Attorney General of Florida · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in the Florida attorney general race?
José Javier Rodríguez has the strongest record in the Florida attorney general race. José Javier Rodríguez scores 68 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of James Uthmeier at 53, as of October 9, 2026. José Javier Rodríguez's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. James Uthmeier's highest marks are relevant experience and communication. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Democratic
Strongest record
José Javier Rodríguez
On the ballot as Jose Javier Rodriguez
68 / 100
Public evidence on 10 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 80
- Performance
- 75
Republican · incumbent
James Uthmeier
53 / 100
Public evidence on 9 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 38
- Qualifications
- 65
- Performance
- NR
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.
José Javier Rodríguez
- On the record2026-09
Challenged Uthmeier to a debate while speaking at a Tiger Bay Club of Central Florida forum in Orlando.
Source: Florida Politics, as published by The Miami Times, Sept. 2026
- On the record2024-03-21
The U.S. Senate confirmed him as assistant secretary of labor for employment and training on a 50-48 vote after a 2021 nomination stalled.
Sources: Congressional Record, March 21, 2024, Florida Phoenix, as published by Yahoo News, June 2, 2025
- On the record2020-11
Lost his 2020 state Senate reelection by 32 votes after a manual recount; former Sen. Frank Artiles was later sentenced to 60 days in jail for recruiting a no-party candidate named Alex Rodriguez.
Sources: Miami New Times, 2021, Florida Phoenix, as published by Yahoo News, June 2, 2025
- Credit2013 to 2020
The Center for Effective Lawmaking rated him Meets expectations in each of his four legislative terms; three bills he sponsored became law.
James Uthmeier
- Mark against2026-08-27
A Leon County grand jury found $10 million in Medicaid settlement money diverted through Hope Florida was misappropriated, named him as in authority and directing it, and filed no charges.
Sources: CBS News Miami, Aug. 2026, Associated Press, as published by KOLD, Aug. 28, 2026
- Mark against2025-06-17
U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams held him in civil contempt for an April 23, 2025 letter to police about a blocked immigration law and ordered biweekly reports; he appealed.
Where it stands: Appeal No. 25-12441 pending in the 11th Circuit; his brief was filed Nov. 5, 2025; no decision found as of Oct. 9, 2026.
Sources: Fox 13 (News Service of Florida), June 17, 2025, WUSF (News Service of Florida), July 22, 2025, 11th Circuit docket 25-12441, via CourtListener
- On the record2026-08-27
Called renewed interest in the Hope Florida grand jury findings "a politically motivated hoax" and suggested Democrats leaked the report.
Source: Associated Press, as published by KOLD, Aug. 28, 2026
- On the record2026-04-17
Took audience questions, including on the Hope Florida grand jury report, at the Tampa Tiger Bay Club's monthly meeting in Ybor City.
Source: Florida Phoenix, Apr. 17, 2026 (Internet Archive copy)
- On the record2025-06
Announced and named the state immigration detention center in the Everglades, which he called "Alligator Alcatraz."
- On the record2025 to 2026
PolitiFact has rated two of his statements, one False and one Mostly False.
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
José Javier Rodríguez. No Florida Commission on Ethics order names him and he is not on the ethics fines collection list. No PolitiFact file exists for him.
Sources: Florida Commission on Ethics, final and unpublished orders, Florida Commission on Ethics, fines placed with collections (as of 6/30/26)
James Uthmeier. A Leon County grand jury report released in August 2026 found $10 million in settlement money was misappropriated and that he, as chief of staff, was in authority over the settlement and involved in directing the money. No charges.
Sources: CBS News Miami, Aug. 2026, Associated Press, as published by KOLD, Aug. 28, 2026, PolitiFact, James Uthmeier scorecard
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
José Javier Rodríguez. No public record found.
James Uthmeier. No public record found.
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
José Javier Rodríguez. Spoke and took questions at the Tiger Bay Club of Central Florida in September 2026 and publicly challenged Uthmeier to debate.
Source: Florida Politics, as published by The Miami Times, Sept. 2026
James Uthmeier. Holds news conferences on office actions, including on the grand jury report. No 2026 debate with his opponent was found; Rodríguez publicly challenged him to debate.
Sources: Associated Press, as published by KOLD, Aug. 28, 2026, Florida Politics, as published by The Miami Times, Sept. 2026
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
José Javier Rodríguez. State legislator from 2012 to 2020 and Senate-confirmed U.S. assistant secretary of labor (2024 to 2025) with no censure, reprimand or conduct finding found.
Source: Florida Phoenix, as published by Yahoo News, June 2, 2025
James Uthmeier. Deputy general counsel, general counsel and chief of staff to the governor, then attorney general since 2025, with no censure or reprimand found. The court contempt finding is scored under criterion 5.
Source: Ballotpedia, James Uthmeier
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
José Javier Rodríguez. Took the oath as a state representative, state senator and Senate-confirmed federal official with no finding of misuse of office.
James Uthmeier. A federal judge found him in civil contempt in June 2025 for an April letter to police after she blocked a state immigration law, and ordered biweekly reports. His appeal was pending at last report.
Sources: Fox 13 (News Service of Florida), June 17, 2025, WUSF (News Service of Florida), July 22, 2025
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
José Javier Rodríguez. Two terms in the Florida House (2012 to 2016) and one in the Florida Senate (2016 to 2020), then U.S. assistant secretary of labor for employment and training.
Sources: Florida Phoenix, as published by Yahoo News, June 2, 2025, Congressional Record, March 21, 2024
James Uthmeier. Attorney general since February 2025 (less than one full term), after serving as the governor's general counsel and chief of staff and as a senior adviser at the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Source: Ballotpedia, James Uthmeier
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
José Javier Rodríguez. Was ranking member of the House Finance and Tax Committee (2015) and vice chair of Senate Judiciary (2019 to 2020). Campaign priorities are stated in general terms.
James Uthmeier. Campaign site states priorities in general terms (prosecuting crime, immigration enforcement, suits against corporations). Did not answer the News4JAX questionnaire.
Sources: James Uthmeier for Attorney General, News4JAX voter guide, July 31, 2026
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
José Javier Rodríguez. Three channels documented: answered the News4JAX questionnaire, spoke at a Tiger Bay forum and gave a long-form WLRN interview.
Sources: News4JAX voter guide, July 31, 2026, Florida Politics, as published by The Miami Times, Sept. 2026, WLRN, Sept. 30, 2026
James Uthmeier. Four channels documented: a campaign site, news conferences, the Tampa Bay 28 candidate questionnaire and an April 2026 Tampa Tiger Bay Q&A. Did not complete the News4JAX or Ballotpedia questionnaires.
Sources: James Uthmeier for Attorney General, Associated Press, as published by KOLD, Tampa Bay 28 candidate questionnaire, 2026, Florida Phoenix, Apr. 17, 2026 (Internet Archive copy)
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
José Javier Rodríguez. Miami attorney who represented Miami-Dade districts in the Legislature from 2012 to 2020. In-state share of contributions not available.
Source: Florida Phoenix, as published by Yahoo News, June 2, 2025
James Uthmeier. Florida resident and University of Florida graduate serving in state government since 2019. Birthplace and in-state share of contributions not found.
Source: Ballotpedia, James Uthmeier
Management
Can build and run an organization.
José Javier Rodríguez. Led the U.S. Labor Department's Employment and Training Administration as Senate-confirmed assistant secretary, 2024 to 2025. Agency size not stated in sources opened.
James Uthmeier. Heads the Office of the Attorney General, a statewide agency, and served as the governor's chief of staff. Agency staff size not stated in sources opened.
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
José Javier Rodríguez. State Legislative Effectiveness Score Meets expectations in all four scored terms (2013 to 2020); three bills he sponsored became law (one in 2013 to 2014, two in 2019 to 2020).
Source: Center for Effective Lawmaking, State Legislative Effectiveness Scores data file
James Uthmeier. No public record found.
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
José Javier Rodríguez. No public record found.
James Uthmeier. No public record found.
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
José Javier Rodríguez. No public record found.
James Uthmeier. No public record found.
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
José Javier Rodríguez. No public record found.
James Uthmeier. No public record found.
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
José Javier Rodríguez. No public record found.
James Uthmeier. 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 attorney general race?
José Javier Rodríguez has the strongest record in the Florida attorney general race. José Javier Rodríguez scores 68 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of James Uthmeier at 53, as of October 9, 2026. José Javier Rodríguez's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. James Uthmeier's highest marks are relevant experience and communication. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Who is running in the Florida attorney general race in 2026?
José Javier Rodríguez (Democratic), James Uthmeier (Republican, incumbent). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is José Javier Rodríguez a good candidate for Attorney General?
José Javier Rodríguez scores 68 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 10 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 80 of 100, performance 75 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is James Uthmeier a good candidate for Attorney General?
James Uthmeier scores 53 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 9 of 15 criteria: character 38 of 100, qualifications 65 of 100, performance no record. 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.