Sydney Gruters, the wife of Republican National Committee Chairman and Florida state Sen. Joe Gruters, has launched a bid for an open House seat in Florida.
Gruters, who has experience working for congressmen, is running to replace retiring Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL). She decided to run for Florida’s 16th Congressional District after securing a high-profile endorsement.
In a Truth Social post last week, President Donald Trump urged Gruters to run and confirmed that, if she did, she would have his “Complete and Total” endorsement.
“A Highly Successful Civic Leader and Public Servant, Sydney has dedicated her life to serving her Community, and she and her family are fierce advocates for our Movement to, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN,” he wrote. “As your next Congresswoman, Sydney will fight tirelessly to Grow our Economy, Cut Taxes and Regulations, Promote MADE IN THE U.S.A., Unleash American Energy DOMINANCE, Keep our Border SECURE, Stop Migrant Crime, Support our Military/Veterans, Safeguard our Elections, Champion School Choice, and Defend our always under siege Second Amendment.”
The new candidate also began her campaign with an endorsement from Maggie’s List, a federal political action committee dedicated to electing conservative women to Congress since 2010.
The endorsements will surely boost her chances at winning the solid red district, which Buchanan has held since 2013.
Buchanan has not made a statement on Gruters’s run for Congress. The Washington Examiner contacted his office for comment on whether the congressman supports the newcomer.
“I’ve spent my career helping people solve problems and get results,” Gruters said. “Southwest Florida deserves a representative who understands this community, shares its values, and will fight every day to lower the cost of living, expand opportunity, and build a stronger future for our families.”
Gruters formerly served at the New College of Florida as the executive director of a nonprofit affiliate, the New College Foundation, which raises and manages private donations for the school. She stepped away from her role at New College on Wednesday. Her tenure at the liberal arts college was part of the leadership overhaul led by Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) that began in 2023.
Longtime Trump ally Joe Gruters commented on his wife’s campaign, describing her as a candidate who’s “smart, fierce, and all-in for America First.”
She is arguably the most prominent contender in the congressional race now, given her husband’s national profile. There are already a few Republicans and Democrats running in their respective primaries. On the Republican side, some of the candidates that Gruters will be running against are Edward Pope, a Navy veteran, and Eddie Speir, a former New College trustee.
All candidates running for Florida’s 16th Congressional District have a brief window between June 8 and June 12 to file their paperwork for getting on the ballot before the Aug. 18 primary election.