Who will face Democrat Phillip Ray Carter in the fight to be the next representative for Florida's House District 76? The answer gets decided today as Southwest Florida goes to the polls.
Newcomer Julie McCormack hopes to win the Republican nomination for the District 76 seat currently occupied by incumbent Vanessa Oliver, who has been campaigning for a second term in Tallahassee. Whoever wins the primary vote today will face Carter in Florida's general election Tuesday, Nov. 3.
Check back here for election results tonight.
Florida House of Representatives District 76 stretches across parts of Lee, Charlotte and DeSoto counties, including Arcadia, North Fort Myers and Punta Gorda. Both Babcock Ranch and Herons Glen Golf and Country Club are part of the district.
Here's more about McCormack, Oliver and Carter:
McCormack said she recently moved from Belle Glade to her family's Punta Gorda homestead to be closer to her family and her possible future constituents. Her farm, research and conservation activities are based in Belle Glade.
"I'm running for District 76 to protect my fellow farmers and ranchers from overdevelopment that threatens our way of life... " she said in June, "and (to) ensure that the people in my area have continuous access to clean water, air and the natural resources that we all cherish so much."
McCormack said her top three issues are conservation, agriculture and community/family safety.
"I want not only my children, but everyone's children and grandchildren to be able to grow up in and enjoy for generations to come the Old Florida that I grew up in and we all love," she said.
McCormack runs the organic farm McCormack Ranches in Hendry County, where they grow a mix of native food-bearing plants and flowers, plus regular market fruits, vegetables, herbs, flowers and greens.
She's also a conservation and agriculture researcher focusing on alligators, Florida Atala butterflies, whitetail deer, Osceola turkeys, water quality, air quality and soil and soil additives. "Belle Glade has some of the best soil in Florida, locally known as Muck City for the soil's supreme nutritional quality," she said in July, "and that is why we have a small research lab located in Belle Glade dedicated to agricultural research."
Find out more about Julie Louise McCormack and her campaign at mccormackforflorida.com
"It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve the people of District 76…" Oliver said in July. "I believe public service is about listening, being accessible and solving problems, and I remain committed to working hard every day to improve the lives of the people I have the privilege of representing."
Her accomplishments, she said, have included tax relief, investments in infrastructure, stronger schools, protecting the environment, supporting public safety and making sure District 76 gets its "fair share" of state resources.
Oliver said her top issues are "a strong economy, keeping our communities safe and ensuring every child has access to an excellent education."
She also wants to make sure every child has "access to excellent schools and opportunities to succeed, whether they choose college, technical training, military service or entering the workforce."
"Strong schools help create strong communities and a strong economy," Oliver said in June. "These priorities are interconnected. When we have a thriving economy, safe streets and excellent schools, families prosper and communities flourish."
Oliver is CEO of healthcare company Ambitrans Ambulance, which she said has more than 300 employees and provides ground-ambulance transportation between facilities in five counties. She's also a board-certified in health lawyer.
Her background includes service on the Charlotte County Airport Authority — which oversees the Punta Gorda Airport and the surrounding lands — as well as other local and state boards.
Find out more about Vanessa Oliver and her campaign at votevanessaoliver.com
Carter said he wants to "restore some credibility" to politics and how people perceive politicians. He also wants to "create legislation that benefits all of us."
"I want to be a decent, credible individual who actually enacts some legislation," he said in June, "(and who) acts on behalf of the people on the issues that are most important to them."
Carter said his top three issues are corruption in politics, affordability and education.
On his website, Carter said he wants to find practical solutions to help families handle the rising cost of food, housing and utilities. He wants Florida to manage its growth responsibly to protect the state's water quality and resources. And he wants public safety to be approached with common sense — "keeping communities safe while respecting constitutional rights."
Carter is a retired U.S. Air Force security specialist. He later worked as a police patrol officer in Illinois and then as district manager for Michigan-based movie-theater company Goodrich Quality Theaters.
In Florida, he's a former substitute teacher for the Lee County School District, real-estate agent and project manager for several large contractors for commercial and industrial projects.
He's been retired since May 2026.
Find out more about Phillip Ray Carter and his campaign at carter4florida.com
Charles Runnells covers arts and entertainment for The News-Press and the Naples Daily News. To reach him, call 239-335-0368 or email [email protected]. Follow or message him on Facebook (@charles.runnells.7), Instagram (@crunnells1) and X (@CharlesRunnells).
J. Kyle Foster is a senior growth & development reporter for The News-Press & Naples Daily News. Reach her by emailing [email protected].
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This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Election: Oliver, McCormack face off in SW FL's District 76 primary