Republican incumbent Daniel Webster beat back a tighter than anticipated primary challenge from far-right candidate Laura Loomer to win the primary. He now faces Democrat Shante Munns, who was unopposed, on Nov. 8.

A career politician, Webster served 28 years in the Florida legislature as both a state representative and senator (with terms as Speaker of the House and Senate Majority Leader). He was elected to Congress as part of the Tea Party wave in 2010.

One of Webster’s “top priorities” according to an Oct. 5 statement on his website, is taking care of his constituents. He announced that since January, his office has interceded with the IRS, Veterans Affairs and Social Security and other agencies to retrieve $3.7 million in delayed benefits and payments for constituents.

Webster got his SPEED (Small Project Efficient and Effective Disaster) Recovery Act through Congress the day after Hurricane Ian hit Fort Myers. The act expedites the disaster recovery process. His Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act of 2021, which helps streamline the authorization process for Medicare Advantage plans, passed the House in September.

A hardline conservative, Webster voted against most of President Biden’s agenda. In September, he co-sponsored the Protect the UNBORN (Undo the Negligent Biden Orders Right Now) Act to countermand Biden’s executive order protecting reproductive rights. In the same month, he also co-sponsored the Pharmacist Conscience Protection Act that would allow pharmacists to opt out of filling prescriptions for abortion medications.

“This bill makes it clear that pharmacists are not forced to violate their beliefs or convictions,” said a Sept. 14 statement on his website.

Webster believes the FBI has become political under Democratic administrations. He signed on to a letter to the FBI, accusing the agency of political bias in carrying out the Freedom of Access to Clinics (FACE) Act, which prohibits vandalizing abortion clinics or or intimidating people seeking abortions. The signatories demanded data on the number of investigations into anti-abortion pregnancy centers and places of worship. Webster also released a statement that condemned the court-sanctioned search of Mar-a-Lago to retrieve classified documents that former president Trump still had in his possession, calling it ‘troubling” and “unprecedented."

[Editor’s Note: FBI Director Christopher Wray was appointed by former President Trump.]

Recently, Webster joined with his fellow House Republicans to file a public objection to the Department of Education’s proposed rule changes to Title IX. Title IX ensures equal access for girls and women to education, athletics and scholarship opportunities at federally funded elementary, secondary and post-secondary schools. The changes clarify protections against sex discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual assault and discrimination, including against LGBTQ and pregnant students and employees. Webster and Republicans objected to this, saying the changes to the statute were being used “as a way to promote progressive gender ideology.”

As we updated this voting guide in mid-October, Webster announced on his website that he had co-sponsored the Stop the Sexualiztion of Children Act of 2022, which aims to prohibit “sexually oriented” programming, events or literature for children under 10 at any venue that accepts federal funding. “Sexually oriented” was defined as sexual activity as well as “any topic involving sexual orientation, gender identity, gender dysphoria, or related subjects.” This could include events like drag queen story hours in libraries. The law would allow parents to file lawsuits.

Webster was one of 147 Republicans who voted to overturn the results of the 2020 election* the day after the Jan. 6 Capitol Riot.

Webster’s campaign did not respond to multiple requests for interviews.

**The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued a statement on Nov. 12, 2020, that the 2020 election was “the most secure in American history.” The Department of Homeland Security attested to the election’s security. The Jan. 6 Committee presented video testimony from former U.S. Attorney General William Barr who testified that he told former president Trump that his election fraud claims were “bullshit.”