Florida Congressional Delegation Ranks 25th in Faith-Based Business Scorecard
Why It Matters
The ranking carries practical significance for faith-based employers weighing where to expand operations and create jobs. Florida’s congressional delegation, despite its Republican supermajority, landed in the middle of the pack — a positioning that may draw attention from the state’s large network of religious organizations and employers.
What Happened
The Christian Employers Alliance (CEA) released its Congressional Biblical Business Index, measuring how well each state’s congressional delegation votes in alignment with what the organization describes as biblically grounded principles, limited government, and longstanding Judeo-Christian social values. Florida came in 25th out of 50 states — a drop of four spots from the prior year — tying with Iowa and Connecticut for the third-sharpest year-over-year decline in the index.
The CEA, which describes itself as representing more than 30,000 faith-based employers nationwide, evaluated all 535 members of Congress by tallying more than 82,000 individual votes and applying what it calls a clearly defined scriptural methodology.
“These rankings are designed to help faith-based business leaders make informed decisions about where to invest, grow, and create jobs,” said CEA President Margaret Iuculano, noting that most business indices focus narrowly on taxes and regulations.
By the Numbers
- 25th — Florida’s ranking among all 50 state delegations
- 4 spots — Florida’s year-over-year decline in the index
- 6 — Florida members of Congress ranked in the top 51 nationally
- 82,000+ — individual congressional votes analyzed in the index
- 30,000+ — faith-based employers represented in the CEA network
Who Ranked Where
Six members of Florida’s congressional delegation placed in the top 51 on the index. U.S. Sen. Rick Scott and U.S. Reps. Greg Steube, Byron Donalds, Anna Paulina Luna, Aaron Bean, and Kat Cammack each earned spots in that upper tier, even as the delegation’s overall average dragged the state to a middling national position.
The CEA also scored members of the Florida Legislature separately. State Rep. Webster Barnaby led all state lawmakers evaluated, followed by Reps. John Snyder and Monique Miller, state Sen. Don Gaetz, and Reps. Lawrence McClure and Paula Stark.
This comes as Florida’s legislative session has drawn attention from several faith-affiliated civic organizations, which have increasingly engaged with both state and federal lawmakers on policy priorities.
Zoom Out
Faith-based business advocacy has grown as a distinct segment of political engagement, with organizations like the CEA attempting to translate religious values into concrete legislative scorecards that parallel those issued by chambers of commerce or ideological advocacy groups. Florida’s result underscores a tension common in large, politically diverse states: individual members may score well, but a sprawling delegation can still average out to an unremarkable collective position.
Similar dynamics have played out in congressional redistricting debates, where delegation composition — and the policy priorities of individual members — can shift dramatically based on how district lines are drawn.
What’s Next
The CEA has indicated the index is intended as an ongoing tool for faith-based employers evaluating long-term investment and hiring decisions. Florida lawmakers flagged in the rankings may face increased scrutiny — or pressure — from religious business groups ahead of the next federal election cycle.