The ‘DC outsider’ is up against Sydney Gruters and Eddie Speir in the Republican primary.
By Nic Steinig
Original Air Date: July 10, 2026
Host: The Republican primary for the District 16 Florida Congressional race will be a three-way election. One high-profile candidate is Sydney Gruters, the wife of Joe Gruters, the just-retired Florida Senator who now handles the levers of the Republican Party nationwide. She quickly received the endorsement of President Donald Trump, and her campaign has raised close to a million dollars. Another is Eddie Speir, the conservative cultural figure whom Gov. Ron DeSantis once appointed as a trustee at New College as part of his takeover of higher education. Speir is running an anti-establishment campaign. WSLR News reporter Nic Steinig now brings you a profile of another self-proclaimed “D.C. outsider”: Eddie Pope.
Nic Steinig: I spoke with Pope in an extended phone interview. Similarly to Speir, Pope has rhetorically positioned himself as someone apart from the usual political machinery. He said that politicians who make their office their career are inherently untrustworthy, and he plans to propose term limits for U.S. congressmen as his first act as a lawmaker.
Eddie Pope
Ed Pope: I’m not a career politician. I think our elected officials have forgotten about accountability, transparency and most importantly that they work for us; we don’t work for them. It’s just disturbing when I see these big backers and stuff because they’re wanting something. You don’t give that kind of money and those types of donations to someone without getting something in return. I’ve already drafted an amendment I’d like to make to the constitution regarding term limits for Congress.
NS: Pope said he was disconcerted by the political gamesmanship surrounding U.S. elections, including the office he currently runs for. He did not think the endorsements Gruters received were earned through serious policy deliberation but rather a circling of the wagons to gain favor with party insiders.
EP: People are throwing endorsements out like Halloween candy. It’s quite obvious that these endorsements appear to be all political favors. When her husband is the chairman of the RNC, I am sure everybody’s jumping on that political train.
NS: When asked what distinguishes his campaign from Speir’s anti-establishment run, Pope said that his decorated background as a Navy veteran and killer-catching law enforcement officer and as a business executive makes him uniquely credible as a candidate for federal office.
Eddie Pope being awarded Trooper of the Year 2007
EP: Eddie Speir has an axe to grind with local government. He’s seen the corruption within Manatee County, and I completely understand that. But we’re talking a broader situation here. My entire life has been defined by service, between Navy, law enforcement, executive leadership, education—I’m the trooper that caught Michael King. As a state trooper, I was one of the most decorated in the history of the state. I bring all this to make me a very credible person to take things to Washington.
NS: Pope has put forward what he calls a “Florida First” agenda, which combines support for law enforcement and veterans with a conservative plan for economic growth by cutting regulations and taxes. His campaign website also says he wants to protect Social Security and Medicare for seniors.
Eddie Pope
EP: I talk about security of the border, protecting constitutional rights, supporting law enforcement, fiscal responsibility, growing the economy, standards with veterans and seniors, education, healthcare, infrastructure, environmental stewardship, government accountability, and I run down all of this. Affordability begins with a stronger economy. First, you need to support small businesses, and you must reduce unnecessary regulations in order to encourage American manufacturers and pursue energy independence to lower the costs. And we need to support skills trades. We need to build more homes.
NS: In contrast to Speir’s heated clash with local Republican establishment figures and passionate denunciation of corporate “dark money,” Pope appears to strike a more reserved middle ground. Pope consistently avoided answering whether any corporate institutions had concentrated too much power in U.S. political life or exerted undue influence in local politics, and he did not name any large industries he felt needed to be reined in.
That deviates from Speir’s campaign against “corruption” and “global elites,” which targets Florida developers such as Benderson by name as well as other corporations such as Microsoft, Meta, and Monsanto. However, Pope did call for greater transparency in electoral funding and tighter ethics codes for congressmen to prevent lawmakers from leveraging their position for personal gain.
Compared with the other two candidates fielded, Pope’s platform appears to be the most specific in its legislative agenda, and he emphasizes his decades of service as a law enforcement officer and Navy veteran to raise the credibility of his outsider run. Unlike his opponents, he has not been involved in any public controversies.
According to Federal financial disclosures, Pope has so far raised about $36,000 for his campaign, with the vast majority coming from a $35,000 personal loan. The Republican primary will take place on August 18. Pope said that, regardless of poll numbers, he doesn’t plan to drop out of the race to support either of the other candidates.
Reporting for WSLR News, Nic Steinig.
WSLR News aims to keep the local community informed with our 1/2 hour local news show, quarterly newspaper and social media feeds. The local news broadcast airs on Wednesdays and Fridays at 6pm.