Meet John
About John Peters
Twenty years rooted in eastern Hillsborough. A businessman, a father, a conservative — running for Florida's 14th Congressional District because Brandon, Valrico, and our neighbors deserve a representative who actually shows up.
Twenty years in eastern Hillsborough.
John Peters has spent more than two decades building family, business, and community ties across Brandon, Valrico, and the broader Hillsborough County region. His connection to FL-14 is not new and it is not theoretical — it is measured in two decades of weekly presence: business meetings in Brandon, church services in Valrico, lunches with small business owners in Riverview and Plant City, conversations with seniors in Sun City Center, and time spent listening to the working families who define the new 14th Congressional District.
He visits Tampa, Brandon, and Valrico multiple times every week. He has watched eastern Hillsborough grow from a quiet collection of suburbs into one of the most dynamic regions in Florida. He knows the people, the businesses, and the challenges firsthand. That is the kind of presence that produces real representation — not a flyover from Washington once every two years.
That is why John Peters is running for Congress in Florida's 14th District. Because the families of Hillsborough County deserve a representative whose roots in this community go deep, whose conservative values match the voters who now make up FL-14, and whose loyalty is to the neighbors he has known for 20 years — not to the political machinery of Washington.
Background & Experience
A Commitment to Florida and Its People
John chose Florida because he believes in its promise. Like many of the families he serves in Brandon, Valrico, and Riverview who have worked hard to build a better future, John understands that commitment is defined by action, not by where someone happened to be born. He has invested his time, his career, and his family life in the communities of Hillsborough County, and he understands firsthand the challenges residents face — affordability, insurance costs, infrastructure strain, and access to quality healthcare.
A Results-Oriented Approach to Public Service
John believes government should work for people, not political parties. He approaches leadership with a problem-solving mindset focused on outcomes, transparency, and accountability. His priority is not partisan talking points but practical solutions that improve everyday life for working families in Bloomingdale and FishHawk, seniors in Sun City Center and Apollo Beach, and small business owners in Plant City and Brandon.
Experience That Delivers Real Results
John's professional background is rooted in managing real responsibilities — meeting payrolls, balancing budgets, and making decisions with long-term consequences. That experience has shaped his belief that smart policy must be fiscally responsible while still protecting essential services. He understands that economic growth and worker protections are not opposing goals, but complementary ones when approached thoughtfully.
Community-Focused Leadership
John has spent years engaging directly with local organizations, civic groups, and volunteers across eastern and southern Hillsborough County to address community needs. Whether meeting with neighbors in Brandon, attending events in Valrico, or supporting nonprofits in Apollo Beach and Ruskin, John values inclusive dialogue and evidence-based decision making. He believes the best policy comes from listening first.
Respect for Education, Workforce, and Opportunity
John strongly supports expanding access to education, workforce training, and lifelong learning opportunities for families in Riverview, Brandon, and across the district. He believes investing in skills development and vocational pathways strengthens the middle class, creates upward mobility, and prepares Hillsborough County for a changing economy. Education, in John's view, is about opportunity, not ideology.
Protecting Healthcare and Retirement Security
John believes access to affordable healthcare is essential to economic security. He supports practical reforms that lower costs, protect coverage for pre-existing conditions, and strengthen care for seniors in Sun City Center, Ruskin, and throughout FL-14. He is committed to protecting Social Security and Medicare for current and future retirees, recognizing that these programs represent a promise made to working Americans.
Why I am running.
In May 2026, Florida HB 1D redrew the state's congressional map. The new Florida 14th District is contained entirely within Hillsborough County — Brandon, Valrico, Riverview, Apollo Beach, Sun City Center, Plant City, Ruskin, Wimauma, FishHawk, Lithia, Bloomingdale, and the southern neighborhoods of Tampa. It is a district expected to lean Republican given its redrawn Hillsborough County boundaries, and one that has been growing more conservative every cycle.
And yet our representative, Kathy Castor — nine terms, eighteen years in Washington — has spent her career voting with Democratic leadership and the most progressive wing of her caucus. She has stopped listening to the families who actually live in this district. The 2026 election is the first time FL-14 voters get to decide whether they want eighteen more years of Castor — or a fresh, conservative voice rooted right here in Hillsborough County.
I am running because the choice is that clear. After 20 years of building a life and a business in eastern Hillsborough, I know what families here actually care about: lower costs, secure neighborhoods, good schools, the right to defend yourself, and a Washington that respects the Constitution and the Tenth Amendment. I am not entering politics to serve a party, an ideology, or special interests. I am stepping forward to serve the people I have known and worked alongside for two decades.
Faith, family, and shared values.
John's faith guides his values, but his approach to public service is grounded in humility and accountability. Leadership, in his view, is not about power. It is about showing up every day, doing the work, and leaving the community stronger than you found it.
As a family man, John understands the pressures facing parents, caregivers, and seniors across FL-14. He believes policies should support stable households, safe neighborhoods, and economic dignity for families in every community across Hillsborough County. His guiding principle is simple: leaders should leave their communities stronger, more secure, and more united than they found them.
If you are an Independent, a Democrat, or a voter who simply feels left behind by today's politics, this campaign is for you too. You do not have to agree with John on every issue to know that honesty, fiscal responsibility, compassion, and cooperation matter. Together, the people of FL-14 can move past labels, focus on what works, and build a future for Hillsborough County that reflects our shared values.
Core Values
Patriotism
Love of country and commitment to the principles that have made America the greatest nation in history.
Fiscal Responsibility
Belief in balanced budgets, lower taxes, and responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars.
Constitutional Principles
Unwavering commitment to the Constitution and the rights it guarantees to all Americans.
Integrity
Honest, transparent leadership that puts the interests of constituents first.