MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — As the 2024 General Election nears, voters in Manatee County will look to elect incumbent Vern Buchanan or Jan Schneider as U.S. Representative for Florida's 16th Congressional District.
Buchanan and Schneider have faced off before. In 2022, the incumbent Republican beat the Democratic candidate by more than 70,000 votes, according to a report from the New York Times.
About Vern Buchanan
Republican incumbent Vern Buchanan has served as U.S. Rep. for Florida's 16th Congressional District since 2013, according to the congressman's official website.
A self-described "strong fiscal conservative," Buchanan first came into Congress in 2007 and says he is committed to "preserving Medicares's long-term solvency for senior citizens," in addition to bringing down the cost of health care for all Americans.
Other important issues in Buchanan's campaign include confronting the drug epidemic, helping Americans save for retirement, improving the U.S. foster care system, and introducing measures to stop animal cruelty.
A resident of Longboat Key, Buchanan lives with Sandy, his wife of more than 40 years. They have two grown sons, James and Matt along with nine grandchildren.
About Jan Schneider
Democratic candidate Jan Schneider says, if elected, she will serve Florida's 16th Congressional District with "intelligence, dedication and compassion," according to her campaign website.
Describing herself as a "wonk with heart" who is "fiscally conservative" like her opponent, Schneider included several issues in her campaign, such as abortion and reproductive freedom, immigration laws, gun control and social security.
Schneider also says that she strongly advocates for all available assistance to Port Manatee, a county-owned deepwater seaport located in the eastern Gulf of Mexico at the entrance to Tampa Bay. It is one of Florida's largest deepwater seaports.
"Opponent Vern Buchanan has shown considerable interest in Port Manatee, but he voted against both the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (a/k/a Bipartisan Infrastructure Law) and American Rescue Plan Act," Schneider's campaign stated on the website.
Schneider reportedly holds a JD from Yale Law School and a PhD in political science from Yale University. She also earned an MIA in international affairs from Columbia.
What do Florida voters need to know?
For more information on the General Election, check out 10 Tampa Bay's Florida voter's guide to Election Day.
