Rochford: Declassification of Election Interference Underscores Need for SAVE Act and Proven Leadership in FL-14

Four days after President Donald Trump announced the declassification of intelligence revealing Chinese interference in U.S. elections from 2020 to 2026 and demanded passage of the SAVE America Act, retired Navy Capt. and Commodore Rocky Rochford said Florida's 14th Congressional District needs a representative prepared to deliver the President's agenda in one of the narrowest House majorities in modern history.

"The President made it clear that election integrity is a national security issue. He declassified intelligence showing China accessed voter files, attempted to manufacture ballots, and targeted our election systems for years. This is exactly the kind of threat I spent my career tracking across three numbered fleets and multiple combatant commands. The SAVE America Act is not just an election integrity bill. It is a national security imperative," Rochford said.

Rochford is the only Republican in FL-14 to have won a congressional primary, earning nearly 60% in a four-way race in 2024 before posting the strongest general election challenge in Kathy Castor's 20-year career. A recent St. Pete Polls survey showed Castor defeating both self-funded Republican opponents tested. The poll did not test Rochford. "She is not afraid of former state reps. She is afraid of Rochford," his campaign stated.

Rochford contrasted his record with opponents Kevin Steele, a registered Democrat turned Republican who cycled through four races in seven months across three offices after a failed $5 million CFO bid, and Mike Beltran, who quit his state House seat mid-career and invested $1 million of his own money while raising just $79,000 from actual donors.

"The Florida House has operated under a Republican super-majority for 30 years. Congress doesn't. President Trump needs members who can build consensus when the margin is razor-thin," Rochford said. He noted that candidates claiming to champion election integrity should have their own voter registration practices in order.

His 33-year Navy career included command of 13 ships, service at CENTCOM at MacDill Air Force Base, combat operations across the Middle East, and the evacuation of 15,008 Americans from Lebanon. "If a bill I wrote becomes law under someone else's name, that is a win for FL-14 and a win for the country. This is about results, not credit. That is Mission over Ambition," he said.