James Pericola

James Pericola earned a high school diploma from Spruce Creek High School and bachelor's and law degrees from the Catholic University of America in 1997 and 2005, respectively. His career experience includes working as a lawyer.[1]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I’m a husband, a father, a son, an attorney, and someone who has spent more than 30 years working in and around public service. I was raised here in Central Florida and got my start working for Senator Bob Graham, who taught me that public service begins with showing up, listening carefully, and remembering who you work for. I modeled my career after those ideals, and served in the Clinton Administration, worked with Congress and federal agencies, and built a life out of bringing people together to solve difficult problems.

But the reason I am running is deeply personal. I moved home to care for my aging mother, and I have seen firsthand how difficult it can be for families to navigate our healthcare system, afford basic necessities, and get help from the same government that was built to serve each of us. My wife is an immigrant, and our family understands both the promise of the American Dream and the responsibility we have to protect it. I’m not running because I want to be part of Washington. I’m running because I know how Washington works, I know where it fails people, and I believe that experience should be put to task to fix what is broken. The people of District 11 deserve a Representative who listens, does the work, and never forgets who sent him there.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Affordability

Families across Central Florida are working harder than ever, yet the cost of housing, groceries, insurance, and utilities are rising faster than our paychecks. I am running because a full-time job should be enough to build a good life, and the government should work to make that a reality. In Congress, I will fight to create tax breaks for middle-class families, secure federal funding to address our housing crisis and lower property insurance costs, hold corporations accountable for price gouging, and end wasteful giveaways that reward companies while our neighborhoods fall behind. National economic growth should create security, stability, and opportunity for working people--not just larger profits for those at the top.Protecting Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid

Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are promises our government has made to seniors, families, people with disabilities, and working Americans who have paid into these programs. I will fight to reverse the devastating Medicaid cuts passed by Congress and protect Social Security and Medicare from benefit reductions, privatization, or political games. I will also work to lower prescription drug costs, protect long-term care, and strengthen access to doctors and hospitals, especially for seniors and rural communities. We should balance our priorities by cutting waste and corporate giveaway, not by taking health care or retirement security away from people who earned it and depend on it.Protecting our Democracy

Until today, in our nation's history, no one has woken up with fewer rights than they had the day before. Our democracy depends on every citizen having an equal voice and a government that follows the Constitution and the law. In Congress, I will fight to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, protect access to the ballot, and stop unfair mid-decade redistricting that weakens the political power of marginalized communities. I will also restore meaningful congressional oversight and hold any administration accountable when it ignores the law, abuses its authority, or threatens constitutional rights. Our leaders must put their oath to the Constitution ahead of party or personal power.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am most passionate about improving our health care system because I have seen its failures firsthand while caring for my aging mother. Moving home to help care for her changed the way I understand healthcare policy. I have watched how difficult it can be to coordinate appointments, manage medications, find reliable care, and navigate a system that too often leaves families exhausted and uncertain. No family should have to become an expert in a broken system just to make sure someone they love receives proper care. That experience drives my commitment to protect Medicare, restore Medicaid cuts, lower prescription drug costs, and make long-term care more accessible, affordable, and humane.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

As a young man, I was given an opportunity by Senator Bob Graham to serve as a special assistant. I traveled the state with him and saw firsthand how seriously he took public service. He made it a priority to shake every hand, look people in the eye, and truly listen. Then he made sure to follow up with every person he met. Learning from him is what pushed me toward a career in organizing, government, and public service. Senator Graham showed me that leadership is about doing your homework, staying connected to the people you represent, and earning their trust through consistent service. That is the example I follow.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Integrity, judgment, accountability, and a commitment to service are the most important qualities in an elected official. Voters deserve leaders who will tell them the truth, make difficult decisions, and take responsibility for the results. Throughout more than 30 years in public service, I have learned that experience only matters when it is used to solve problems for the people you represent. An elected official must listen, do the work, and put the public interest ahead of party, donors, or personal ambition.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Too often today, members of Congress act like commentators or wannabe celebrities instead of legislators, choosing clicks and television cameras over the difficult work of governing. Having worked in Washington, I understand that the core responsibilities of the office are straightforward: represent the people, legislate, and conduct meaningful oversight. That means showing up prepared, listening to constituents, writing and improving legislation, holding the executive branch accountable, and helping people navigate the federal government. Public office is not about building a brand. It is about service, solving problems, and remaining accountable to the people who sent you there.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I would like to leave behind a record of service that made people’s lives a little easier and restored some faith that government can still work for them. I do not need my name on a building. I want families to know they can afford healthcare, seniors to feel secure in the benefits they earned, and working people to believe their government sees them and is fighting for them. Most of all, I hope my children can look back and know that when our country was losing sight of who we are, I stepped forward, treated this office as a public trust, and did everything I could to leave it stronger than I found it.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

I grew up in a working-class family that lived on the margins - the polite way of saying we were dirt poor. Many nights, dinner was eggs, cereal, or sometimes sleep. My parents were hard workers, and I don’t share this to embarrass my mother or my late father, but because I know what it feels like when a family is doing everything right and still cannot make ends meet. That is the reality countless Americans are facing every day in Trump’s America.

We may not have had much money, but my parents gave me something far more valuable. They taught me the importance of integrity, humility, and that your word matters. Most of all, they taught me to stand up for what is right, regardless of the odds or the strength of the opposition. Those lessons shaped who I am, inspired me to become the first person in my family to attend college and later law school, and have guided me throughout my life.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Congressman Jim McGovern, Representative Rita Harris, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, City of Orlando Commissioner Tom Keen, former School Board Member Jennifer Jenkins, 2024 CD-11 Democratic Nominee Barbie Harden Hall