This article needs to be updated.(October 2020) |
Florida's 8th congressional district | |||
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Representative |
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Area | 2,412 [1] sq mi (6,250 km2) | ||
Distribution |
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Population (2022) | 801,682 [3] | ||
Median household income | $73,344 [4] | ||
Ethnicity |
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Cook PVI | R+11 [5] |
Florida's 8th congressional district is an electoral district for the U.S. Congress and was reassigned in 2012, effective January 2013, from the inland central part of Florida to the central Atlantic coast. The district includes Titusville, Melbourne, Cocoa, and Cape Canaveral, Florida. The district includes all of Brevard County, as well as all of Indian River County and parts of Orange County. The district also includes the Kennedy Space Center. [6] [7]
Currently, the residents of the Eighth District are represented by Republican Bill Posey who has held the seat since 2013.
Year | Office | Results |
---|---|---|
2000 | President | Bush 53 - 45% |
2004 | President | Bush 55 - 44% |
2008 | President | Obama 52 - 47% |
2012 | President | Romney 57 - 43% |
2016 | President | Trump 61 - 39% |
2020 | President | Trump 58 - 40% |
Incumbent Republican Bill McCollum (68.5%) won over Democrat Chuck Kovaleski (31.5%). McCollum, who previous served in FL-5 since 1981, was shifted to the 8th District after the redistricting.
Incumbent Republican Bill McCollum ran unopposed in the mid-terms. His re-election was part of the 1994 Republican Revolution.
Incumbent Republican Bill McCollum (67.47%) won easily over progressive Democrat and actor Al Krulick (32.52%).
Incumbent McCollum faced Krulick for the second time. McCollum won 66%-34%, a nearly identical margin from 1996. He won his seat for the tenth (and final) time. Despite some minor losses in the midterm for the GOP, McCollum was among the 15 Florida Republican incumbents who all won re-election.
Twenty year veteran Republican incumbent Bill McCollum retired from the seat, to run (unsuccessfully) for the open Senate seat in Florida. The open seat in District 8 would be fought between former Orange County Commission Chairwoman Linda Chapin (Democrat) and attorney Ric Keller (Republican).
Keller endured a rough primary, which went to a runoff between himself and state representative Bill Sublette. Sublette had received the most votes in the September 5th primary (43.41%), [8] but not enough to avoid a runoff. On October 3, Keller flipped the results, and won the two-man primary 51.94%-48.06%.
Chapin quickly raised over $1.4 million in campaign contributions, more than Sublette and Keller combined. In the general election, Chapin touted her public experience over Keller, who was political newcomer and a virtual unknown. Keller attacked Chapin as anti-gun rights, and for a record of fiscal irresponsibility. He famously cited her spending of $18,500 in county funds for a bronze sculpture of a frog.
Keller narrowly won the traditionally Republican-leaning district by a margin of 51% to 49%.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Ric Keller | 125,253 | 50.79 | |
Democratic | Linda Chapin | 121,295 | 49.19 | |
Write-ins | Charlie Klein | 39 | 0.02 | |
Write-ins | Clay O. Hill | 6 | 0.00 | |
Total votes | 246,593 | 100.00 | ||
Republican hold | ||||
After the 2001 Congressional re-apportionment, Florida's 8th District was redistricted from a near equal representation (Democrat-Republican) to one that included seven percent more Republicans than Democrats.
Keller readily won the 2002 Congressional election against Democrat Eddie Diaz, winning with 65% of the vote.
In 2004 Keller won his third term with 60% of the vote against Democratic challenger Stephen Murray.
In the 2006 election, Ric Keller was elected to his fourth two-year term, defeating Democrat Charlie Stuart, Independent Wes Hoaglund, and three write-in candidates.
Keller managed to hold on to his seat in the midst of a Democratic wave that was sweeping the country that November. Keller had been slipping in popularity, winning by lower margins in each election. He also had been mildly lampooned by local media with the nickname "Cheeseburger Ric," for introducing the so-called "Cheeseburger Bill" to the House floor in 2003 and again in 2005.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Ric Keller (inc.) | 95,258 | 52.79 | |
Democratic | Charlie Stuart | 82,526 | 45.73 | |
Independent | Wes Hoaglund | 2,640 | 1.46 | |
Write-ins | 20 | 0.01 | ||
Total votes | 180,444 | 100.00 | ||
Republican hold | ||||
Despite a prior pledge to serve only four terms, Congressman Ric Keller was running for his fifth term in the House of Representatives. Todd Long, a conservative Orlando attorney and radio talk show host, announced he would challenge Keller in the Republican primary, promising to make an issue of the broken term-limits pledge. [9] The Keller-Long primary fight intensified over the summer, with Keller's term limit retraction, as well as his vote against The Surge [10] making him increasingly vulnerable to defeat. However, just days before the August 26 primary, Keller sent out a mailer exposing Long's arrest record, a DUI, and another trespass warning. [11] Keller won the primary with a 53%-47% margin, [12] but his reputation took a hit, as many saw the mailer as a political "dirty trick".
Keller's Democratic opponent was attorney and progressive activist Alan Grayson, who emerged as the surprise victor of a large Democratic primary field which included moderate Democrat and long-time Central Florida political operative Charlie Stuart, attorney Mike Smith, engineer Alexander Fry, and recent law school graduate Quoc Van.
Grayson defeated Keller in the November general election receiving 52% of the vote, the same share as Barack Obama on the top of the ballot. Democratic activists in the district had mounted an aggressive campaign to register traditionally Democratic union workers and an increasing Hispanic (primarily Puerto Rican) demographic in the district. The general election was heated, with "mudslinging" and attack ads by both sides on television and in mailers. The race gained considerable national attention.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Alan Grayson | 172,854 | 52.0 | |||
Republican | Ric Keller (incumbent) | 159,490 | 48.0 | |||
Total votes | 332,244 | 100.00 | ||||
Democratic gain from Republican | ||||||
Freshman Democratic incumbent Alan Grayson ran unopposed for the nomination, while the Republican side was won by former State Senate Majority Leader and Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives Daniel Webster. After less than two years in congress, Grayson had become known as a firebrand liberal and outspoken critic on the House floor, often to the point of controversy even from members of his own party. GOP leaders early on targeted Grayson and this district, which had traditionally leaned republican, for challenge in the mid-term election.
Daniel Webster had initially rejected the suggestions by the Florida GOP to run for the seat, but in April 2010, he changed his mind and entered the race. Webster's name recognition and endorsements from Jeb Bush and Mike Huckabee helped him emerge as the front-runner. Webster won the GOP primary on August 24, 2010, defeating six other candidates, with 40% of the vote.
In the general election, Webster ran a traditional, conservative family values-based campaign. However, Grayson had a deep war chest fueled by a nationwide campaign fundraising network. [14] Grayson ran attack ads, calling Webster a "draft-dodger" [15] (Webster had received student deferments and a draft classification as medically unfit for service), [16] and another calling Webster "Taliban Dan" for his perceived extreme right religious views on social issues. [17]
Grayson's attack ads were criticized, [18] and observers suggest they ultimately backfired. [19] With just days left before voters went to the polls, Grayson was considered increasingly vulnerable to defeat. On election day, Webster defeated Grayson soundly by an 18-point margin, part of a sweeping 63-seat gain by House Republicans in the midterm election.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |||
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Republican | Daniel Webster | 123,464 | 56.13 | |||
Democratic | Alan Grayson (incumbent) | 84,036 | 38.20 | |||
Florida TEA Party | Peg Dunmire | 8,324 | 3.78 | |||
Independent | George Metcalfe | 4,140 | 1.88 | |||
No party | Steven Gerritzen (write-in) | |||||
Total votes | 219,964 | 100 | ||||
Republican gain from Democratic | ||||||
Previous incumbent Daniel Webster was redistricted to run instead for the 10th district. The "new" District 8 would comprise areas that formerly made up the 15th district.
Bill Posey, effectively running as the incumbent, won re-election with nearly 60% of the vote against Democratic nominee Shannon Roberts and non-partisan candidate Richard Gillmor. [20]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
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Republican | Bill Posey | 205,432 | 58.9 | |
Democratic | Shannon Roberts | 130,870 | 37.5 | |
No Party Affiliation | Richard Gillmor | 12,607 | 3.6 | |
Total votes | 348,909 | 100.0 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Bill Posey (incumbent) | 180,728 | 65.8 | |
Democratic | Gabriel Rothblatt | 93,724 | 34.2 | |
Independent | Christopher L. Duncan (write-in) | 61 | 0.0 | |
Total votes | 274,513 | 100.0 | ||
Republican hold | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Bill Posey (incumbent) | 246,483 | 63.1 | |
Democratic | Corry Westbrook | 127,127 | 32.6 | |
Independent | Bill Stinson | 16,951 | 4.3 | |
Total votes | 390,561 | 100.0 | ||
Republican hold | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Bill Posey (incumbent) | 218,112 | 60.5 | |
Democratic | Sanjay Patel | 142,415 | 39.5 | |
Total votes | 360,527 | 100.0 | ||
Republican hold | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Bill Posey (incumbent) | 282,093 | 61.4 | |
Democratic | Jim Kennedy | 177,695 | 38.6 | |
Total votes | 459,788 | 100.0 | ||
Republican hold | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Bill Posey (incumbent) | 222,128 | 64.9 | |
Democratic | Joanne Terry | 120,080 | 35.0 | |
Total votes | 342,208 | 100.0 | ||
Republican hold | ||||
From 1993 through 2012, the district was based inland within central Florida. It took in parts of Orange County (including Walt Disney World and most of Orlando), Lake County, Marion County and Osceola County.
In 2012, effective January 2013, the 8th district was reassigned to the Atlantic coast, with Brevard County and Indian River County, plus the east end of Orange County and Orlando. It is geographically the successor to the old 15th district.
Richard Anthony "Ric" Keller is an American politician, author, and lawyer who served as the U.S. representative for Florida's 8th congressional district from 2001 to 2009. His district included much of the Central Florida region including the Greater Orlando metropolitan area and Walt Disney World. He chaired the House Higher Education subcommittee and served on the Judiciary and Education committees. Today he is an author, speaker, TV commentator and attorney.
The 2006 United States House of Representatives elections were held on November 7, 2006, to elect members to the United States House of Representatives. It took place in the middle of President George W. Bush's second term in office. All 435 seats of the House were up for election. Those elected served in the 110th United States Congress from January 3, 2007, until January 3, 2009. The incumbent majority party, the Republicans, had won majorities in the House consecutively since 1994, and were defeated by the Democrats who won a majority in the chamber, ending 12 years of Republican control in the House.
Bill Sublette is a former Republican member of the Florida House of Representatives from 1993 to 2001.
Florida's 10th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Florida. It was reassigned in 2012, effective January 3, 2013, from the Gulf Coast to inland Central Florida. Before 2017, the district included parts of western Orange County, most of Lake County, as well as a northern section of Polk County. The current district is entirely within Orange County, and covers most of its western portion. It is situated along the Interstate 4 corridor. It includes most of the western half of Orlando. Other cities and towns wholly or partly within the district include Apopka, Belle Isle, Beulah, Eatonville, Harlem Heights, Ocoee, Oak Ridge, Orlo Vista, Winter Garden, and Windermere. In 2020, the district was expanded further north and south to include most of Orlando east of Interstate 4, the Baldwin Park area, Orlando Executive Airport, Winter Park, that portion of Maitland within Orange County, the Azaela Park, Goldenrod, Rio Pinar and Alafaya/Waterford Lakes areas, and continuing east to the University of Central Florida, Naval Support Activity Orlando, the Central Florida Research Park, and the Lake Pickett, Bithlo and Wedgefield areas. Even with this expansion, the 10th remains a minority majority district.
Florida's 15th congressional district is an electoral district for the U.S. Congress and is located in the northeastern suburbs of Tampa, including parts of Hillsborough, Pasco, and Polk counties. The district includes Plant City and Zephyrhills, as well as parts of Tampa city proper, Brandon, and Lakeland.
The 2006 United States House of Representatives Elections in Florida took place on November 7, 2006. Elections were held in Florida's 1st through 25th congressional districts.
Linda Welch Chapin is a politician in the U.S. state of Florida. She was the first chair of the Orange County Commission, an unsuccessful candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives, and Orange County's first mayor.
Thad Altman is a Republican politician who currently serves as a member of the Florida House of Representatives, representing parts of the Melbourne area in central Brevard County since 2016. Previously, he represented a similar area in the House from 2003 to 2008, and served in the Florida Senate from 2008 to 2016.
The 2008 United States House of Representatives Elections in Florida were held on November 4, 2008 to determine who would represent the state of Florida in the United States House of Representatives. Representatives are elected for two-year terms; those elected served in the 111th Congress from January 4, 2009 until January 3, 2011. The election coincided with the 2008 U.S. presidential election.
Alan Mark Grayson is an American politician who served as the U.S. representative for Florida's 8th congressional district from 2009 to 2011 and Florida's 9th congressional district from 2013 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was defeated for reelection in 2010 by Republican Daniel Webster; he was then reelected in 2012 for a second, non-consecutive term in the U.S. House of Representatives in another district, defeating Republican Todd Long.
The 2008 United States presidential election in Florida took place on November 4, 2008, and was part of the 2008 United States presidential election. Voters chose 27 representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.
The 2010 Florida gubernatorial election took place on November 2, 2010. Republican-turned-Independent incumbent Governor Charlie Crist chose not to run for a second term and he ran unsuccessfully for the Senate seat vacated by Mel Martínez. This resulted in an open race for Governor of Florida in which Republican Rick Scott narrowly defeated Democrat Alex Sink.
The 2010 United States House of Representatives Elections in Florida were held on November 2, 2010 to determine who would represent the state of Florida in the United States House of Representatives. Representatives are elected for two-year terms; those elected served in the 112th Congress from January 2011 until January 2013. Florida had twenty-five seats in the House, apportioned according to the 2000 United States census, but would soon gain two more congressional seats in 2012.
The 2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Florida were held on Tuesday, November 6, 2012 to elect the twenty-seven congressional representatives from the state, one from each of the state's twenty-seven congressional districts, a two-seat increase due to the 2010 United States census. The elections coincided with the elections of other federal and state offices, including a quadrennial presidential election, and a U.S. Senate election. The primary elections were held August 14, 2012.
The 2000 congressional elections in Florida were held on November 7, 2000, to determine who would represent the state of Florida in the United States House of Representatives. Representatives are elected for two-year terms; those elected served in the 107th Congress from January 3, 2001, until January 3, 2003. The election coincided with the 2000 United States presidential election.
The 2004 United States House of Representatives Elections in Florida were held on November 2, 2004 to determine who would represent the state of Florida in the United States House of Representatives. Representatives are elected for two-year terms; those elected served in the 109th Congress from January 3, 2005 to January 3, 2007. The election coincided with the 2004 U.S. presidential election as well as an election to the United States Senate.
The 2014 United States House of Representatives elections in Florida were held on Tuesday, November 4, 2014 to elect the 27 U.S. representatives from the state of Florida, one from each of the state's 27 congressional districts. The elections coincided with the elections of other federal and state offices, including Governor of Florida. There was no net party change, as Democrat Gwen Graham defeated Republican incumbent Steve Southerland in the 2nd district, while Republican Carlos Curbelo defeated Democratic incumbent Joe Garcia in the 26th district.
Michael Joseph Miller is an American Republican politician from Florida. He served two terms in the Florida House of Representatives, representing the 47th District, which includes Belle Isle, Edgewood, Orlando, and Winter Park in central Orange County, from 2014 to 2018.
The 2016 United States House of Representatives elections in Florida were held on Tuesday, November 8, 2016 to elect the 27 U.S. representatives from the state of Florida, one from each of the state's 27 congressional districts. The elections coincided with the elections of other federal and state offices, including President of the United States.
The 2018 United States House of Representatives elections in Florida were held on Tuesday, November 6, 2018, to elect the 27 U.S. representatives from the state of Florida, one from each of the state's 27 congressional districts. The elections coincided with the elections of other offices, including a gubernatorial election, other elections to the House of Representatives, elections to the United States Senate, and various state and local elections. The party primaries were held on August 28, 2018.
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