Sydney Gruters, wife of RNC Chair Joe Gruters and endorsed by former President Donald Trump, has launched her bid for Congress in Florida's 16th Congressional District. Gruters, a working mother of three, cited rising prices and the need to protect conservative values as her primary motivations for running. She aims to succeed retiring GOP Rep. Vern Buchanan, her former employer, in a district that Trump won with 57% of the vote in 2024. Gruters has prior experience in Congress, having served as an operations director for Buchanan and district director for Rep. Greg Steube, as well as in the Trump administration's Department of Agriculture. Her candidacy is supported by Maggie's List, a group focused on electing conservative women, and she is considered a frontrunner despite other Republicans and Democrats also vying for the seat, which may be subject to redistricting.