Florida voters returned three Greek-American Republicans to the House on Tuesday, keeping one of the most concentrated b...

Florida voters returned three Greek-American Republicans to the House on Tuesday, keeping one of the most concentrated blocs of Hellenic representation in Congress intact. Gus Bilirakis held his 12th District seat for an 11th consecutive term, defeating Democrat Kimberly Overman. His family story is woven into the fabric of Greek America. All four of his grandparents immigrated from Greece, he grew up in Tarpon Springs, and he co-chairs the Congressional Hellenic Caucus. He first entered Congress in January 2007, taking over the seat his father Michael had held before him. Mike Haridopolos won a second term in the 8th District, the Space Coast seat anchored in Brevard County. A former Florida Senate president, he chairs the House Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee, a natural fit for a district that includes Kennedy Space Center. He defeated Democrat Jennifer Jenkins. Jimmy Patronis secured his first full term in the 1st District after initially entering Congress through the April 2025 special election that filled Matt Gaetz's vacant seat. The former Florida chief financial officer defeated Democrat Gay Valimont. The three have already coordinated on issues touching Greek national interests. In June, alongside New York Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, they formally objected to a proposed U.S. military sale to Turkey, citing concerns about Ankara's posture in the Eastern Mediterranean. Florida's Greek roots run deep. Tarpon Springs on the Gulf Coast built its identity around Greek sponge divers, starting in 1905 when divers from islands including Kalymnos, Symi and Halki arrived and transformed the waterfront. That community's presence along Dodecanese Boulevard remains one of the most visible expressions of Greek heritage anywhere in the United States. #GreekAmerica #Congress #Florida