Florida's 8th congressional district

"FL 8" redirects here. For the state road, see Florida State Road 8.

Florida's 8th congressional district
Current Representative		Bill Posey (R–Rockledge)
Cook PVI	R+8

Florida's 8th congressional district is a congressional district in the state of Florida. The district includes all of Brevard County (including the Kennedy Space Center), as well as all of Indian River County and parts of Orange County. Currently, the residents of the Eighth District are represented by Republican Bill Posey who has held the seat since 2013.

Historic boundaries

From 1993 to 2013 the district was based in central Florida. It took in parts of Orange County (including Walt Disney World and most of Orlando), Lake County, Marion County and Osceola County.

The district from 2003 to 2013

List of representatives

Representative	Party	Years	District home	Notes
District created January 3, 1953
Donald R. Matthews	Democratic	January 3, 1953 – January 3, 1967
William C. Cramer	Republican	January 3, 1967 – January 3, 1971		Redistricted from the 12th district
Bill Young	Republican	January 3, 1971 – January 3, 1973		Redistricted to the 6th district
James A. Haley	Democratic	January 3, 1973 – January 3, 1977		Redistricted from the 7th district
Andy Ireland	Democratic	January 3, 1977 – January 3, 1983		Redistricted to the 10th district
Bill Young	Republican	January 3, 1983 – January 3, 1993		Redistricted from the 6th district, Redistricted to the 10th district
Bill McCollum	Republican	January 3, 1993 – January 3, 2001		Redistricted from the 5th district
Ric Keller	Republican	January 3, 2001 – January 3, 2009
Alan Grayson	Democratic	January 3, 2009 – January 3, 2011
Daniel Webster	Republican	January 3, 2011 – January 3, 2013		Redistricted to the 10th district
Bill Posey	Republican	January 3, 2013 –		Redistricted from the 15th district

Voting

Election results from presidential races
Year	Office	Results
2008	President	Obama 52 - 47%
2004	President	Bush 55 - 44%
2000	President	Bush 53 - 45%

Election results

2000 election

Four-term incumbent Bill McCollum retired from the seat, to run (unsuccessfully) for the open Senate seat in Florida. The open seat in District 8 would be fought between former Orange County Commission Chairwoman Linda Chapin (Democrat) and attorney Ric Keller (Republican). Keller endured a rough primary, which went to a runoff between himself and state representative Bill Sublette.

Chapin quickly raised over $1.4 million in campaign contributions, more than Sublette and Keller combined. In the general election, Chapin touted her public experience over Keller, who was political newcomer and a virtual unknown. Keller attacked Chapin as anti-gun rights, and for a record of fiscal irresponsibility. He famously cited her spending of $18,500 in county funds for a bronze sculpture of a frog.

Keller narrowly won the traditionally republican-leaning district by a margin of 51% to 49%.[1]

2002

After the 2001 Congressional re-apportionment, Florida's 8th District was redistricted from a near equal representation (Democrat-Republican) to one that included seven percent more Republicans than Democrats.

Keller readily won the 2002 Congressional election against Democrat Eddie Diaz, winning with 65% of the vote.

2004

In 2004 Keller won his third term with 60% of the vote against Democratic challenger Stephen Murray.

2006 election

Main article: United States House of Representatives elections in Florida, 2006

In the 2006 election, Ric Keller was elected to his fourth two-year term, defeating Democrat Charlie Stuart, Independent Wes Hoaglund, and three write-in candidates.

Keller managed to hold on to his seat in the midst of a Democratic wave that was swept the country that November. Keller had been slipping in popularity, winning by lower margins in two consecutive elections. He also had been mildly lampooned by local media with the nickname "Cheeseburger Ric," for introducing the "Cheeseburger Bill" to the house floor in 2003 and again in 2005.

Florida's 8th congressional district election, 2006
Party		Candidate	Votes	Percentage
	Republican	Ric Keller (inc.)	95,258	52.79%
	Democratic	Charlie Stuart	82,526	45.73%
	Independent	Wes Hoaglund	2,640	1.46%
	Write-ins		20	0.01%
Totals			180,444	100.00%
	Republican hold

2008 election

Main article: United States House of Representatives elections in Florida, 2008

Despite a prior pledge to serve only four terms, Congressman Ric Keller was running for his fifth term in the House of Representatives. He narrowly defeated Orlando attorney and local radio talk show host Todd Long in the Republican primary election held on August 26, 2008. His Democratic opponent was attorney and millionaire businessman Alan Grayson, who emerged as the surprise victor of the Democratic primary field which included moderate Democrat and long-time Central Florida political operative Charlie Stuart, attorney Mike Smith, engineer Alexander Fry, and recent law school graduate Quoc Van.

Grayson defeated Keller in the November election receiving 52% of the vote, the same share as Barack Obama on the top of the ballot. Democratic activists in the district had mounted an aggressive campaign to register traditionally Democratic union workers and an increasing Hispanic (primarily Puerto Rican) demographic in the district.

Florida's 8th congressional district election, 2008
Party		Candidate	Votes	Percentage
	Democratic	Alan Grayson	172,854	52.0%
	Republican	Ric Keller (incumbent)	159,490	48.0%
Totals			332,244	100.00%
	Democratic gain from Republican

2010 election

Main article: Florida's 8th congressional district election, 2010

Freshman Democrat incumbent Alan Grayson ran unopposed for the nomination, while the Republican side was won by former State Senate Majority Leader and Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives Daniel Webster. After less than two years in congress, Grayson had become known as a firebrand liberal and outspoken critic on the House floor, often to the point of controversy even from members of his own party. GOP leaders early on targeted Grayson and this district, which had traditionally leaned republican, for challenge in the mid-term election.

Webster ran a traditional, conservative family values-based campaign. However, Grayson had a deep war chest fueled by a nationwide campaign fundraising network. Grayson ran attack ads, calling Webster a "draft-dodger" (Webster had received student deferments and a draft classification as medically unfit for service), and another calling Webster "Taliban Dan" for his perceived extreme right religious views on social issues.

Grayson's attack ads were criticized, and observers suggest they ultimately backfired, making him increasingly vulnerable to defeat. On election day, Webster defeated Grayson soundly by an 18-point margin, part of a 63-seat gain by House Republicans in the midterm election.

General Election
Party		Candidate	Votes	Percentage
	Republican	Daniel Webster	123,464	56.13%
	Democratic	Alan Grayson	84,036	38.20%
	Florida TEA Party	Peg Dunmire	8,324	3.78%
	Independent	George Metcalfe	4,140	1.88%
	No party	Steven Gerritzen (write-in)		%
Totals			219,964	100%
	Republican gain from Democratic

2012 election

Main article: United States House of Representatives elections in Florida, 2012

Previous incumbent Daniel Webster was redistricted to run instead for the 10th district. The "new" District 8 would comprise of areas that formerly made up the 15th district.

Bill Posey, effectively running as the incumbent, won re-election with nearly 60% of the vote against Democratic nominee Shannon Roberts and non-partisan candidate Richard Gillmor.

References

• Martis, Kenneth C. (1989). The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company. 
• Martis, Kenneth C. (1982). The Historical Atlas of United States Congressional Districts. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company. 
• Congressional Biographical Directory of the United States 1774–present