Candidates emerge to challenge Polk County US Reps. Soto, Webster in 2024 U.S. House races
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Candidates are multiplying in two of the four congressional districts that touch Polk County.
As of Monday, six candidates had filed for the chance to challenge Rep. Darren Soto, D-Kissimmee, next year in U.S. House District 9. Rep. Daniel Webster, R-Clermont, already faces five potential opponents in District 11.
No candidates had filed as of Monday to challenge Rep. Laurel Lee, R-Tampa, in District 15, or Rep. Scott Franklin, R-Lakeland, in District 18.
Which districts?
District 9 previously encompassed much of eastern Polk County. Following redistricting last year, the district covers a much smaller section in the Poinciana area. It also contains Osceola County and part of Orange County.
Soto, a former state legislator, first gained election to Congress in 2016 and has been re-elected three times.
District 11 includes Polk County north of Lakeland, parts of Orange and Lake counties and all of Sumter County. Webster has served in the U.S. House since 2011.
District 9 candidates
One of Soto’s challengers, Republican John Quinones of Kissimmee, is a former Florida legislator. He served in the state House from 2002 to 2007 and was succeeded by Soto.
Quinones, reportedly the first Puerto Rican Republican state legislator, left the Florida House to launch a successful campaign for the Osceola County Commission. He ran for the U.S. House in District 9 in 2012 and finished second in the Republican primary.
Scotty Moore, an Orlando Republican whom Soto beat by 7.2 percentage points last year, has filed to run again. The other Republican candidates are Angel Luis Coba and Sergio Ortiz, both of Kissimmee; Adianis Morales of Osceola County; and Lateresa Ann Jones, whose filing lists an Ocala address.
Soto has about $209,000 in available campaign funds, according to the Federal Election Commission. None of the challengers has reported more than $2,000 in available money.
Big money flows to Lakeland's Colleen Burton, some from companies and groups outside Fla.
District 11 candidates
Anthony Sabatini, a former Florida legislator, is among three Republicans who have filed to challenge Webster in the primary. Sabatini, also from Lake County, ran for Congress in District 7 last year, placing second in the Republican primary.
Sabatini, the chairman of the Lake County Republican Party, often clashed with Republican leaders during his two terms in the Florida House.
The other Republicans in the race are Steve Farley of Tavares and John McCloy of Mount Dora.
Ralph Groves of Winter Garden has filed to run as a Libertarian, and Christopher Alcantara of Lady Lake is running with no party affiliation.
Webster’s campaign has $111,000 in available cash, according to his most recent FEC report. Sabatini has a financial advantage, having raised more than $204,000 and spent about $34,000.
None of the other candidates has yet reported any campaign contributions.
Challenging Lori Edwards State Rep. Melony Bell to run for Polk supervisor of elections
When are the elections?
Primary elections will take place Aug. 20, 2024. The general election is scheduled for Nov. 5, 2024.
Gary White can be reached at gary.white@theledger.com or 863-802-7518. Follow on Twitter @garywhite13.
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Polk County Reps. Soto, Webster face multiple rivals in US House races
