Martin Hyde is a British-born American businessman and political candidate based in Sarasota, Florida. He ran for U.S. Congress in 2022 and is now campaigning for the Florida State Senate.
A former professional soccer goalkeeper, he later built a career in office equipment sales.
Who is Martin Hyde?
Martin Hyde is a Sarasota businessman who ran for Florida’s 16th Congressional District in 2022. He lost that Republican primary to longtime incumbent Vern Buchanan.
Hyde built his business career running Gulf Business Systems, an office equipment company in Sarasota. Before that, he played professional soccer as a goalkeeper for Brighton and Southampton in England.
He gained national attention in 2022 after a viral video showed him threatening a police officer’s career during a traffic stop. In 2026, Hyde entered the race for Florida State Senate District 22 as an independent candidate.
Early Life of Martin Hyde
Hyde grew up in the Crystal Palace neighborhood of south London, England. He attended an all-boys Catholic school during his childhood.
His father hoped he would become a professional soccer player. Following that path, Hyde pursued goalkeeping instead of finishing his formal education.
He eventually gave up his athletic ambitions in the mid-1980s. After that, he joined his father’s office equipment company in London and worked his way up within the business.
Martin Hyde Age
Martin Hyde’s exact birth date is not publicly confirmed. Sarasota Magazine reported his age as 56 in 2022, which puts him around 60 years old as of 2026.
He was born in the United Kingdom before later relocating to the United States. Hyde has lived in Sarasota, Florida, for 27 years, according to his own campaign website.
Martin Hyde Ethnicity and Nationality
Hyde was born in the United Kingdom and holds British roots through his parents, who were from London. He has since become a naturalized citizen of the United States.
His campaign website describes him as a proud U.S. citizen who has called Sarasota home for 27 years. That dual background between England and Florida shapes much of his public identity today.
Martin Hyde Education
Hyde attended an all-boys Catholic school in south London as part of his early education. He left formal schooling as a teenager to pursue a professional soccer career.
His athletic path took priority over higher education during his youth. As a result, detailed information about any college or university attendance is not publicly confirmed.
Martin Hyde Career
Hyde’s career moved from professional sports to business and eventually into politics. Each phase took shape on a different continent.
Early Career
Hyde played as a goalkeeper for Brighton & Hove Albion in the early 1980s. He later played for Southampton before ending his soccer career in 1984.
His father had pushed him toward a soccer career for years. Still, Hyde chose to leave the sport and join the family’s office equipment business in London instead.
He worked his way up within that company over roughly a decade. By the mid-1990s, the company had gone public, which opened the door to a move across the Atlantic.
Major Positions Held
Hyde relocated to Sarasota, Florida, in the late 1990s. Soon after, he became president of Gulf Business Systems, a local office equipment company.
He built Gulf Business Systems into one of the longer-running firms of its kind in the Sarasota area. In fact, the company remained active for more than two decades under his leadership.
DEX Imaging acquired Gulf Business Systems in 2022. That sale came the same year Hyde launched his campaign for Congress.
Current Role
Hyde is now running for Florida State Senate District 22 as an independent candidate. He entered the race in 2026 to succeed term-limited state Senator Joe Gruters.
His platform centers on local control over development decisions in Sarasota and Manatee counties. On his campaign website, Hyde describes himself as a registered No Party Affiliation voter who answers to no political party or donor class.
He faces Republicans James Buchanan and Vic Rohe, along with Democrats Arianna O’Donnell and Lew Wasserman. Buchanan is the son of Vern Buchanan, the same congressman who defeated Hyde in 2022.
Martin Hyde Political Career and Notable Coverage
Hyde first sought public office in 2019, running for the Sarasota City Commission. He withdrew from that race after facing allegations of racism, which he denied, following an incident involving a teenager at a local club.
In 2022, Hyde ran for the U.S. House in Florida’s 16th Congressional District. He hired longtime Republican operative Roger Stone as a campaign consultant and received an endorsement from Michael Flynn.
Donald Trump ultimately endorsed Hyde’s opponent, incumbent Vern Buchanan. Hyde largely self-funded that campaign, loaning it more than $160,000 of his own money.
His congressional run drew national attention after a February 14, 2022 traffic stop in Sarasota. Police body camera footage showed Hyde telling officer Julia Beskin that she was “making career decisions” by ticketing him for speeding and texting while driving.
During the stop, Hyde also referenced Beskin’s immigration background, asking if her “Russian immigrant status” explained her conduct. The footage spread widely online and drew criticism from both the public and members of his own party.
Hyde published an apology in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune on February 25, 2022. He went on to lose the Republican primary to Buchanan on August 23, 2022.
Martin Hyde Wife
Hyde was previously married, and the couple divorced in 2010. He has not remarried since that separation.
His ex-wife accused him of domestic violence following their divorce. Hyde has denied those allegations, and they have not been proven in court.
He has since focused on raising his children and running his business and political campaigns. Hyde has described family as the central focus of his adult life.
Martin Hyde Children
Hyde is the father of four sons. He has spoken about each of them individually on his 2026 campaign website.
His eldest son serves as a sergeant with the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office. That son has served the community for twelve years.
His second son lives in Atlanta and was recently cast in a professional production of Les Misérables. Hyde’s second youngest son is a father himself, and Hyde has called his two granddaughters among the greatest joys of his life.
His youngest son graduated high school in the spring of 2026. That son plans to attend Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in the fall.
Beyond his sons, Hyde has also taken on other family caregiving roles. His mother lives with him under the support of 24 hour carers, and he remains involved in the care of his older brother, who lives in the United Kingdom with a learning disability.
Martin Hyde Net Worth
Martin Hyde’s estimated net worth is $5 million as of 2026. His wealth comes mainly from his decades running Gulf Business Systems before its 2022 acquisition by DEX Imaging.
He has also self-funded much of his political career. During his 2022 congressional run, Hyde personally loaned his campaign more than $160,000.
The Bottom Line
Hyde built Gulf Business Systems into a lasting Sarasota company before DEX Imaging acquired it in 2022, the same year he challenged Vern Buchanan for Congress. Before any of that, he played goalkeeper professionally for Brighton and Southampton in England.
He grew up in Crystal Palace, south London, and moved to Sarasota 27 years ago to build a new chapter of his life. Hyde is also a father of four sons and remains closely involved in caring for his mother and brother.
In 2026, Hyde entered the Florida State Senate District 22 race as an independent candidate seeking to succeed Joe Gruters. He continues to campaign across Sarasota and Manatee counties ahead of the upcoming election.
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