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Florida's 9th Congressional District
Florida's 9th Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives is represented by Darren Soto (D).
As of the 2020 Census, Florida representatives represented an average of 770,376 residents. After the 2010 Census, each member represented 700,029 residents.
Elections
2024
See also: Florida's 9th Congressional District election, 2024
Florida's 9th Congressional District election, 2024 (August 20 Republican primary)
Florida's 9th Congressional District election, 2024 (August 20 Democratic primary)
General election
General election for U.S. House Florida District 9
Incumbent Darren Soto defeated Thomas Chalifoux and Marcus Carter in the general election for U.S. House Florida District 9 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Darren Soto (D) | 55.1 | 178,785 |
 | Thomas Chalifoux (R)  | 42.6 | 138,076 | |
 | Marcus Carter (No Party Affiliation) | 2.3 | 7,412 | |
| Total votes: 324,273 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
The Democratic primary election was canceled. Incumbent Darren Soto advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. House Florida District 9.
Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. House Florida District 9
Thomas Chalifoux defeated John Quiñones and Jose Castillo in the Republican primary for U.S. House Florida District 9 on August 20, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Thomas Chalifoux | 49.6 | 12,662 |
 | John Quiñones | 25.7 | 6,557 | |
 | Jose Castillo | 24.7 | 6,294 | |
| Total votes: 25,513 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Angel Rivera (R)
- Adianis Morales (R)
- Angel Coba (R)
- Lateresa Jones (R)
2022
General election
General election for U.S. House Florida District 9
Incumbent Darren Soto defeated Scotty Moore in the general election for U.S. House Florida District 9 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Darren Soto (D) | 53.6 | 108,541 |
 | Scotty Moore (R) | 46.4 | 93,827 | |
| Total votes: 202,368 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr. (Independent Party)
Democratic primary election
The Democratic primary election was canceled. Incumbent Darren Soto advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. House Florida District 9.
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. House Florida District 9
Scotty Moore defeated Jose Castillo, Adianis Morales, and Sergio Ortiz in the Republican primary for U.S. House Florida District 9 on August 23, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Scotty Moore | 55.9 | 16,971 |
| Jose Castillo | 24.8 | 7,537 | |
 | Adianis Morales | 13.1 | 3,969 | |
 | Sergio Ortiz | 6.3 | 1,900 | |
| Total votes: 30,377 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Becky E. Hites (R)
- Sam Farber (R)
- Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr. (R)
- Bill Olson (R)
- Alycia Barnard (R)
- Daniel Anthony (R)
2020
General election
General election for U.S. House Florida District 9
Incumbent Darren Soto defeated Bill Olson and Clay Hill in the general election for U.S. House Florida District 9 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Darren Soto (D) | 56.0 | 240,724 |
 | Bill Olson (R) | 44.0 | 188,889 | |
| Clay Hill (No Party Affiliation) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 25 | ||
| Total votes: 429,638 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Edgar Hernandez Reyes (Unaffiliated)
Democratic primary election
The Democratic primary election was canceled. Incumbent Darren Soto advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. House Florida District 9.
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. House Florida District 9
Bill Olson defeated Christopher Wright, Jose Castillo, and Sergio Ortiz in the Republican primary for U.S. House Florida District 9 on August 18, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Bill Olson | 48.6 | 20,751 |
 | Christopher Wright | 22.7 | 9,677 | |
| Jose Castillo | 20.1 | 8,595 | |
| Sergio Ortiz | 8.6 | 3,680 | |
| Total votes: 42,703 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
2018
General election
General election for U.S. House Florida District 9
Incumbent Darren Soto defeated Wayne Liebnitzky in the general election for U.S. House Florida District 9 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Darren Soto (D) | 58.0 | 172,172 |
 | Wayne Liebnitzky (R) | 42.0 | 124,565 | |
| Total votes: 296,737 (100.00% precincts reporting) | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for U.S. House Florida District 9
Incumbent Darren Soto defeated Alan Grayson in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Florida District 9 on August 28, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Darren Soto | 66.4 | 36,586 |
 | Alan Grayson | 33.6 | 18,528 | |
| Total votes: 55,114 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. House Florida District 9
Wayne Liebnitzky advanced from the Republican primary for U.S. House Florida District 9 on August 28, 2018.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | | Wayne Liebnitzky |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Sean Buchan (R)
2016
Heading into the election, Ballotpedia rated this race as safely Democratic. Incumbent Alan Grayson (D) did not seek re-election in 2016. Darren Soto (D) defeated Wayne Liebnitzky (R) in the general election on November 8, 2016. Soto defeated Susannah Randolph, Dena Grayson, and Valleri Crabtree in the Democratic primary, while Liebnitzky defeated Wanda Rentas to win the Republican nomination. The primary elections took place on August 30, 2016.[1][2]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic |  Darren Soto |
57.5% | 195,311 | |
| Republican | Wayne Liebnitzky | 42.5% | 144,450 | |
| Total Votes | 339,761 | |||
| Source: Florida Division of Elections | ||||
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Wayne Liebnitzky |
67.6% | 22,725 | ||
| Wanda Rentas | 32.4% | 10,911 | ||
| Total Votes | 33,636 | |||
| Source: Florida Division of Elections |
||||
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Darren Soto |
36.3% | 14,496 | ||
| Susannah Randolph | 28.2% | 11,267 | ||
| Dena Grayson | 27.8% | 11,122 | ||
| Valleri Crabtree | 7.7% | 3,093 | ||
| Total Votes | 39,978 | |||
| Source: Florida Division of Elections |
||||
2014
The 9th Congressional District of Florida held an election for the U.S. House of Representatives on November 4, 2014. Incumbent Alan Grayson (D) defeated Carol Platt (R) and Marko Milakovich (I) in the general election.
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Alan Grayson Incumbent |
54% | 93,850 | |
| Republican | Carol Platt | 43.1% | 74,963 | |
| Independent | Marko Milakovich | 2.9% | 5,060 | |
| Write-in | Leon Ray | 0% | 5 | |
| Total Votes | 173,878 | |||
| Source: Florida Division of Elections | ||||
2012
The 9th District of Florida held an election for the U.S. House of Representatives on November 6, 2012. Democrat Alan Grayson won the election in the district.[3]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Alan Grayson |
62.5% | 164,891 | |
| Republican | Todd Long | 37.5% | 98,856 | |
| Total Votes | 263,747 | |||
| Source: Florida Secretary of State "Official Election Results, 2012 General Election" | ||||
2010
On November 2, 2010, Gus Bilirakis won re-election to the United States House. He defeated Anita de Palma (D) in the general election.[4]
| U.S. House, Florida District 9 General Election, 2010 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican | Gus M. Bilirakis incumbent |
71.4% | 165,433 | |
| Democratic | Anita de Palma | 28.6% | 66,158 | |
| Total Votes | 231,591 | |||
2008
On November 4, 2008, Gus Bilirakis won re-election to the United States House. He defeated Bill Mitchell (D) and Richard O. Emmons (Term Limits for the United States Congress Party) in the general election.[5]
| U.S. House, Florida District 9 General Election, 2008 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican | Gus M. Bilirakis incumbent |
62.8% | 216,591 | |
| Democratic | Bill Mitchell | 36.6% | 126,346 | |
| Term Limits for the United States Congress Party | Richard O. Emmons | 0.6% | 2,042 | |
| Total Votes | 344,979 | |||
2006
On November 7, 2006, Gus Bilirakis won election to the United States House. He defeated Phyllis Busansky (D) and Andrew Pasayan (Write-in) in the general election.[6]
| U.S. House, Florida District 9 General Election, 2006 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican | Gus M. Bilirakis |
55.9% | 123,016 | |
| Democratic | Phyllis Busansky | 44.1% | 96,978 | |
| Write-in | Andrew Pasayn | 0% | 19 | |
| Total Votes | 220,013 | |||
2004
On November 2, 2004, Michael Bilirakis won re-election to the United States House. He defeated Andrew Passayan (Write-in) in the general election.[7]
| U.S. House, Florida District 9 General Election, 2004 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican | Michael Bilirakis incumbent |
99.9% | 284,035 | |
| Write-in | Andrew Passayan | 0.1% | 243 | |
| Total Votes | 284,278 | |||
2002
On November 5, 2002, Michael Bilirakis won re-election to the United States House. He defeated Chuck Kalogianis (D) and Andrew Passayan (Write-in) in the general election.[8]
| U.S. House, Florida District 9 General Election, 2002 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican | Michael Bilirakis incumbent |
71.5% | 169,369 | |
| Democratic | Chuck Kalogianis | 28.5% | 67,623 | |
| Write-in | Andrew Passayan | 0% | 16 | |
| Total Votes | 237,008 | |||
2000
On November 7, 2000, Michael Bilirakis won re-election to the United States House. He defeated Jon Duffey (Reform Party) in the general election.[9]
| U.S. House, Florida District 9 General Election, 2000 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican | Michael Bilirakis incumbent |
81.9% | 210,318 | |
| Reform Party | Jon Duffey | 18.1% | 46,474 | |
| N/A | Write-in | 0% | 2 | |
| Total Votes | 256,794 | |||
District map
Redistricting
2020-2024
On March 27, 2024, the U.S. District Court for Northern Florida upheld the state's congressional map after it was struck down by a lower court on Sep. 2, 2023. As a result, this map was used for Florida's 2024 congressional elections. According to the U.S. District Court for Northern Florida's order:
| “ | This case involves constitutional challenges to the congressional districting map proposed by Governor Ron DeSantis and enacted by the Florida Legislature in 2022 ... Plaintiffs had to prove both discriminatory effects and a discriminatory purpose. They proved neither. Thus, [we] concur in the decision to grant judgment in the Secretary’s favor.[10][11] | ” |
On December 1, 2023, the Florida First District Court of Appeal ruled 8-2 that the redistricting plan did not unconstitutionally limit Black voting power.[12] The plaintiffs appealed to the Florida Supreme Court, which heard arguments on September 12, 2024.[13]
On September 2, 2023, Leon County Circuit Court Judge J. Lee Marsh struck down enacted North Florida congressional districts and ordered the Legislature to redraw district boundaries.[14] On June 2, 2022, the Florida Supreme Court had declined to block Florida's enacted congressional map, which Governor Ron DeSantis (R) signed into law on April 22.[15]
The Florida First District Court of Appeal had reinstated the congressional district boundaries on May 20, overruling Leon County Circuit Court Judge Layne Smith's temporary hold on the map.[16][17] On May 11, Smith issued an order declaring Florida's enacted congressional map unconstitutional, saying, "The enacted map is unconstitutional under the Fair District amendment. It diminishes African-Americans’ ability to elect the representative of their choice." Smith also said a map drawn by a court-appointed special master should be substituted for the enacted map in the 2022 elections.[18] The plaintiffs in the case filed an emergency appeal with the Florida Supreme Court on May 23, 2022, seeking a hold on the enacted congressional map.[19]
DeSantis signed the original congressional map into law on April 22, 2022.[20] The map bill was proposed and approved by the Florida State Legislature during a special session called for the purposes of redistricting. The Florida State Senate voted 24-15 to approve the map on April 20, and the Florida House of Representatives voted 68-34 to approve the map on April 21.[21][22]
This was the second congressional map bill approved by the state legislature. DeSantis vetoed the first on March 29. Republican leaders in the legislature said on April 11 that they would wait to receive a map from DeSantis to support.[23] DeSantis submitted a map to the legislature on April 13, which became the enacted map.[24]
How does redistricting in Florida work? In Florida, both congressional and state legislative district lines are drawn by the state legislature. Congressional lines are adopted as regular legislation and are subject to gubernatorial veto. State legislative lines are passed via joint resolution and are not subject to gubernatorial veto. State legislative district maps are automatically submitted to the Florida Supreme Court for approval. In the event that the court rejects the lines, the legislature is given a second chance to draft a plan. If the legislature cannot approve a state legislative redistricting plan, the state attorney general must ask the state supreme court to draft a plan. There are no similar procedures in place for congressional districts.[25]
The Florida Constitution requires that all districts, whether congressional or state legislative, be contiguous. Also, "where doing so does not conflict with minority rights, [districts] must be compact and utilize existing political and geographical boundaries where feasible." Districts cannot be drawn in such a way as to "favor or disfavor a political party or incumbent."[25][26]
Florida District 9
until January 2, 2023
Click a district to compare boundaries.
Florida District 9
starting January 3, 2023
Click a district to compare boundaries.
2010-2011
In 2011, the Florida State Legislature re-drew the congressional districts based on updated population information from the 2010 census. Prior to redistricting the 9th District encompassed most of rural eastern Hillsborough County, northern parts of Pinellas County (including Clearwater) and the Gulf coast of Pasco County (including New Port Richey).
District analysis
- See also: The Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index
- See also: FiveThirtyEight's elasticity scores
2026
Heading into the 2026 elections, based on results from the 2024 and 2020 presidential elections, the Cook Partisan Voter Index for this district is D+4. This meant that in those two presidential elections, this district's results were 4 percentage points more Democratic than the national average. This made Florida's 9th the 175th most Democratic district nationally.[27]
2024
Heading into the 2024 elections, based on results from the 2020 and 2016 presidential elections, the Cook Partisan Voter Index for this district was D+8. This meant that in those two presidential elections, this district's results were 8 percentage points more Democratic than the national average. This made Florida's 9th the 140th most Democratic district nationally.[28]
Daily Kos calculated what the results of the 2020 presidential election in this district would have been following redistricting. Joe Biden (D) would have defeated Donald Trump (R) 58.2%-40.8%.[29]
2022
Heading into the 2022 elections, based on results from the 2020 and 2016 presidential elections, the Cook Partisan Voter Index for this district was D+8. This meant that in those two presidential elections, this district's results were 8 percentage points more Democratic than the national average. This made Florida's 9th the 140th most Democratic district nationally.[30]
Daily Kos calculated what the results of the 2020 presidential election in this district would have been following redistricting. Joe Biden (D) would have received 58.2% of the vote in this district and Donald Trump (R) would have received 40.8%.[31]
2018
Heading into the 2018 elections, based on results from the 2016 and 2012 presidential elections, the Cook Partisan Voter Index for this district was D+5. This meant that in those two presidential elections, this district's results were 5 percentage points more Democratic than the national average. This made Florida's 9th Congressional District the 172nd most Democratic nationally.[32]
FiveThirtyEight's September 2018 elasticity score for states and congressional districts measured "how sensitive it is to changes in the national political environment." This district's elasticity score was 1.02. This means that for every 1 point the national political mood moved toward a party, the district was expected to move 1.02 points toward that party.[33]
See also
- Redistricting in Florida
- Florida's 9th Congressional District election, 2024
- Florida's 9th Congressional District election, 2022
- Florida's 9th Congressional District election, 2020
- Florida's 9th Congressional District election, 2018
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Florida Department of State, "Candidate Listing for 2016 General Election," accessed June 25, 2016
- ↑ Politico, " Florida House Races Results," August 30, 2016
- ↑ Politico, "2012 Election Map, Florida," November 6, 2012
- ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 2, 2010," accessed March 28, 2013
- ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 4, 2008," accessed March 28, 2013
- ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 7, 2006," accessed March 28, 2013
- ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 2, 2004," accessed March 28, 2013
- ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 5, 2002," accessed March 28, 2013
- ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 7, 2000," accessed March 28, 2013
- ↑ United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida, "Common Cause Florida v. Byrd," March 27, 2024
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ CBS News, "Florida appeals court upholds congressional redistricting plan backed by Gov. Ron DeSantis," December 1, 2023
- ↑ Politico, "Florida’s high court poised to protect DeSantis’ congressional map that helps GOP," September 12, 2024
- ↑ Tampa Bay Times, "Judge rules against DeSantis in challenge to congressional map," September 2, 2023
- ↑ Florida Politics, "Florida Supreme Court declines to hear challenge to congressional map ahead of Midterms," June 2, 2022
- ↑ Orlando Sentinel, "Florida appeals court reinstates DeSantis’ congressional map," May 20, 2022
- ↑ Florida District Court of Appeal, First District, "Secretary of State Laurel Lee v. Black Voters Matter, et al.," May 20, 2022
- ↑ NBC News, "Florida judge says he’ll block DeSantis' congressional redistricting map," May 11, 2022
- ↑ Florida Supreme Court, "Black Voters Matter, et al. v. Cord Byrd, Florida Secretary of State," May 23, 2022
- ↑ Florida Politics, "Gov. DeSantis signs his congressional map into law," April 22, 2022
- ↑ Florida Politics, "Florida Senate passes Gov. DeSantis’ congressional map," April 20, 2022
- ↑ Florida Politics, "Legislature approves Gov. DeSantis’ controversial congressional redistricting map," April 21, 2022
- ↑ Tampa Bay Times, "Florida Legislature won’t draft new redistricting map, deferring to DeSantis," April 11, 2022
- ↑ Florida Politics, "Gov. DeSantis submits congressional redistristing plan critics contend is ‘partisan gerrymandering’," April 14, 2022
- ↑ 25.0 25.1 All About Redistricting, "Florida," accessed April 22, 2015
- ↑ Florida Constitution, "Article III, Sections 20-21," accessed April 22, 2015
- ↑ Cook Political Report, "2025 Cook PVI℠: District Map and List (119th Congress)," accessed July 1, 2025
- ↑ Cook Political Report, "The 2022 Cook Partisan Voting Index (Cook PVI℠)," accessed January 10, 2024
- ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2020 presidential results by congressional district, for new and old districts," accessed September 15, 2022
- ↑ Cook Political Report, "The 2022 Cook Partisan Voting Index (Cook PVI℠)," accessed February 6, 2023
- ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2020 presidential results by congressional district, for new and old districts," accessed September 15, 2022
- ↑ Cook Political Report, "Introducing the 2017 Cook Political Report Partisan Voter Index," April 7, 2017
- ↑ FiveThirtyEight, "Election Update: The Most (And Least) Elastic States And Districts," September 6, 2018
