Commissioner of Agriculture of Florida · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in the Florida commissioner of agriculture race?
Wilton Simpson has the strongest record in the Florida commissioner of agriculture race. Wilton Simpson scores 67 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 9, 2026. Wilton Simpson's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Joey Atkins (4 of 15 criteria) and Kyle "KC" Gibson (1 of 15 criteria) have too little public record to score. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Democratic
Joey Atkins
On the ballot as Joey Mendoza Atkins
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 4 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 58
- Performance
- NR
Write-in
Kyle "KC" Gibson
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 1 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- NR
- Performance
- NR
Republican · incumbent
Strongest record
Wilton Simpson
67 / 100
Public evidence on 9 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 88
- Performance
- 50
The good, the bad and the unresolved
The record
The notable facts of each candidate's public life, each tied to a source and confirmed to be this person. Unresolved matters are labeled with where they stand and do not move a score.
Joey Atkins
- On the record2026
Represents migrant farmworkers through legal aid work, which he cites as the basis for his campaign.
Source: Florida Phoenix, as published by WLRN, Aug. 10, 2026
Kyle "KC" Gibson
No notable items confirmed in news archives or public documents.
Wilton Simpson
- On the record2025-01-28
Publicly rebutted Gov. Ron DeSantis after the governor called the Legislature's TRUMP Act, which put immigration enforcement under Simpson, a "fox guarding the henhouse."
Sources: The Capitolist, Jan. 28, 2025, Action News Jax, as published by Yahoo News, Jan. 29, 2025
- On the record2023-01-13
After taking office, dropped his predecessor's lawsuit against the Florida Department of Law Enforcement over concealed weapons applicant records after reaching a resolution with the agency.
Source: News Service of Florida, as published by ClickOrlando, Jan. 14, 2023
- On the record2020 to 2022
Served as president of the Florida Senate.
Source: Florida Phoenix, as published by WLRN, Aug. 10, 2026
- Credit2013 to 2016
The Center for Effective Lawmaking rated him Meets expectations in two Senate terms, with six bills becoming law in each.
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Joey Atkins. Qualified with the Division of Elections, which requires a financial disclosure. No Florida Commission on Ethics order names him, and no FEC administrative fine was found for his 2024 House campaign.
Sources: Florida Division of Elections, candidate record, Florida Commission on Ethics, final and unpublished orders, FEC administrative fines search
Kyle "KC" Gibson. Qualified as a write-in with the Division of Elections. No Florida Commission on Ethics order names him and he is not on the ethics fines collection list.
Sources: Florida Division of Elections, candidate record, Florida Commission on Ethics, final and unpublished orders, Florida Commission on Ethics, fines placed with collections (as of 6/30/26)
Wilton Simpson. Files state financial disclosures (net worth $31.5 million reported). No Florida Commission on Ethics order names him and he is not on the ethics fines collection list. PolitiFact has no page for him.
Sources: Florida Phoenix, as published by WLRN, Aug. 10, 2026, Florida Commission on Ethics, final and unpublished orders, Florida Commission on Ethics, fines placed with collections (as of 6/30/26)
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Joey Atkins. No public record found.
Kyle "KC" Gibson. No public record found.
Wilton Simpson. In January 2025 publicly rebutted Gov. Ron DeSantis, a fellow Republican, over the Legislature's immigration bill that put enforcement under his office.
Sources: The Capitolist, Jan. 28, 2025, Action News Jax, as published by Yahoo News, Jan. 29, 2025
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Joey Atkins. No public record found.
Kyle "KC" Gibson. No public record found.
Wilton Simpson. No public record found.
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Joey Atkins. No public record found.
Kyle "KC" Gibson. No public record found.
Wilton Simpson. State senator from 2012, Senate president 2020 to 2022 and agriculture commissioner since 2023 with no censure, reprimand or conduct finding found.
Source: Ballotpedia, Wilton Simpson
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Joey Atkins. No public record found.
Kyle "KC" Gibson. No public record found.
Wilton Simpson. Sworn state senator and agriculture commissioner with no official finding of misuse of office.
Source: Ballotpedia, Wilton Simpson
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Joey Atkins. Miami trial attorney and former sports agent who worked at a legal aid foundation representing migrant farmworkers. No prior public office.
Source: Florida Phoenix, as published by WLRN, Aug. 10, 2026
Kyle "KC" Gibson. No public record found.
Wilton Simpson. Agriculture commissioner since January 2023 after a decade in the Florida Senate (2012 to 2022), including two years as Senate president (E9).
Sources: Ballotpedia, Wilton Simpson, Florida Phoenix, as published by WLRN, Aug. 10, 2026
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Joey Atkins. Publishes positions in general terms in his Ballotpedia survey and campaign site.
Source: Ballotpedia, Joey Atkins
Kyle "KC" Gibson. No public record found.
Wilton Simpson. Was Florida Senate president (2020 to 2022), an elected chamber leadership post (E5), and now heads the agriculture department.
Sources: Florida Phoenix, as published by WLRN, Aug. 10, 2026, The Capitolist, Jan. 28, 2025
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Joey Atkins. Three channels: completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey, answered the Tampa Bay 28 candidate questionnaire and publishes a campaign site.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Joey Atkins, Florida Phoenix, as published by WLRN, Aug. 10, 2026, Tampa Bay 28 candidate questionnaire, 2026
Kyle "KC" Gibson. No public record found.
Wilton Simpson. No public record found.
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Joey Atkins. No public record found.
Kyle "KC" Gibson. No public record found.
Wilton Simpson. Born in Lakeland and has worked on his family's Trilby egg farm in Pasco County since he was a teenager. In-state share of contributions not available.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Wilton Simpson, Florida Phoenix, as published by WLRN, Aug. 10, 2026
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Joey Atkins. No public record found.
Kyle "KC" Gibson. No public record found.
Wilton Simpson. Heads the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, with 12 divisions and seven offices, and manages an egg farm of about 1 million chickens.
Source: Florida Phoenix, as published by WLRN, Aug. 10, 2026
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Joey Atkins. No public record found.
Kyle "KC" Gibson. No public record found.
Wilton Simpson. State Legislative Effectiveness Score Meets expectations in 2013 to 2016 with six laws each term; Below in 2017 to 2022, including his Senate presidency, when he sponsored no bills.
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Joey Atkins. No public record found.
Kyle "KC" Gibson. No public record found.
Wilton Simpson. No public record found.
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Joey Atkins. No public record found.
Kyle "KC" Gibson. No public record found.
Wilton Simpson. No public record found.
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Joey Atkins. No public record found.
Kyle "KC" Gibson. No public record found.
Wilton Simpson. No public record found.
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Joey Atkins. No public record found.
Kyle "KC" Gibson. No public record found.
Wilton Simpson. No public record found.
How to read this
Each criterion is scored 0 to 4 against the written rubric in the Ballot Standard. NR means no record: there is no reliable public evidence either way, so the criterion is left out and never counts against the candidate. A total is published when at least 8 of 15 criteria have evidence.
A sitting officeholder has a longer public record than a first-time candidate, so the two totals rest on different amounts of evidence. Read the count of criteria beside each score. Low marks require an official finding or a primary record. Allegations and opinion are not used.
No policy position is scored. Evidence checked October 9, 2026. Campaigns and readers can send a correction with a public source to tpg@thepoliticalgroup.com.
Questions
Who should I vote for in the Florida commissioner of agriculture race?
Wilton Simpson has the strongest record in the Florida commissioner of agriculture race. Wilton Simpson scores 67 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 9, 2026. Wilton Simpson's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Joey Atkins (4 of 15 criteria) and Kyle "KC" Gibson (1 of 15 criteria) have too little public record to score. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Who is running in the Florida commissioner of agriculture race in 2026?
Joey Atkins (Democratic), Kyle "KC" Gibson (Write-in), Wilton Simpson (Republican, incumbent). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Joey Atkins a good candidate for Commissioner of Agriculture?
Joey Atkins has public evidence on 4 of the 15 Ballot Standard criteria, short of the 8 needed for a score. The evidence that exists is shown on the scorecard. No record never counts against a candidate.
Is Kyle "KC" Gibson a good candidate for Commissioner of Agriculture?
Kyle "KC" Gibson has public evidence on 1 of the 15 Ballot Standard criteria, short of the 8 needed for a score. The evidence that exists is shown on the scorecard. No record never counts against a candidate.
Is Wilton Simpson a good candidate for Commissioner of Agriculture?
Wilton Simpson scores 67 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 9 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 88 of 100, performance 50 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
How is the strongest record decided?
The candidate with the highest Ballot Standard score has the strongest record. Each of 15 criteria on character, qualifications and performance is scored 0 to 4 from public records and established reporting, the same way for every party. No policy position is scored, and unresolved accusations never move a score.
More on this race: every Florida race scored, and the Florida 2026 election guide. Independent scorecard by The Political Group, not affiliated with any candidate or party.