Ready for more politics? The Southwest Florida race for Congress begins

WGCU | By Mike Walcher

Candidates are filing to run for the seat in Congress that Byron Donalds will leave. He wants to run for governor. The 2026 race in District 19 in Congress promises to attract a number of candidates and lots of money.

Democrat Howard Sapp has filed to run. He's a Fort Myers native and nephew of the late Veronica Shoemaker, who was the first African-American elected to office in Lee County.

"I try to take the politics out of it. I look at people as people," Sapp said.  

He was an air traffic controller during his professional career. He has run before for the Florida House of Representatives, losing two races.

He said he'll fight for clean water, hiring more teachers and helping the middle class.

"Right now people are hurting," Sapp said. "People are struggling. We can come together as a people, and we can make headway in helping the lives of people."