The Winner

If you live in Florida’s 9th Congressional District, Rep. Darren Soto (D-FL) will keep representing you after narrowly winning a sixth term in a district Republicans redrew to favor their party. The Associated Press called the race for Soto at 2:09 p.m. Eastern time on Tuesday, Nov. 10, a week after Election Day. ​

Soto has 143,314 votes (50.3%) to 141,808 (49.7%) for Republican Dan Green), a margin of 1,506 votes, with an estimated 99% of votes counted, according to Associated Press election results. That edge sits just above the 0.5% margin that triggers an automatic recount under Florida law, so no recount will take place, according to WUSF. Soto returns to a House where Democrats will hold the majority.

The Race

Florida’s Republican-led Legislature redrew the map this spring, stretching the district from Osceola County and parts of Orange and Polk counties south through Indian River, Okeechobee, Highlands and Glades counties, according to WGCU’s breakdown of the new districts. The new district voted 58% to 41% for the Republican presidential ticket in 2024, and the redraw ended its Hispanic majority, leaving it 41% Hispanic, according to Inside Elections. Soto won the old district in 2024 with 55.1%.

All three major raters favored Green going in: Cook Political Report and Sabato’s Crystal Ball rated the race Lean Republican, and Inside Elections rated it Likely Republican. Green, a Navy veteran from Vero Beach and former deputy assistant secretary of defense, won a seven-way Republican primary on Aug. 18 with 25.4%, edging Ben Butler by 587 votes, while Soto’s primary was canceled because no Democrat filed against him, according to Ballotpedia’s race page.

Soto held strong leads in Orange and Osceola counties, while Green ran better in Republican-leaning counties such as Indian River and Polk, according to Orlando Weekly. Soto said that despite the Legislature’s effort to redraw him out of the seat, his record of delivering for Florida showed voters he would fight for them.

What’s Next

Soto’s new term begins Sunday, Jan. 3, and Florida’s Elections Canvassing Commission is scheduled to certify the state’s results Tuesday, Nov. 17. In his election-night statement, Soto said voters across the new district had told him about rising costs for groceries, gas and health insurance.

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