Candidate Jose Antonio Stoute, Florida Senate District 40

Jose Antonio Stoute is the Democratic candidate for Florida Senate District 40 in the general election on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. His campaign describes him as a physician, an infectious disease specialist, a retired U.S. Army colonel and a professor. The district covers all of Monroe County and part of Miami-Dade County. Stoute faces Republican incumbent Ana Maria Rodriguez and Ramiro Orta, who has no party affiliation.

At a Glance

Office: Florida State Senator
District: Senate District 40, which covers all of Monroe County and part of Miami-Dade County
Party: Democratic (DEM)
Incumbent: No
Opponents on the ballot: Ana Maria Rodriguez (REP, incumbent), Ramiro Orta (NPA)
Campaign website: electstoute.org

Background

Stoute’s campaign website presents him as a doctor and public servant and says his campaign rests on practical leadership and public service. Its stated goal is to make Florida work for families, seniors, veterans, students and small businesses.

The Miami-Dade Democratic Party, which has endorsed him, gives more detail about his career. The party says he served in the Army for more than 20 years and deployed to Iraq twice. On one deployment he was deputy commander of a combat support hospital in Mosul, and he received the Bronze Star. The party also says he did malaria research in Africa, worked on vaccine development, taught medicine for years and owns a small business. According to the party, he attended Miami Dade College and then earned his medical degree at the University of Miami.

A physician directory listing shows that Stoute completed his residency at Emory University’s affiliated hospitals and an infectious disease fellowship at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. The listing says he is board-certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine.

Stoute has not held elected office. The research for this profile found no record that he had run for office before.

In Their Own Words

Stoute’s campaign website lays out his platform in short statements. Here are three of them:

“Keep politics out of healthcare, protect sound medical decision-making, and keep children safe through vaccination.”

Jose Stoute campaign, electstoute.org

“Keep politics out of the classroom and university boardroom.”

Jose Stoute campaign, electstoute.org

“Lower costs and relieve the burden on working families, seniors, students, and small businesses.”

Jose Stoute campaign, electstoute.org

The research for this profile found no published interviews with Stoute and no news stories quoting him directly.

Where He Stands on the Issues

Stoute’s campaign uses the slogans “Leadership. Service. Results.” and “Make Florida work for you again.” His website lists six issue areas:

Inclusion: Build a Florida where every family, senior, student, veteran and worker has a fair chance to succeed.
Education: Keep politics out of classrooms and university boards. Educators and parents, the site says, should guide what children learn and how.
Health care: Keep politics out of medical decisions and promote childhood vaccination. The Ballot Brief also lists “keeping politics out of medical decision-making” among his priorities.
Immigration enforcement: Under the heading “Leave ICE out of Florida,” the campaign says it would protect communities from enforcement based on fear and keep the state focused on safety, opportunity and dignity.
Legal immigration: Work toward a fair legal immigration system that works and supports families, communities and the state economy.
Affordability: Lower costs for working families, seniors, students and small businesses.

In its endorsement, the Miami-Dade Democratic Party says Stoute wants more workforce housing, better transportation in South Dade, wider access to affordable health care, stronger protections for homeowners’ insurance customers, and higher pay for teachers.

About the District

Senate District 40 covers all of Monroe County, including the Florida Keys, and part of Miami-Dade County. The Miami-Dade Democratic Party describes it as South Miami-Dade plus the Keys. Wikipedia puts the 2023 population at about 538,600 and says roughly 70% of residents are Hispanic. Issues before the district’s senator include growth limits and land conservation in the Keys, state funding for South Dade cities, and statewide costs such as homeowners insurance.

What This Office Does

The Florida Senate is the upper chamber of the Legislature. Under the state constitution, senators serve staggered four-year terms, and the regular session lasts no more than 60 consecutive days unless both chambers vote to extend it. Senators write and vote on state laws, approve the state budget and confirm many of the governor’s appointees.

The Race

The official Miami-Dade general election ballot lists three candidates for State Senator, District 40:

Ana Maria Rodriguez, REP
Jose Antonio Stoute, DEM
Ramiro Orta, NPA

Rodriguez has held the District 40 seat since 2022 and was first elected to the Senate in 2020. Before that she served a term in the Florida House and eight years on the Doral City Council. She chairs the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee. As of September 2026, the Ballot Brief had found no campaign website or published platform for Orta. The South Dade News Leader’s roundup of the Aug. 18 primary did not include a primary in this race.

How to Vote

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. The Miami-Dade Elections Department will run early voting at 28 sites from Monday, Oct. 19, through Sunday, Nov. 1, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day. Requests for a vote-by-mail ballot must arrive by 5 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 22. Completed mail ballots must reach the elections department by 7 p.m. on Election Day. District 40 voters in Monroe County should check with the Monroe County Supervisor of Elections for local schedules. Sample ballots and polling places are available from Miami-Dade Elections.

Community Leadership Alliance is nonpartisan and does not endorse candidates. This profile is based on public records, candidate statements and news coverage, including the South Dade News Leader. Candidates who wish to submit corrections may contact us through our Contact page.