Florida – Former Florida Mayor Scott Singer is entering the 2026 congressional fight with a message meant to cut through the usual midterm gloom surrounding Republicans.
His campaign says the money is coming in, the voters are listening, and the party has more reason to believe than many in Washington are willing to admit.
Singer, a Republican running for Congress in Florida, pointed to his first-quarter fundraising numbers as one of the clearest signs that his campaign is gaining early strength.
According to the figures described to Fox News Digital, Singer raised money at nearly three times the pace of Democratic Rep. Jared Moskowitz during the same period, while also reporting slightly more cash on hand.
For a first-time congressional candidate in newly formed district, he framed the result as more than a financial report. He presented it as a signal.
Singer said he was “very pleased” by the support, noting that almost 3,600 contributors have backed his campaign so far. He called the quarter “amazing” and described it as “one of the best of any Republican challenger in the nation.”
To Singer, the fundraising is not simply about dollars. It is about energy. He argued that voters are frustrated with Congress and looking for a different direction.
“We’re very pleased that we had an amazing fundraising quarter, one of the best of any Republican challenger in the nation,” Singer said.
“I think it’s going well because people are really enthused about our candidacy. I think people are ready for change. They’re upset with the progress of Congress.”
His campaign is unfolding at a complicated political moment in Florida and across the country.
Because of Florida’s new redistricting push, Singer recently announced that he will run in the redrawn 25th Congressional District. Moskowitz, meanwhile, has not yet made clear which district he will choose for his own 2026 campaign.
That uncertainty sits inside a much larger national picture. Republicans are heading toward the midterms with a narrow House majority and a tight grip on the Senate, conditions that usually make the party in power vulnerable.
History is not on their side either, as presidents often see their party lose seats in midterm elections. Redistricting fights in several states have added another layer of political turbulence, with both parties trying to shape the battlefield before voters begin casting ballots.
Still, Singer said he sees “great reason for optimism.”
His argument rests heavily on the economy and on the policies of President Donald Trump’s administration. Singer said Republicans can win if they keep the focus on paychecks, prices, taxes and border policy rather than allowing the race to become dominated by personality-driven media coverage.
“We have a strong economy, the strongest we’ve had in years, record growth in GDP inflation before the latest blip, which is temporary because of the Iran conflict,” Singer explained.
“Inflation was at the lowest level we had for years and voters understand that it was the one unchecked runaway inflation under President Biden that put us in this situation.”
He described the economy as strong, pointing to growth, lower inflation before what he called a temporary “blip” tied to the Iran conflict, and Republican efforts to reduce prices through deregulation. He also blamed the Biden administration for what he called “unchecked runaway inflation,” saying voters understand where the pressure on household budgets began.
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Singer also highlighted tax policy as a central part of the Republican pitch. He said the GOP has become “the party of the middle” class because of policies involving tips, overtime and broad tax cuts.
He argued that those benefits are only beginning to reach voters and will become more visible over the next year.
“President Trump and the administration have done so much to bring prices down across the board, and cutting regulations will continue to do that. The biggest tax cut in American history is reaching American taxpayers right now, with huge refunds going to individuals and the average refund for 12 million small businesses of $7,000 and that was done with every Democrat in Congress voting against it,” Singer said.
For Singer, that is where the Republican case becomes strongest: not in national noise, but in what voters feel in daily life. He said that when people are asked about specific policies, they often lean to the right and support the Republican agenda.
Democrats see the race very differently.
They have continued to attack Trump and Republicans over gas prices, the economy and the cost of living. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee also pushed back sharply against the Republican message.
DCCC spokesperson Nebeyatt Betre accused Florida Republicans of trying to rely on redistricting because, in the committee’s view, they cannot win on what Betre called a “cost-raising, billionaire-first, wildly unpopular agenda.”
“Florida Republicans knew they couldn’t win on their cost-raising, billionaire-first, wildly unpopular agenda that’s crushing working families and small businesses, which is why they’re desperate to gerrymander the maps and rig the midterms,” Betre said.
“Any Republican who claims the GOP’s price-spiking policies are popular only proves the fact they have no idea what voters are feeling right now.”
The reality
Rising inflation and higher gas prices are putting new pressure on the U.S. economy as the fallout continues from President Trump’s military conflict with Iran.
Since strikes began in late February 2026, disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz have pushed oil prices sharply higher. The waterway is a key route for global energy supplies, and the uncertainty has quickly reached American drivers.
The national average price for gas has climbed to about $4.30 per gallon, the highest level since 2022. In many states, prices have jumped by more than $1 per gallon, adding strain to families already facing higher daily costs.
The energy shock is now spreading through the broader economy. Consumer prices rose 3.3% year over year in March, marking the fastest inflation pace in nearly two years. Economists warn that continued fuel and transportation costs could slow consumer spending and weaken growth in the months ahead.
That clash is likely to define the months ahead. Republicans like Singer want 2026 to be a referendum on tax cuts, border security and a promise of economic relief. Democrats want it to be a judgment on prices, political power and Republican control.
In Florida’s redrawn political map, Singer is betting that his early fundraising surge is the first sign of something bigger. Whether that optimism survives the full pressure of a midterm year will depend on the same voters both parties now claim to understand best.
