SUBJECT-11174.dossier · person · status: active
VB
subject of file

Vern Buchanan

US Representative (R-FL-16)
Tracked because Sitting member of the House; tracked for votes, donor mapping, and committee oversight.
Editorial summary · AI-drafted from public records

Vern Buchanan is the Republican U.S. Representative (FL's 16th congressional district). The platform has 3 voting records on file (2017-2025) and 41 verified facts on file covering this member's voting positions, financial disclosures, and stated platform commitments.

Facts on record36
Connections mapped50
Sources cited25
✦ Thin coverage gap +134 connected to 50 entities · only 36 facts on record · flagged for follow-up research
Evidence: 10P+2 26S+18
Mentioned in presidential posts 1 post
Stated vs Revealed
No documented contradictions on file.
[PUBLIC COST ESTIMATE]
Documented financial relationships span 0 money flow chains.
$9.0BDonor Contributions
0Money Chains
0Traced Hops
Calculation Methodology

Contract values are summed from documented money flow chains where this entity appears as a source or destination node. Amounts are drawn from USASpending.gov, FEC filings, SEC EDGAR, or LD-2 lobbying registrations.

Donor contributions aggregate documented amounts from the donor_interests table, sourced from FEC individual and PAC contribution filings.

Connected officials are elected officials in our database with a mapped relationship (lobbying, board membership, campaign contribution, etc.) to this entity.

Annualised flow represents the total documented dollar amount traced through money flow hops involving this entity. Where hop-level amounts are unavailable, the chain-level documented total is used as a conservative upper bound.

All figures are drawn from public filings. Estimates are conservative — undisclosed transactions, dark money, and vanish-point hops are excluded from totals. This is a minimum documented floor, not a ceiling.

PATTERN organization → [industry peer] → organization → [donor] →... 1223× PATTERN elected official → [recipient of funds] → organization → ... 1014× PATTERN elected official → [political contribution] → organizatio... 956× PATTERN organization → [industry sector partner] → organization →... 650× PATTERN company → [parent organization] → organization → [donor] ... 566×
TIMELINE Role Overlap Visualizer →
Connection Map
Oversight gaps detected (1) The Oversight Wall →
high · secondary · disclosure gap
Vern Buchanan has not publicly weighed in on Auto dealership and reinsurance company conflicts of interest given Ways and Means tax jurisdiction
Key Connections
← American Medical Association PAC organization
donor
$10,000 to Vern Buchanan's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (3 contributions), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00000422/
← American Dental P. A. C. organization
donor
$5,000 to Vern Buchanan's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (1 contribution), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00000729/
← Build PAC Of The National Association Of Home Builders organization
donor
$7,000 to Vern Buchanan's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (2 contributions), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00000901/
← American Hotel And Lodging Association PAC ('Hotelpac') organization
donor
$5,000 to Vern Buchanan's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (2 contributions), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00001198/
← Federation Of American Hospitals PAC organization
donor
$5,000 to Vern Buchanan's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (1 contribution), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00002261/
← The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association Action Committee For Rural Electrification (A... organization
donor
$5,000 to Vern Buchanan's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (2 contributions), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00002972/
← American Bankers Association PAC (Bankpac) organization
donor
$10,000 to Vern Buchanan's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (5 contributions), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00004275/
← Mortgage Bankers Association PAC (Morpac) organization
donor
$5,000 to Vern Buchanan's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (2 contributions), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00004812/
Facts (36)
Data Freshness
Ageing Last update: 170d ago · Avg age: 184d
Confidence Tiers: Primary Source — cross-referenced government/corporate filings Pending Review — sourced but not independently verified AI Inference — analytical hypothesis from cross-referencing
✓ Verified Findings (36)
Independently re-checked: a second model read the source artifact and confirmed it supports the extracted claim.
✓ verified Partially Corroborated [constituency_baseline] Demographic anchor: Foreign-Born Population: 14.6% (121,000 residents)
✓ verified Partially Corroborated [constituency_baseline] Demographic anchor: Cook Partisan Voting Index: R+19 (2024)
✓ verified Partially Corroborated [constituency_baseline] Demographic anchor: Homeownership Rate: 73.8% (national avg. 65.5%); median home value $381,300
✓ verified Partially Corroborated [constituency_baseline] Demographic anchor: Racial/Ethnic Composition: 63.2% White (non-Hispanic), 21.7% Hispanic, 12.2% Black, 3% Asian/other
✓ verified Partially Corroborated [constituency_baseline] Demographic anchor: Uninsured Rate: 10.4% (approx. 86,000 residents without health coverage)
✓ verified Partially Corroborated [constituency_baseline] Demographic anchor: Poverty Rate: 6.7% (national avg. 12.4%)
✓ verified Partially Corroborated [constituency_baseline] Demographic anchor: Median Age: 43.1 (national median: 38.5); 16% of residents aged 70+
✓ verified Partially Corroborated [constituency_baseline] Demographic anchor: Population (2024 ACS): 830,753
✓ verified Partially Corroborated [constituency_baseline] Demographic anchor: Median Household Income: $84,737 (well above $78,538 national median)
✓ verified Partially Corroborated [constituency_baseline] Ballot measure: Florida Amendment 3 — Marijuana Legalization Initiative (2024) (2024) — failed, margin 55.8% Yes, 44.2% No (failed to reach 60% supermajority)
✓ verified Partially Corroborated [constituency_baseline] Ballot measure: Florida Amendment 4 — Right to Abortion Initiative (2024) (2024) — failed, margin 57% Yes, 43% No (failed to reach 60% supermajority required for constitutional amendments in Florida)
✓ verified Partially Corroborated [constituency_baseline] Dominant industry: NAICS 23 - Construction (share 0.08)
✓ verified Partially Corroborated [constituency_baseline] Dominant industry: NAICS 53 - Real Estate and Rental and Leasing (share 0.1)
✓ verified Partially Corroborated [constituency_baseline] Dominant industry: NAICS 72 - Accommodation and Food Services (share 0.11)
✓ verified Partially Corroborated [constituency_baseline] Dominant industry: NAICS 44-45 - Retail Trade (share 0.14)
✓ verified Partially Corroborated [constituency_baseline] Dominant industry: NAICS 62 - Health Care and Social Assistance (share 0.19)
✓ verified Partially Corroborated [constituency_baseline] Top employer: Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport / tourism sector (3000 employees)
✓ verified Partially Corroborated [constituency_baseline] Top employer: IMG Academy (Bradenton) (1500 employees)
✓ verified Partially Corroborated [constituency_baseline] Top employer: School District of Manatee County (6500 employees)
✓ verified Partially Corroborated [constituency_baseline] Top employer: Publix Super Markets (regional distribution and retail) (9362 employees)
✓ verified Partially Corroborated [constituency_baseline] Top employer: Manatee Memorial Hospital / Universal Health Services (2500 employees)
✓ verified Pending Review [constituency_baseline] District summary: Florida's 16th Congressional District encompasses all of Manatee County and parts of southern Hillsborough County on Florida's Gulf Coast, including Bradenton, Sarasota, Longboat Key, and parts of Tampa's southern suburbs. The district has a Cook PVI of R+19, making it a solidly Republican seat that nonetheless has shown some Democratic gains (+5 shift). With a population of 830,753, the district is 63.2% White (non-Hispanic), 21.7% Hispanic, and 12.2% Black. The median age is 43.1 (older than the national median), with 16% of residents aged 70+. Median household income is $84,737 (well above the national median), but 10.4% lack health insurance. Homeownership is high at 73.8%. The economy is anchored in healthcare, tourism, real estate, retail, and agriculture. The district's core tension is between affluent retirees in coastal communities like Longboat Key and working-class families in inland areas — healthcare access, Medicare solvency, and property insurance costs dominate local concerns.
Added: 28 Apr 2026
✓ verified Primary Source Voted nay on H.R. 3746 (118th Congress) (Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 (Debt Ceiling Suspension)) on 2023-05-31: Buchanan was one of 71 House Republicans to vote against the bipartisan McCarthy-Biden debt ceiling deal, calling it insufficient to 'get our fiscal house in order.' The GOP majority (149-71) supported the deal. His Nay vote was a fiscal-hawk statement but also reflected the Freedom Caucus's position that spending cuts did not go far enough — a stance aligned with his Small Government/Fiscal Conservative ratings. The vote placed him in a distinct minority within his own party.
Date: 2023-05-31 Added: 28 Apr 2026 ↗ RECORDS: Roll call: H.R. 3746 (118th Congress)
✓ verified Primary Source Voted yea on H.R. 1 (119th Congress) (One Big Beautiful Bill Act (FY2025 Budget Reconciliation)) on 2025-07-03: Buchanan voted Yea on the bill making the TCJA permanent while cutting Medicaid, SNAP, and other safety-net programs. FL-16 has 220,000 Medicare beneficiaries, a 10.4% uninsured rate, and 16% of residents over 70. His office sent a constituent survey showing majority district opposition to the bill, yet he voted Yea anyway. Only two House Republicans voted Nay. The bill extended tax provisions that personally benefited Buchanan's auto dealerships and reinsurance companies, while the Medicaid cuts directly affected his district's healthcare workforce (healthcare is the #2 industry in FL-16).
✓ verified Primary Source Voted yea on H.R. 1 (115th Congress) (Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017) on 2017-11-16: Buchanan, then chair of the Ways and Means Tax Policy Subcommittee, voted Yea on the TCJA and purchased a $1-5 million yacht financed by a foreign bank (BMO Harris) that was actively lobbying his committee on the same bill. Progressive group Tax March estimated the bill saved him up to $2.1 million in personal taxes. The TCJA's 20% pass-through deduction directly benefited auto dealerships structured as pass-through entities. His vote aligned with his top donor industries (Real Estate at $2.16M, Securities & Investment at $933K, Insurance at $1.13M).
✓ verified Primary Source [disclosure] The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated the AHCA would cause 23 million more Americans to lose health insurance over 10 years and would allow states to waive essential health benefits — including the requirement that insurers charge the same rates regardless of pre-existing conditions, potentially pricing sick people out of coverage.
✓ verified Primary Source [statement] "I would not have voted for the bill if I thought protections for those with pre-existing conditions were in jeopardy, as I promised my constituents during three town hall meetings." — Vern Buchanan, May 4, 2017, defending his Yea vote on the American Health Care Act (AHCA) to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.
✓ verified Primary Source [disclosure] Buchanan's auto dealerships (Sarasota 500, Nissan of Elizabeth City) had over $2.3 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans forgiven — a government loan forgiveness program for businesses. The White House highlighted this forgiveness after Buchanan called student debt relief 'reckless' and 'unfair.'
✓ verified Primary Source [statement] "Biden's reckless, unilateral student loan giveaway is unfair to the 87 percent of Americans without student loan debt and those who played by the rules." — Vern Buchanan, tweet (August 2022) opposing President Biden's student loan forgiveness plan.
✓ verified Partially Corroborated Buchanan's leadership PAC (Vote to Elect Republicans Now PAC, C00431403) spent over $1.4 million in the 2024 cycle, including contributions to fellow GOP candidates.
✓ verified Primary Source Buchanan is the vice chair of the House Ways & Means Committee and chairs its Health Subcommittee, with jurisdiction over tax policy, international trade, health care, and Social Security. He is the only Republican from Florida on the committee.
✓ verified Partially Corroborated Buchanan's car dealerships (Sarasota 500, Nissan of Elizabeth City) received between $2 million and $6 million in PPP loans during COVID-19; over $2.3 million was ultimately forgiven, according to the White House.
✓ verified Primary Source On November 16, 2017, Buchanan voted Yea on the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and purchased a 73-foot Ocean Alexander yacht (valued $1-5 million) the same day, financed by a loan of up to $5 million from BMO Harris Bank, which was lobbying the Ways and Means Committee on tax reform.
✓ verified Partially Corroborated Buchanan's net worth is estimated at approximately $260 million, primarily from automotive dealerships, reinsurance companies, and a charter-jet business, making him one of the wealthiest members of Congress.
✓ verified Primary Source In the 2025-2026 cycle (coverage through 09/30/2025), Buchanan raised $779,248.43 total receipts, including $244,659.98 from individuals and $491,509.50 from other committees (PACs).
✓ verified Partially Corroborated Career total raised (2005-2024): $31,965,430 with $1,467,267 cash on hand. Top industry: Real Estate ($2,157,286), followed by Health Professionals ($2,041,442) and Retired ($1,422,110).
All Connections (50)
donor primary since 2024
$10,000 to Vern Buchanan's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (3 contributions), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00000422/
← American Dental P. A. C. organization
donor primary since 2024
$5,000 to Vern Buchanan's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (1 contribution), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00000729/
donor primary since 2024
$7,000 to Vern Buchanan's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (2 contributions), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00000901/
donor primary since 2024
$5,000 to Vern Buchanan's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (2 contributions), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00001198/
donor primary since 2024
$5,000 to Vern Buchanan's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (1 contribution), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00002261/
donor primary since 2024
$5,000 to Vern Buchanan's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (2 contributions), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00002972/
donor primary since 2024
$10,000 to Vern Buchanan's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (5 contributions), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00004275/
donor primary since 2024
$5,000 to Vern Buchanan's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (2 contributions), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00004812/
donor primary since 2024
$10,000 to Vern Buchanan's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (3 contributions), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00005660/
donor primary since 2024
$10,000 to Vern Buchanan's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (3 contributions), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00006080/
donor primary since 2024
$5,000 to Vern Buchanan's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (1 contribution), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00007880/
donor primary since 2024
$5,000 to Vern Buchanan's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (1 contribution), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00007948/
donor primary since 2024
$10,000 to Vern Buchanan's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (3 contributions), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00008839/
donor primary since 2024
$5,000 to Vern Buchanan's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (1 contribution), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00009985/
donor primary since 2024
$10,000 to Vern Buchanan's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (3 contributions), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00010421/
donor primary since 2024
$10,000 to Vern Buchanan's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (2 contributions), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00010868/
donor primary since 2024
$8,000 to Vern Buchanan's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (3 contributions), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00010983/
donor primary since 2024
$10,000 to Vern Buchanan's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (2 contributions), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00012245/
donor primary since 2024
$10,000 to Vern Buchanan's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (2 contributions), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00012880/
donor primary since 2024
$5,000 to Vern Buchanan's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (2 contributions), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00022343/
donor primary since 2024
$10,000 to Vern Buchanan's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (4 contributions), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00030718/
← Aflac PAC (Aflac PAC) organization
donor primary since 2024
$5,000 to Vern Buchanan's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (2 contributions), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00034157/
donor primary since 2024
$7,500 to Vern Buchanan's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (3 contributions), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00035006/
donor primary since 2024
$10,000 to Vern Buchanan's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (2 contributions), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00039578/
donor primary since 2024
$10,000 to Vern Buchanan's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (3 contributions), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00040279/
← Metlife, Inc. PAC organization
donor primary since 2026
$5,000 to Vern Buchanan's principal committee in the 2026 cycle (1 contribution), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00040923/
donor primary since 2024
$10,000 to Vern Buchanan's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (2 contributions), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00040998/
donor primary since 2024
$5,000 to Vern Buchanan's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (2 contributions), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00064766/
donor primary since 2024
$10,000 to Vern Buchanan's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (3 contributions), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00064774/
donor primary since 2024
$5,000 to Vern Buchanan's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (1 contribution), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00067231/
← Eli Lilly And Company PAC organization
donor primary since 2026
$5,000 to Vern Buchanan's principal committee in the 2026 cycle (2 contributions), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00082792/
donor primary since 2024
$5,000 to Vern Buchanan's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (2 contributions), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00082917/
← Duke Energy Corporation PAC organization
donor primary since 2026
$5,000 to Vern Buchanan's principal committee in the 2026 cycle (2 contributions), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00083535/
donor primary since 2024
$5,000 to Vern Buchanan's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (1 contribution), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00089458/
← Honeywell International PAC organization
donor primary since 2024
$5,000 to Vern Buchanan's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (2 contributions), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00096156/
donor primary since 2024
$5,000 to Vern Buchanan's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (3 contributions), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00101105/
donor primary since 2024
$10,000 to Vern Buchanan's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (2 contributions), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00105981/
donor primary since 2024
$10,000 to Vern Buchanan's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (2 contributions), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00106146/
donor primary since 2024
$5,000 to Vern Buchanan's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (1 contribution), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00107136/
donor primary since 2024
$5,500 to Vern Buchanan's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (3 contributions), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00107615/
← At&T Inc. Federal PAC organization
donor primary since 2024
$6,500 to Vern Buchanan's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (4 contributions), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00109017/
donor primary since 2024
$5,000 to Vern Buchanan's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (2 contributions), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00109306/
donor primary since 2024
$5,000 to Vern Buchanan's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (1 contribution), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00110338/
donor primary since 2024
$5,000 to Vern Buchanan's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (1 contribution), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00113811/
donor primary since 2024
$10,000 to Vern Buchanan's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (2 contributions), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00118943/
donor primary since 2024
$5,000 to Vern Buchanan's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (3 contributions), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00127779/
donor primary since 2024
$10,000 to Vern Buchanan's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (2 contributions), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00130773/
donor primary since 2024
$7,500 to Vern Buchanan's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (4 contributions), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00140061/
donor primary since 2024
$10,000 to Vern Buchanan's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (3 contributions), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00144766/
donor primary since 2024
$10,000 to Vern Buchanan's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (3 contributions), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00147066/
Sources (25)
2026 UNVERIFIED Research: Vern Buchanan — Lobbying disclosures (no results) government_disclosure Processed 📜 Receipt
2026 UNVERIFIED Research: Vern Buchanan — Court records (no results) court_document Processed 📜 Receipt
2026 UNVERIFIED Research: Vern Buchanan — FEC donations (no results) fec_record Processed 📜 Receipt
2026 UNVERIFIED Research: Vern Buchanan — SEC filings (no results) sec_filing Processed 📜 Receipt
2026 UNVERIFIED Research: Vern Buchanan — Parliamentary records (no results) parliamentary_record Processed 📜 Receipt
— ↗ Constituency baseline: Ballot measure discovery_scope_note Processed 📜 Receipt
— ↗ Constituency baseline: Top employer congress_handoff Processed 📜 Receipt
— ↗ Constituency baseline: Top employer congress_handoff Processed 📜 Receipt
2026-04-23 UNVERIFIED SEARCH_ERROR: Vern Buchanan not found in fec claim_flag Processed 📜 Receipt