redrawn FL – Ricky Booth says he is exploring a run for Florida’s redrawn 9th Congressional District, setting up a potential showdown with Rep. Darren Soto.
A potential Republican primary and general-election showdown is starting to take shape in Florida’s 9th Congressional District as Osceola County Commissioner Ricky Booth says he is exploring a run for the seat.
Booth. a Republican. confirmed to Misryoum that he is “exploring” a bid in the newly redrawn CD 9. a district reshaped under a map proposed by Gov.. Ron DeSantis and approved by the Florida Legislature.. The timing matters because the district is currently represented by Democratic U.S.. Rep.. Darren Soto. meaning any serious effort to recruit new challengers could quickly turn into a high-stakes test of party strength in Central Florida.
At the core of the political debate is how the redistricting plan changes the district’s electorate.. Under the current CD 9. the voting record in recent presidential results showed stronger support for Donald Trump than for Democrat Kamala Harris. though Soto still won reelection with a solid margin.. Misryoum notes that the proposed map would shift the partisan balance further toward Trump. while also redistributing a Hispanic population that voters would now be placed across multiple neighboring districts rather than concentrated within CD 9.
For Democrats, that kind of recalibration is precisely what makes the next steps crucial. Soto has already indicated he plans to support a legal challenge to the new map, underscoring how legal and political strategies are becoming intertwined in the run-up to the election.
The geographic changes in the proposed district add another layer to the calculus for candidates.. The redrawn CD 9 would cover a broad footprint. including major parts of Kissimmee and Orlando International Airport. then extending south into counties such as Glades and to Okeechobee. while also reaching east into all of Indian River County.. For a candidate, that sprawling geography can influence everything from campaign logistics to how issues resonate across communities.
Booth’s political background also puts him in the frame of a campaign aimed at turning local name recognition into congressional momentum.. He comes from a prominent Osceola County ranching family and previously served on the Osceola County School Board before winning election to the county commission in 2020 and securing a second term four years later.. Misryoum also notes that he is married to state Rep.. Erika Booth. a fellow Republican who won a 2024 race by defeating Democratic incumbent Tom Keen. and that both previously worked through local education governance.
Meanwhile, Booth is not the only Republican who has been associated with interest in the seat.. Misryoum reports that before the new map took effect. multiple candidates had already filed. including Thomas Chalifoux. Gregory Carter. Jorge Malavet. Howard Rance and Justin Story. with additional potential contenders emerging as the redistricting outcome becomes clearer.
This is the kind of moment redistricting can create, where party strategy, legal posture, and candidate recruitment collide.. If Booth moves from exploring to launching a campaign. Florida’s 9th Congressional District could become one of the most closely watched battlegrounds as the district’s new lines force everyone to adjust. fast.