Watch: Congressional candidates Ryan Elijah, Bale Dalton, Chris Dennison differ on affordability solutions

Control of the U.S. House of Representatives is on the ballot next week, and Florida’s Seventh Congressional District could play a role. 

The seat was held by Republican Rep. Cory Mills, who was plagued by scandals. Mills lost in the primary to Ryan Elijah, a former Fox 35 news anchor.

Elijah is facing Democrat Bale Dalton, a veteran who served as chief-of-staff at NASA, and Libertarian and U.S. Air Force veteran Chris Dennison. 

According to the Cook Political Report, the race has tightened from Solid Republican to Likely Republican. 

As part of Oviedo Community News’ 2026 Voter Guide, we now have video interviews with some candidates. All three candidates were invited to be interviewed on camera. Both Dalton and Dennison agreed to video interviews; Oviedo Community News will update with video from Elijah if he agrees to the interview. 

See below for highlights from the voter guide and interviews. 

On affordability issues

Both Elijah and Dalton have put affordability front and center in their campaigns – but vary widely on how to provide relief to consumers. 

Dalton said he wants to end the trade war and tariffs and to end the war in Iran, which the U.S. House of Representatives has already voted to do twice in a non-binding resolution. The Iran war has caused spikes in gas prices. 

“Making Florida affordable again requires reversing this administration’s illegal tariff taxes, which are squeezing our small businesses on both ends and driving up prices for all of us,” Dalton said. “And another thing that we have to attack to lower our cost is doing what this administration said it was going to do – which is keep us out of forever wars, so that we are not spending an unbudgeted $1 billion dollars a day in a war that’s got no strategic end, no defined end state, and you know, frankly, that is sinking our economy.”

Elijah also talked about gas prices, but said the U.S. needs to have more domestic production to bring down prices. Answering a question from Oviedo Community News on the night of his primary victory in August, Elijah said affordability was his No. 1 issue as well. 

“Both parties have to do better,” Elijah said. “No. 1, we have to be energy dominant. And I think we’re moving that way. There are tax cuts that can make a difference. Getting interest rates down, cutting government spending is going to lower interest rates. We need to do all those things. But the No. 1 thing right now is energy dominant. And we’re not quite there yet.”

One area where both the Democrat and the Republican agree: Amendment 3. Amendment 3 would increase the property tax exemption to $250,000 over two years, which could save a Seminole County homeowner around $160 per month if their home’s taxable value is over $250,000. 

Both Ryan and Dalton have said they would vote against Amendment 3. 

“While I support tax relief for working families, this proposal would imperil our ability to fund public safety, maintain our roads, and prepare for storms,” Dalton wrote in his voter guide questionnaire. 

Elijah has been endorsed by Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma and Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood. The Florida Sheriffs Association has come out saying it has “significant concerns” with Amendment 3.  

“I understand that people want their property taxes cut, but I have not seen the numbers yet where we’re not going to lose a lot of services,” Elijah said told Oviedo Community News earlier this year. “I’ve spoken to a number of different community leaders and mayors, and they just don’t feel the numbers are there. And I think we’re going to cut way too many services at this point.”

Dennison fully supports Amendment 3. 

“I think everybody in the whole entire state, whether you’re a property owner or a homeowner or a renter, should vote yes,” Dennison said. “So that is really shocking because I can’t believe that my opponents are willing to take money out of the people that they want… to vote for them’s pockets. I just I couldn’t believe it.”

Dennison’s campaign calls for ending foreign wars, and puts getting rid of Flock cameras and similar license plate readers at the top of his campaign. He also doesn’t believe in zoning, and said he was opposed to Seminole County’s rural boundary.

“I’m a big property rights guy,” Dennison said. “I don’t believe in zoning. Zoning should go away. Nobody should be able to tell what someone can and cannot do with their land. If someone wants to build a McDonald’s on it, they should be able to build a McDonald’s on it.”

Abe Aboraya is a Report for America corps member.