U.S. House, Florida 18th Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in Florida's 18th Congressional District?
Scott Franklin has the strongest record in Florida's 18th Congressional District. Scott Franklin scores 63 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Curtis Gibson at 56, as of October 9, 2026. Scott Franklin's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Curtis Gibson's highest marks are relevant experience and roots in the constituency. Deva Simmons (6 of 15 criteria) has too little public record to score. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Republican · incumbent
Strongest record
Scott Franklin
63 / 100
Public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 45
- Qualifications
- 85
- Performance
- 56
Democratic
Curtis Gibson
56 / 100
Public evidence on 8 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 60
- Performance
- NR
No Party Affiliation
Deva Simmons
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 6 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 60
- 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.
Scott Franklin
- Mark against2025-07-03
Reported 35 stock transactions from 2024, mostly in his wife's Roth IRA, in July 2025, past the STOCK Act deadline; his filing said the broker had not notified him.
Sources: House Clerk periodic transaction report, Filing ID 20030494, NOTUS, Aug. 17, 2026
- Mark against2021-01-06
Voted Yea on the objections to Arizona's and Pennsylvania's certified electoral votes on Jan. 6, 2021.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 10, 2021, House Clerk Roll Call 11, 2021
- Credit2025
Chairs the House Science Committee's Environment Subcommittee in the 119th Congress.
Source: GovTrack, committee membership
Curtis Gibson
- On the record2017-07
Arrested in July 2017 as a Lake Wales city commissioner on aggravated assault and domestic violence charges over an altercation with his girlfriend; prosecutors later dropped the charges after she declined to pursue prosecution.
Sources: FOX 13, Aug. 1, 2017, LakeWalesNews.net, April 2022 (Internet Archive copy)
Deva Simmons
No notable items confirmed in news archives or public documents.
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Scott Franklin. Disclosed 35 stock transactions from 2024 in a July 2025 report, past the STOCK Act deadline; his filing says a broker did not tell him, and NOTUS lists him among violators.
Sources: House Clerk periodic transaction report, Filing ID 20030494, NOTUS, Aug. 17, 2026
Curtis Gibson. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
Deva Simmons. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026, and a House candidate financial disclosure was filed Sept. 11, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, House Clerk candidate financial disclosure, Filing ID 10082836, FEC administrative fines search
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Scott Franklin. Voted against bills backed by his party's leadership: the September 2023 stopgap, the March 2024 spending package and the April 2024 Ukraine aid bill, each supported by the Speaker.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 513, 2023 (H.R. 5860), House Clerk Roll Call 102, 2024 (H.Res. 1102), House Clerk Roll Call 151, 2024 (H.R. 8035)
Curtis Gibson. No public record found.
Deva Simmons. No public record found.
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Scott Franklin. His office runs telephone town halls with a public opt-in. No 2026 general election debate or forum was found; he is not among respondents to the Tampa Bay 28 District 18 questionnaire.
Source: Office site, home page
Curtis Gibson. No public record found.
Deva Simmons. No public record found.
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Scott Franklin. Navy aviator who retired as a commander, insurance agency chief executive, Lakeland city commissioner and U.S. representative since 2021. No censure, reprimand or conduct finding found.
Sources: Wikipedia, Scott Franklin, GovTrack, Scott Franklin
Curtis Gibson. Lake Wales city commissioner from 2017 to 2021. A 2017 aggravated assault charge was dropped by prosecutors, leaving no criminal record. No formal conduct finding found.
Sources: FOX 13, Aug. 1, 2017, LakeWalesNews.net, April 2022 (Internet Archive copy)
Deva Simmons. No public record found.
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Scott Franklin. Voted Yea on the January 2021 objections to Arizona's and Pennsylvania's certified electors, three days after taking office.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 10, 2021, House Clerk Roll Call 11, 2021
Curtis Gibson. Held sworn office as a Lake Wales city commissioner. No official finding of misuse of office found.
Source: FOX 13, Aug. 1, 2017
Deva Simmons. No public record found.
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Scott Franklin. In his third term in the U.S. House since January 2021; earlier a Lakeland city commissioner (2018 to 2021) and Navy aviator.
Source: Wikipedia, Scott Franklin
Curtis Gibson. Former Lake Wales city commissioner (2017 to 2021) who manages a commercial property, Eagle Ridge Mall, and owns a restaurant.
Sources: FOX 13, Aug. 1, 2017, Campaign site, home page, Ballotpedia, Curtis Gibson
Deva Simmons. Says she has worked more than 20 years in education and served on the board of the Boys and Girls Club of Lakeland. Has not held public office.
Sources: Campaign site, home page, Ballotpedia, Deva Simmons
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Scott Franklin. Chairs the Science Committee's Environment Subcommittee and is vice chair of an Appropriations subcommittee.
Source: GovTrack, committee membership
Curtis Gibson. Publishes issue positions on cost of living, families and veterans in general terms.
Source: Campaign site, home page
Deva Simmons. Publishes issue positions in general terms.
Source: Campaign site, home page
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Scott Franklin. Offers an e-newsletter, telephone town halls and issue pages. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: Office site, home page, Ballotpedia, Scott Franklin
Curtis Gibson. Completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2026 and publishes issue pages.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Curtis Gibson, Campaign site, home page
Deva Simmons. Completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2026, answered the Tampa Bay 28 candidate questionnaire and publishes issue pages.
Sources: Tampa Bay 28, District 18 candidate questionnaire, Ballotpedia, Deva Simmons, Campaign site, home page
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Scott Franklin. Raised in Lakeland, where he served on the city commission. FEC by-state totals show about 66 percent of itemized individual contributions from Florida.
Sources: Wikipedia, Scott Franklin, FEC contribution totals by state
Curtis Gibson. Lake Wales High School graduate and former Lake Wales city commissioner; his filing address is in Lake Wales. No itemized individual contributions reported through June 30, 2026.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Curtis Gibson, Florida Division of Elections, candidate detail
Deva Simmons. Says she has lived in Polk County since 2002 and volunteers with local groups; her filing address is in Lakeland. FEC by-state totals show about 63 percent of itemized individual contributions from Florida.
Sources: Campaign site, home page, Florida Division of Elections, candidate detail, FEC contribution totals by state
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Scott Franklin. Led an insurance agency as chief executive. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through July 29, 2026, with no administrative fine found.
Sources: Wikipedia, Scott Franklin, FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
Curtis Gibson. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
Deva Simmons. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Scott Franklin. Legislative Effectiveness Score 0.76 in the 118th Congress against a benchmark of 1.19, rated meets expectations. His 2 enacted bills as sponsor named post offices.
Sources: Center for Effective Lawmaking House dataset, 93rd to 118th Congress, GovTrack, enacted legislation
Curtis Gibson. No public record found.
Deva Simmons. No public record found.
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Scott Franklin. Missed 31 of 2,915 roll call votes, 1.1 percent, from January 2021 to September 2026.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
Curtis Gibson. No public record found.
Deva Simmons. No public record found.
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Scott Franklin. Runs district offices in Lakeland and Lake Placid and offers casework help with federal agencies, passports and veterans benefits.
Source: Office site, home page
Curtis Gibson. No public record found.
Deva Simmons. No public record found.
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Scott Franklin. Lugar Center Bipartisan Index score of -0.21394 in the latest posted House scores (118th Congress, 2023), ranked 172nd of 436, a negative score.
Source: Lugar Center and McCourt School Bipartisan Index, House Scores
Curtis Gibson. No public record found.
Deva Simmons. No public record found.
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Scott Franklin. No public record found.
Curtis Gibson. No public record found.
Deva Simmons. 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 Florida's 18th Congressional District?
Scott Franklin has the strongest record in Florida's 18th Congressional District. Scott Franklin scores 63 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Curtis Gibson at 56, as of October 9, 2026. Scott Franklin's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Curtis Gibson's highest marks are relevant experience and roots in the constituency. Deva Simmons (6 of 15 criteria) has 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 Florida's 18th Congressional District in 2026?
Scott Franklin (Republican, incumbent), Curtis Gibson (Democratic), Deva Simmons (No Party Affiliation). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Scott Franklin a good candidate for Congress?
Scott Franklin scores 63 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria: character 45 of 100, qualifications 85 of 100, performance 56 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Curtis Gibson a good candidate for Congress?
Curtis Gibson scores 56 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 8 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 60 of 100, performance no record. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Deva Simmons a good candidate for Congress?
Deva Simmons has public evidence on 6 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.
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, the trailing candidate's path to victory, and the Florida 2026 election guide. Independent scorecard by The Political Group, not affiliated with any candidate or party.