Debra Tendrich

FL House — District 89

South Palm Beach County

Incumbent

★★★★☆

123 / 165 points

Integrity & Legal Record

Professional & Business Transparency

Policy & Platform Consistency

Community Engagement & Character

Campaign Transparency

Issue-Based Positions

Incumbent (moved to Florida in 2012; lives in Lake Worth; Jewish; founder, Eat Better Live Better (2016); domestic-violence survivor who fled her abuser in 2012 with her daughter; sponsored HB 277 ("pain into policy" legislation), passed unanimously in both chambers; assumed office 11/5/2024; named 2026 "Florida Elected Official of the Year" by the Florida Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers; endorsed by the Florida PBA, Palm Beach County PBA, Florida Fraternal Order of Police, and Palm Beach County/Florida Professional Firefighters; unopposed in the D primary, running in the general election against the winner of the Buongiorno/Higgins R primary)

Last updated: 2026-08-14

Every candidate is researched identically across six categories using only public records and candidate-submitted information. No candidate is endorsed. Read the full methodology.

Integrity & Legal Record 25 / 25

Criminal History

`[NOT FOUND — searched: nationwide Google/news search "Debra Tendrich" arrested OR convicted OR indicted — 2026-08-14]`. No adverse findings. Her documented history as a domestic-violence survivor reflects victimization by a third party, not adverse to her.

Sources:

Nationwide Google/news search — 2026-08-14 — no adverse matches

Civil Court History

`[NOT FOUND — searched: nationwide Google/news search "Debra Tendrich" lawsuit OR litigation — 2026-08-14]`. No adverse civil litigation found.

Sources:

Nationwide Google/news search — 2026-08-14 — no adverse matches

Ethics Violations

No ethics complaints found.

Sources:

Google/news search: "Debra Tendrich" ethics complaint — 2026-08-14 — no adverse matches
Florida Commission on Ethics — https://ethics.state.fl.us/Complaints/Complaints.aspx — 2026-08-14

Campaign Finance Violations

`[NOT FOUND — searched: nationwide Google/news search "Debra Tendrich" campaign finance violation — 2026-08-14]`. No violation records found.

Sources:

Nationwide Google/news search — 2026-08-14 — no adverse matches

Residency Confirmed

Documented resident of Lake Worth, FL (Palm Beach County, within HD-89).

Sources:

Wikipedia; Ballotpedia — 2026-08-14

Survey cross-reference could not be independently completed this pass despite her "Responded" survey status — recommend cross-referencing her actual survey answers in a follow-up pass.

Professional & Business Transparency 22 / 25

Business Ownership

Tendrich is Founder of Eat Better Live Better, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit she launched in 2016 combating childhood obesity and food insecurity through nutrition education and access to fresh produce; the organization has worked with approximately 5,000 youth/parents/teachers and partners with FAU, Lynn University, and Everglades University. `[Sunbiz primary-source confirmation NOT COMPLETED — search.sunbiz.org unresponsive this session]`. No personal for-profit business was identified.

Sources:

Eat Better Live Better (eblb.org) — "Debra Tendrich" — 2026-08-21
Boca Raton Observer — "Nonprofit Eat Better Live Better Fosters Wellness In Palm Beach County" — 2026-08-21

⚠️ REVIEW FLAG — Sunbiz confirmation not completed; recommend a manual recheck of Eat Better Live Better's nonprofit registration.

Financial Conflicts of Interest

No government-contract overlap identified. A childhood-nutrition nonprofit has no apparent nexus to state legislative contracting authority; no evidence was found of state funding to the organization (unlike the Lauren's Kids pattern documented for a different candidate).

Sources:

Nationwide Google/news search: "Debra Tendrich" "Eat Better Live Better" state funding grant — 2026-08-21 — no matches found

Bankruptcy History

`[NOT FOUND]`. No personal or business bankruptcy filings located.

Sources:

CourtListener (courtlistener.com) — search "Debra Tendrich" — 2026-08-21 — 0 results

Tax Liens

`[NOT FOUND]`. No federal or state tax lien records located. Per this project's standing methodology, tax liens are inconsistently indexed online, so this absence of results is not presented as a confirmed clean record.

Sources:

CourtListener (courtlistener.com) — search "Debra Tendrich" — 2026-08-21 — 0 results (same search covers both given the total absence of results)

Board Memberships

`[NOT FOUND — searched: nationwide Google/news search "Debra Tendrich" board member/director nonprofit, beyond her own Eat Better Live Better role already documented above — 2026-08-21]`. No outside corporate or nonprofit board membership identified.

Sources:

Nationwide Google/news search — 2026-08-21 — no additional matches

⚠️ TOOLING BLOCK: Sunbiz unresponsive this session; recommend a manual recheck of Eat Better Live Better's nonprofit registration.
Survey cross-reference could not be independently completed this pass despite her "Responded" survey status.

Policy & Platform Consistency 20 / 20

Voting Record

Tendrich is an incumbent (since 11/5/2024) with an active and substantive legislative record. She passed three bills in 2025, including two supporting a West Palm Beach firefighters' pension fund and a survivor-inspired measure (HB 277, already documented in her profile summary) that the Legislature unanimously approved in March, significantly strengthening safeguards for victims of domestic and dating violence — directly informed by her own experience as a domestic-violence survivor. She also co-sponsored more than a dozen additional bills the Legislature approved, spanning healthcare, veterans' issues, housing, land conservation, and education. She received a Legislative Appreciation Award from the Florida League of Cities. `[A comprehensive floor-vote history beyond sponsored/co-sponsored legislation was NOT independently compiled this pass.]`

Sources:

Florida Politics — "Debra Tendrich celebrated with Legislative Appreciation Award from Florida League of Cities" — 2026-08-21
flhouse.gov — Rep. Debra Tendrich, Sponsored Bills (2025, 2025B, 2025C, 2026 sessions) — 2026-08-21

Position Consistency

`[No documented position shifts were identified across her tenure — searched: nationwide Google/news search — 2026-08-21]`. Her legislative focus (domestic-violence protections, firefighter/first-responder support, veterans, housing) is directly consistent with her publicly stated personal background and platform.

Sources:

Nationwide Google/news search — 2026-08-21 — no adverse matches

Flip-Flops

`[NOT FOUND — searched: nationwide Google/news search "Debra Tendrich" flip-flop reversed position controversy — 2026-08-21]`. No documented policy reversal was identified.

Sources:

Nationwide Google/news search — 2026-08-21 — no matches

Endorsements

Received: A broad, well-documented coalition — Florida PBA, Palm Beach County PBA, Florida Fraternal Order of Police, Palm Beach County Professional Firefighters and Paramedics Local 2928, Florida Professional Firefighters (AFL-CIO), Florida Realtors PAC, Ruth's List Florida, and at least 17 additional endorsers documented across multiple campaign cycles. `[Endorsements given — NOT FOUND — 2026-08-21]`.

Sources:

Florida Politics — "Law enforcement, labor, firefighters back Debra Tendrich for re-election to HD 89" — 2026-08-21
Florida Politics — "'An incredible advocate': Debra Tendrich adds 17 more endorsers to HD 89 bid" — 2026-08-21
Florida Politics — "Ruth's List Florida endorses Jackie Gross-Kellogg, Debra Tendrich for House" — 2026-08-21

None this pass.
Survey cross-reference could not be independently completed this pass despite her "Responded" survey status.

Community Engagement & Character 19 / 25

Community Involvement

Tendrich has a sustained, documented, in-person community record predating her legislative career: founder of Eat Better Live Better (2016, already documented in Category 2), and her lived experience as a domestic-violence survivor directly informed her sponsorship of HB 277 (already documented in Category 3). She was named 2026 "Florida Elected Official of the Year" by the Florida Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers — independent third-party recognition of her public-service record.

Sources:

Florida Chapter, National Association of Social Workers — 2026 award announcement (cross-referenced from profile summary) — 2026-08-24

Veteran / First Responder Service

`[NOT FOUND — Tendrich has not served in the military herself — searched: nationwide Google/news search "Debra Tendrich" military veteran — 2026-08-24]`. She is a documented member of the Palm Beach County Democratic Veterans Caucus — public advocacy/affiliation, not personal service — alongside her broad law-enforcement/firefighter endorsement coalition (already documented in Category 3).

Sources:

Nationwide Google/news search — 2026-08-24 — confirms Veterans Caucus membership, not personal service

None — factual absence of personal service; caucus membership noted as advocacy affiliation.

Faith-Based Involvement (scored on character consistency)

Confirmed Jewish, and a documented member of the Florida Legislative Jewish Caucus — a specific, verifiable affiliation beyond mere self-identification. Her stated values (survivor advocacy, nutrition/health access) are directly consistent with her documented legislative and nonprofit record; no contradictions identified.

Sources:

Nationwide Google/news search — 2026-08-24 — confirms Jewish Caucus membership

Debates / Town Halls

`[No documented debate/town hall invitations or appearances for the 2026 general election were found this pass — searched: nationwide Google/news search "Debra Tendrich" HD-89 debate 2026 — 2026-08-24]`. She is unopposed in her primary and faces the winner of the Buongiorno/Higgins R primary in November.

Sources:

Nationwide Google/news search — 2026-08-24 — no matches

⚠️ REVIEW FLAG — No debate coverage found; recommend a follow-up closer to November.

Social Media Presence & Consistency

Active official/campaign presence via Facebook (@debraforhouse, @dtendrich). `[A full manual review of her last 90 days of posts was NOT performed this pass — 2026-08-24]`. No inflammatory or contradictory content was surfaced in general search.

Sources:

Facebook — "Debra Tendrich for Florida House, District 89" — 2026-08-24

⚠️ REVIEW FLAG — Full manual 90-day audit not performed; recommend direct platform review if full certainty is required.

⚠️ REVIEW FLAG: No debate coverage or full social-media audit completed this pass; recommend follow-up closer to November.
Survey cross-reference could not be completed this pass despite her "Responded" survey status.

Campaign Transparency 16 / 25

Top Donors / Donor Composition

Tendrich raised close to $67,000 for her successful 2024 campaign (July 2023–October 2024). `[Current 2026 re-election-cycle totals and donor composition NOT FOUND this session — searched: Florida Division of Elections — 2026-08-26]`. She is unopposed in the 2026 Democratic primary.

Sources:

Florida Politics — "Debra Tendrich first to qualify for HD 89 race, vows to 'serve all Floridians' if elected" — 2026-08-26

None — data gap, not adverse.

PAC / LLC / Funneling Structures

`[NOT FOUND — searched: Florida Division of Elections — 2026-08-26]`. ⚠️ CROSS-REFERENCE: her documented law-enforcement/firefighter endorsements (Florida PBA, PBC PBA, FOP, PBC/Florida Professional Firefighters) are organizational endorsements, not confirmed as PAC financial contributions to her campaign.

Sources:

Cross-referenced from her candidate profile summary — 2026-08-26

Advertising Spend

`[NOT FOUND — searched: Florida Division of Elections expenditure reports — 2026-08-26]`.

Sources:

Nationwide Google/news search — 2026-08-26 — no matches

Grassroots Engagement

`[No documented door-knocking, phone-banking, or in-person voter-contact ground game located — searched: nationwide Google/news search "Debra Tendrich" HD-89 campaign volunteer 2026 — 2026-08-26]`. Her personal domestic-violence-survivor advocacy story (HB 277) and 2026 "Florida Elected Official of the Year" recognition reflect substantive public engagement, though distinct from a documented campaign ground game.

Sources:

Nationwide Google/news search — 2026-08-26 — no matches

Donations to Political Figures

`[NOT FOUND — searched: Florida Division of Elections, nationwide Google/news search — 2026-08-26]`.

Sources:

Nationwide Google/news search — 2026-08-26 — no matches

Recommend a follow-up Florida Division of Elections direct-record check for current 2026 totals.
Survey cross-reference could not be completed this pass despite a survey response being on file — the specific relevant questions (Q33-35) were not cross-checked this session.

Issue-Based Positions 21 / 40

2A Rights Score

Ran on a promise to "tackle gun violence" as a legislative priority.

Sources:

Florida Politics — "Debra Tendrich beats Daniel Zapata, keeps open HD 89 seat blue" — 2026-08-26

Pro-Life / Pro-Family Score

Ran on a promise to "fight for abortion protections"; no explicit all-trimester or taxpayer-funding statement was located this session.

Sources:

Florida Politics — as above — 2026-08-26

Fiscal Conservatism Score

`[NO STATED POSITION FOUND on broad tax/spending policy — scored 3 per protocol — sources searched: AFP, Club for Growth, CATO, campaign website — 2026-08-26]`.

Sources:

Nationwide Google/news search — 2026-08-26 — no matches

Parental Rights Score

`[NO STATED POSITION FOUND — scored 3 per protocol — sources searched: Moms for Liberty, campaign website — 2026-08-26]`.

Sources:

Nationwide Google/news search — 2026-08-26 — no matches

Election Integrity Position

`[NO STATED POSITION FOUND — scored 3 per protocol — sources searched: campaign website, nationwide news search — 2026-08-26]`.

Sources:

Nationwide Google/news search — 2026-08-26 — no matches

Housing / Insurance Position

Has advocated to repeal a 2023 Florida law placing sweeping limits on consumer lawsuits, which she has characterized as "anti-consumer" and "gift-wrapped for insurance companies" — a position favoring greater litigation exposure for insurers over the existing liability-limiting framework.

Sources:

Florida Politics — as above — 2026-08-26

Education / School Choice Position

`[NO STATED POSITION FOUND — scored 3 per protocol — sources searched: Parents Defending Education, campaign website — 2026-08-26]`.

Sources:

Nationwide Google/news search — 2026-08-26 — no matches

Environment / Everglades Position

`[No specific PBC water-quality/Everglades position located, though she serves on the Natural Resources & Disasters Subcommittee — scored 3 per protocol — sources searched: campaign website, nationwide news search — 2026-08-26]`.

Sources:

flhouse.gov — committee assignments — 2026-08-26

Scores reflect the project's confirmed scoring philosophy; documented positions are consistent with a mainstream Democratic platform.
Survey cross-reference could not be completed this pass — no survey response is on file for this candidate.

Other candidates in this race — FL House — District 89

Cathy Higgins (REP)View the full FL House — District 89 race page →

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