Naples, FL— The contentious congressional race to replace Rep. Byron Donalds (R) in Florida's 19th District comprises transplanted candidates who are trying to make their case for why Southwest Floridians should elect them to the U.S. House of Representatives.

During a Naples Reagan Club fundraising dinner, all of the Republican candidates in the race—Fmr. Illinois State Senator Jim Oberweis, House Policy Advisor Ola Hawatmeh, former Trump Administration official Catalina Lauf, former U.S. Reps. Madison Cawthorn and Chris Collins, media mogul Jim Schwartzel, John Strand, and former U.S. Marine Corps Naval Flight Officer Mike Pedersen — worked the room of hardcore Republican voters in hopes of gaining an upper hand in the race.

The Floridian spoke to several of the candidates, where we asked them about several key and pressing issues that are affecting Americans going into the 2026 midterm election cycle.

Arguably, one of the most important issues affecting southwest Florida is water quality. These candidates have big shoes to fill. Rep. Donalds has been on the frontlines of this issue and even introduced legislation to assist with algae clean-up efforts.

We asked the candidates about the water quality issue and what they believe are the pressing concerns of their prospective constituents.

Catalina Lauf

Water Quality

"I'm happy you're asking that, because I just actually spoke with a water scientist, and he said the main issue that's going on right now is the lack of funding. And so he said a lot of the projects that could be championed to specifically look into why we have red tide and things like that, and all these, these quality issues are not they're not being funded. FGCU has a beautiful new research water facility. From my understanding, we're going to speak with students over there as well. And we need to make sure that we're looking at these things in an innovative way. Another issue is water quality. You know, you have infrastructure that is not completely up to date in some different areas, up in Cape Coral, Fort Myers, things like that. What are we doing from a federal perspective and innovating in general?

Where are our companies? You know, water innovation companies. Why aren't we working with them to ensure that we're tackling the red tide issue? We're getting to the bottom of what is causing it. You know, people say, some people say it's agricultural community and things like that, but we need to, we need to get to the bottom of it. Why isn't it not getting solved? And so there's a lot in that that what you can do on a federal perspective is making sure that we're championing, making sure that funding is going to the proper projects, but then also working with state and local jurisdictions as well, and making sure that that stuff is getting pushed across the finish line."

Question: Is it (water pollution) coming from the north or south?

"North, I believe."

Question: Biggest need in SW Florida.

"Well, I think when you're running for a federal position, things you know, things like taxpayer money going back to the taxpayers, the border crisis, you're looking at pro-growth initiatives. So I'm a I come from a small business background. I come from the private sector. We have enough people in Congress who are career politicians. We need people who are looking at legislation through a pro-growth, pro-business perspective. And one of my main concerns out here in southwest Florida is that, you know, we're losing tourism, we're also from an from a growth perspective. We need to focus on families coming here, young families in particular. What is going to anchor them to this district? You have a housing market that is, you know, there's way more supply than there is demand right now. From a long term perspective, your member of Congress needs to be making sure that legislation is looked through at a pro-growth perspective, you're cutting back regulations for businesses, and you're making sure that taxpayers have more money in their pockets. And those are things that this district specifically is very passionate about."

Ola Hawatmeh

Question: How do you relate to voters in the district? What are their main concerns?

"My experience as a senior policy advisor in Congress has given me firsthand knowledge of how Washington works and how it doesn't. I have worked closely with lawmakers, helped shape and pass policy like President Trump's Big Beautiful Bill, and assisted constituents in navigating federal agencies. I understand how decisions made in Congress impact families back home—whether it’s disaster relief after hurricanes, protecting Medicare and Social Security for our seniors, or cutting red tape so small businesses can thrive.

As an entrepreneur and small-business owner, I know what it means to sign the front of a paycheck. I understand the pressures of rising costs, regulations, and taxes. Southwest Florida is powered by small businesses, tourism, agriculture, and hardworking families. My business background has taught me how to create opportunities, manage budgets responsibly, and fight for policies that strengthen our local economy.

Through my philanthropic work, I have focused on serving veterans, empowering women, and supporting children and families in need. Community service is not just something I talk about—it’s something I have lived. I believe that leadership is about lifting others up and giving back.

Most importantly, I am a mother. Every decision I make is guided by the same question many parents in District 19 ask: What kind of future are we leaving for our children? I want safer communities, stronger schools, economic opportunity, and a nation that preserves freedom and opportunity for the next generation."

Question: How do you address the water quality issue in the district?

We have $40 billion in federal grant money for clean water filtration systems for different things. We need to utilize those resources. Since last summer, I have been working to secure federal funds for the utility extension project, which is costing us $253 million per area. Each parcel pays an average of $35,000 to convert from septic to sewer when we have conversion grants that aren't utilized. We only received $50 million from the EPA when there's $40 billion still available.

We definitely need to utilize that in filtration systems because that's the most important thing that we consume — our water. Why do we have contaminated water when we have the resources there? I've already been working on filling out applications and getting the process going since the summer. We must do more. We can do more. And when I am elected to Congress, we will do more, and I will champion the water quality issue in Washington. It is our lifeline in the district, it is our lifeline in the state.

Question: Who is to blame for the water pollution?

Well, I'd like to blame everything on the Democrats.

These water quality challenges are the result of both natural processes and human influence. Years of development, nutrient pollution from agricultural runoff and aging septic systems, and the way we manage water flows — including releases from Lake Okeechobee — have all contributed to conditions that allow harmful algal blooms to flourish.

There is already a water clean-up effort in place that has been championed by all of the stakeholders, including our beloved farming community. We can do more.

Southwest Florida farmers have been blamed for causing the water pollution, but while everyone plays a role in the issue, the overwhelming majority of the nitrate that contaminates our water comes from the water that flows down into Lake Okeechobee. That is a fact.

Since last summer, I have been working on federal grants for clean water a top priority.

We need to replace aging systems, reduce nutrient pollution, and prevent harmful runoff before it reaches our waterways.

Sen. Jim Oberweis

Question: How do you relate to voters in Southwest Florida? (Video)

"I’ve had a home in Florida for 45 years, originally vacation OK in the Tampa and Orlando area it was a vacation. My wife and I bought a home in Bonita Springs 16 years ago, she has been a Florida resident for 16 years, obviously I couldn't be because I was serving the Illinois State Senate, but as soon as that was over in 2020, I'm down here full-time. We have no other home only our home in Bonita Springs

So I've been a part of the community for 16 years. I think I understand some of the issues. We've been a major supporter of the Wonder Gardens, which is great, my grandkids love that, and downtown Bonita Springs. I've been on the Everglades Foundation for several years. I can give you a list of the people will always work with foundations. By the way, I started Oberweis Foundation myself 30 years ago to support conservative causes and also people in need of our help.

We've been big supporters of food banks have been a big supporter of new life Dream Center in in fort Myers which has an amazing program to help people who have serious drug problems that their their success rate is higher than anybody else that I know, so we've been involved in the community for 16 years.

Question: Water issue in SW Florida

"We are doing the right things now to capture water coming out of the Caloosahatchee. There are three reserves, in the Big Beautiful Bill there was 440 million added that that helped us continue the program, this is this is the program we're working on for 10 years to try to clean up the mistakes that were made you know 20 and 30 years ago.

We're making great progress. We're not there yet, we still need some support from the federal government for the next several years to finish the project, but we're moving in the right direction, we're making big progress

Yeah, whole idea of the reserves, theeservoirs is to catch extra water during the summer when we're rainy season getting alot of water, and hopefully clean it through mangroves, and then to be able to release that in the dry season to help prevent other forest fires or wild burns, and to help provide a source of clean, fresh water throughout Southwest Florida."

Question: Who do you think is responsible for the water pollution?

"They’re actually a couple things that are of concern obviously the nitrates and the fertilizers that are used to a very heavy degree I think by the sugar industry and some other agricultural industries are concern that have to be asked to be managed but there are other problems too for instance Cape Coral which is kind of grown up and and become a a major city many of the homes there are still on septic systems they're in the process of converting those over to a municipal system where the process of getting more deep water in Cape Coral but there's still work to be done but then that's also a source of problem."

Madison Cawthorn

Question: How do you relate to voters in Southwest Florida? (Video)

"So, I believe voters in Southwest Florida, they're really looking for a fighter. You look at the last five or six congressmen, like with the exception of maybe one, everybody has been kind of a rough-on-the-edges fighter who's going to disrupt Washington DC. Byron Donald's done a fantastic job. You know, it's not somewhere, even though this is such, you know, an affluent and well, you know, versed area, people are extremely conservative here. I think this is the most important district for the conservative movement. one, because they can fund the movement, and two, because they have such hardcore values. So, I think they're looking for someone who's unapologetically American, who's going to fight for their values, who's going to take whatever arrows they send at us and not bow the knee to anyone to say, "Oh, well, you know what? I don't want to get an attack out against me."

No, I don't care what you call me. You didn't call me to this commission. I serve the people of Southwest Florida. And I really think they want someone who's going to be shrewd. They want someone who's going to go into battle in Washington DC, but also who's going to be wise about it. You know, I've been in Washington. People have offered me money. People have offered me power. People have offered me peace. But all I had to do is give them my voting card. And I said no. And the swamp attacked me for that. And that's what I think also Southwest Florida needs. They need someone who's not going to be bought. Someone who cannot be bought. Someone who's going to fight for the biggest... listen, when you think about the federal government, they have way too much power in this area. You look at the Army Corps of Engineers. Unfortunately, my friends, they're doing a terrible job for water management. You look at what's going on in the Caloosahatchee right now, the algae bloom that's going on. You look at what's going on inside of our river systems. Listen, I want our farmers to be able to do an amazing job here in Southwest Florida and in Central Florida. But we have got to be smart about whether we have water purification systems or we start doing regenerative farming, whatever it takes to make sure that our waters here in Southwest Florida are clean. And then we've got to completely reexamine what the Army Corps of Engineers actually gets to do inside of our waterways because unfortunately it's the lifeblood of this area. But a federal agency hundreds of miles from here is actually in charge of what we can do. In Cape Coral, we can only dredge our canals up to 5 ft. It takes about 3 years for them to actually allow us to do it."

Question: What do voters need in the district? (Video)

"So, I'll tell you number one, there are so many young Americans, especially people under the age of 40 that are completely blocked out of the housing market and private property ownership is a bedrock foundation of being an American, American citizen. You know, it's land ownership. We have a vested interest in our country doing well and it's part of the American dream. You know, white picket fence, a nice house, you got four kids, you got two cars. That's what everybody's aspiring for. But unfortunately because of multinational conglomerates and spineless politicians just want to make donors happy and get more money inside of their coffers. We have a nation of an entire generation that is forced to be renters. They're forced to not own anything. They're forced to own nothing and be told they have to be happy.

So when we start looking especially here in Florida but why are housing prices so high? Number one, you've got Black Rock coming in. You've got people doing Airbnb and stuff. Let me tell you, Florida is not a place for investors. Florida is a place for families. And we have got to prioritize that. We have got to stop multinationals like Blackstone coming here and buying a single-family home so that they can artificially inflate the housing market so they can charge exorbitant costs on interest. Now, also we have to look at why does it cost so much to build a home. Well, number one, we have so many illegal immigrants coming into our country that are trying to just work on these houses and they're not doing a good job. And so many of them might do a good job. And I will tell you the vast majority of them are doing subpar work compared to the American citizens that would do a much better job at a higher quality.

But why does it cost so much to build a home? Well, number one, it it surprisingly is because of the EPA. You say, "What does the EPA, you know, Environmental Protection Agency have to do with housing costs? Shouldn't that be something with urban development or something there? No. The the federal government has grown so large that the EPA is putting so many restrictions and so many guidelines on what it has to do to be able to pass certifications requirements to make home building products. Whether we're talking about lumber, whether we're talking about steel, whether we're talking about sheetrock, whatever we're talking about, the EPA has put so many restrictions on it. they have bottlenecked the free market and they have made it incapable for small businesses to be able to go out and be able to compete to lower prices. So, we've got to attack this on a lot of fronts, but I really the number one that I think could help Southwest Floridians is we have got to offer a tax rebate to be able to make sure that people can afford their flood insurance here in the state of Florida. Also, I believe that we've got to start attacking FEMA for their flood rating warning that they have that makes flood insurance be so..."