney Gruters · Ballotpedia Reference
Researched from the cited sources on 2026-10-21.