Lew Wasserman, a Lakewood Ranch Democrat, is running for Florida State Senate District 22 in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. He faces Republican James Buchanan and Martin Hyde, who has no party preference.

Asked why he is running, Wasserman said in our candidate questionnaire, "I believe government should work for the people it serves. … Florida is facing serious challenges: skyrocketing property insurance and housing costs, rapid growth that is straining our infrastructure, threats to our water and environment, and an increasing concentration of power in Tallahassee at the expense of local communities."

Candidate information

Residence: Lakewood Ranch, Florida.

Family: "I live in Lakewood Ranch with my wife Lucy and am proud to call the Sarasota-Manatee community home," Wasserman said in our questionnaire. "I do not have children of my own, but family, education, and the well-being of future generations have always been important to me."

Education: "While working, I attended law school at night and earned my Juris Doctor from St. John's University School of Law," Wasserman said in our questionnaire. "Prior to commencing my public-school career, I earned a Ph.D. in Clinical/School Psychology at Hofstra University."

Party: Democrat.

Previous elected office: "I have not previously held elected public office," Wasserman said in our questionnaire. He said he has served as acting chair of the Manatee County Democratic Committee and as a member of the Manatee County Democratic Executive Committee.

Campaign finances: Wasserman loaned his campaign $60,000, putting his campaign treasury at nearly $61,700 as of July 11, 2026, according to the Venice Gondolier. He reported a net worth of $2.8 million as of May 7, 2026, including a home worth $1.15 million and more than $1 million in stocks, IRAs and other savings and investment accounts, according to his public financial disclosure filing as reported by the Suncoast Searchlight.

Experience and public service

Wasserman described his background in our questionnaire: "I am an attorney and educator whose career has crossed law, public education, public policy, and administration. I practiced law for more than 30 years, with work involving public education, labor and management issues, disability rights, civil rights, and constitutional law."

He has not held elected office. He said he served as an assistant superintendent in a public school district and later joined the University of Texas faculty, where he said he "taught graduate courses including constitutional law, public policy, educational leadership, and civil liberties."

On the issues

Home rule and local control: Wasserman said in his Manatee Chamber of Commerce questionnaire that he supports returning home rule to Sarasota-Manatee residents. He said he opposes state preemption laws, including the Florida Live Local Act, which he said forces automatic approval of large apartment towers without public hearings, and SB 180, which he said blocks counties from passing tougher land-use and wetland protections.

Infrastructure: Wasserman said in his chamber questionnaire that his priorities include levying local impact fees requiring developers to pay for roads and schools their projects demand, expanding multi-modal transit including high-speed rail and local bus networks, modernizing wastewater management and hardening flood infrastructure.

Property insurance: Wasserman said in his chamber questionnaire that he supports stabilizing the property insurance market by hardening homes against storm damage, strengthening building codes with state-funded mitigation retrofits and building rigorous oversight of insurance companies.

Endorsements

Wasserman has received the following endorsement, according to a Facebook post by the endorser:

  • Equality Florida Action PAC

Wasserman filed for the race on June 3, 2026, and qualified on June 9, 2026, by paying the qualifying fee, according to the Florida Division of Elections.