Mar 14, 2025Sponsored
HELPER Act of 2025
Summary not yet generated.
RepublicanFlorida · U.S. Representative
John
Rutherford
U.S. Representative for Florida
In office
9 yrsSince Jan 2017
Next election
2027Re-elected 2021
Age
73Born Sep 2, 1952
Party
Republican
What they stand for
Rutherford has spent time focused on a few core fights. Each is tied to bills actually introduced or votes actually cast.
- 01Supports federal protections for law enforcement officersRutherford has sponsored the Protect and Serve Act in multiple congresses, legislation directed at federal criminal penalties related to violence against law enforcement officers (HR.743, HR.1551). He has also sponsored the HELPER Act in multiple congresses, addressing benefits or support measures for law enforcement personnel (HR.3170, HR.2094). Both bills have drawn substantial cosponsor support across successive sessions.
- 02Supports federal protections for firearms licenseesRutherford sponsored the Federal Firearms Licensee Protection Act in both the 118th and 119th congresses (HR.2620, HR.1773). The legislation addresses federal protections for licensed firearms dealers, and both versions were referred to committee with cosponsors in the range of 50 to 99 members.
- 03Voted against the Never Again Education Reauthorization ActRutherford voted against S.3448, the Never Again Education Reauthorization Act of 2023, on final passage in the House. The bill became law, and his vote was recorded against the majority of his party on that measure.
Keep scrolling for the record, votes, and contact info
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01 · Background
Who they are, where they came from
John H. Rutherford represents Florida's 5th congressional district, encompassing southeast Jacksonville and all of St. Johns County, and has served in that role since January 3, 2017. A member of the Republican Party, Rutherford is a former law enforcement officer whose district is based in northeast Florida. He sponsors legislation in areas including law enforcement protections, firearms licensing, fisheries management, school safety, and immigration enforcement (HR.2094, HR.1551, HR.1773, HR.470, HR.6068, HR.2577).
02 · Recent significant work
What they’ve done lately
Feb 25, 2025Sponsored
Protect and Serve Act of 2025
Summary not yet generated.
Mar 3, 2025Sponsored
Federal Firearms Licensee Protection Act of 2025
Summary not yet generated.
May 10, 2023Sponsored
HELPER Act of 2023
Summary not yet generated.
Feb 2, 2023Sponsored
Protect and Serve Act of 2023
Summary not yet generated.
03 · What's coming up
Bills they’ll vote on next
Bills that have cleared committee and are heading for a floor vote. See all upcoming votes →
House·HR.1071Reported to floor
No Censors on our Shores Act of 2025
Would bar entry and allow deportation of foreign officials who suppressed U.S. citizens' speech.
House·HR.151Reported to floor
Equal Representation Act of 2025
Would base House seat apportionment on citizen population rather than total population.
House·HR.2071Reported to floor
Save Our Shrimpers Act
Would bar U.S. funds to international institutions financing foreign shrimp operations.
House·HR.2076Reported to floor
Lulu’s Law
Would require the FCC to explicitly authorize wireless emergency alerts for shark attacks.
House·HR.2159Reported to floor
Count the Crimes to Cut Act
Would require public databases listing all federal criminal statutory and regulatory offenses.
04 · Money
Where the campaign funds come from
PAC contributions account for 63.9% of Rutherford's $528K in cycle receipts, with individuals making up the remaining 36.1% — nearly all itemized. Top PAC contributors include Swisher International Inc PAC Fund, General Dynamics Corporation Political Action Committee, Space Exploration Technologies Corp. PAC, and Airbus Group, Inc. PAC. Top employer concentrations among individual donors include Eastland Partners, The Stellar Group, ATS Communications, Inc., ClearPath Action, and Palantir Technologies. Outside spending totaled $669K supporting Rutherford, with Police and Trooper Support PAC ($363K) and Support America's Police PAC ($306K) accounting for all of it; no notable outside spending opposed him.
Total raised · 2026
$528K
Cash on hand
$407K
Spent
$299K
By source
- Individuals$190K · 36.1%
- PACs$338K · 63.9%
Individual donor mix
Small-donor share (under $200)0.2%
Top PAC contributors
- SWISHER INTERNATIONAL INC PAC FUNDFEC ↗$10K
- UNITED STATES SUGAR CORPORATION EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP PLAN PAC,FEC ↗$5K
- SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES CORP. PACFEC ↗$5K
- GENERAL DYNAMICS CORPORATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEEFEC ↗$5K
- DEFENDING THE AMERICAN DREAM PACFEC ↗$5K
- AIRBUS GROUP, INC. PACFEC ↗$5K
- SALTCHUK RESOURCES INC PACFEC ↗$5K
- NATIONAL PROPANE GAS ASSOCIATION PACFEC ↗$5K
- NATIONAL APARTMENT ASSOCIATION PACFEC ↗$5K
- MOTOROLA SOLUTIONS, INC. PACFEC ↗$5K
Top employer concentrations
- EASTLAND PARTNERS$11K· 3 donors
- THE STELLAR GROUP$7K· 2 donors
- ATS COMMUNICATIONS, INC$7K· 2 donors
- CLEARPATH ACTION$7K· 2 donors
- PALANTIR TECHNOLOGIES$7K· 2 donors
Self-reported employer data. Categories like “Retired” and “Not Employed” are excluded — these reflect demographic patterns rather than industry concentrations.
Every claim on this page links to a public source. We don’t tell you whether John Rutherford is a good or bad official— that’s your call. We just make the facts easy to find.