Florida Senate District 22: 2026 Candidates & Ballot

James Buchanan (Republican), Martin Hyde (No Party Affiliation), Lew Wasserman (Democratic) are on the November 3 ballot for Florida Senate District 22. Not on the November ballot: Joe Gruters, the sitting member per the roster. Major-party nominees were chosen at the August 18 primary or advanced unopposed; minor-party and no-party-affiliation candidates qualify directly for the November ballot. The field is the Florida Division of Elections' certified 2026 General Election candidate list. This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.

James Buchanan

Republican

Biography

James Buchanan is a two-term member of the Florida House of Representatives from District 74, running for Florida Senate District 22 to succeed term-limited Sen. Joe Gruters, according to Florida Politics. He has been endorsed by the Florida Chamber of Commerce and Senate Republican leadership. No campaign website or questionnaire response was found as of September 11, 2026.

Martin Hyde

No Party Affiliation

Biography

Martin Hyde is an independent candidate running to succeed Sen. Joe Gruters in Florida Senate District 22. A Sarasota resident of 27 years born in the United Kingdom, he brings nearly 40 years of business experience, per his campaign site.

Top Priorities

Local representation independent of party and developer influence
Direct constituent engagement through town halls and meet-and-greets

Per the campaign site.

Per the candidate campaign site, roster verified 2026-09-12.

Campaign site

Lew Wasserman

Democratic

Biography

Lew Wasserman is the Democratic candidate for Florida Senate District 22, covering all of Sarasota County and southern Manatee County, an open seat left by retiring Sen. Joe Gruters. He previously had a career in the entertainment industry, per WMNF. No campaign website or questionnaire response was found as of September 11, 2026.

Questions about this race

Who is running for Florida Senate District 22 in 2026?

3 candidates are tracked for Florida Senate District 22 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: James Buchanan, Martin Hyde and Lew Wasserman. Candidate information follows official Manatee County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

When is the Florida Senate District 22 election in Florida?

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for Florida are on the Florida election hub at theballotbrief.com.

How do I see my exact Manatee County ballot?

Enter your ZIP code in the lookup at theballotbrief.com for the statewide and congressional races, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location.