Daniel Webster

Daniel Alan Webster (born April 27, 1949) is an American politician and businessman serving as the U.S. representative for Florida's 11th congressional district since 2017. A member of the Republican Party, he first entered Congress in 2011. He represented from 2011 to 2017 (numbered as the 8th district during his first term). Before his congressional service, he served 28 years in the Florida legislature. He was the first Republican Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives since Reconstruction.

After receiving his engineering degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology, Webster worked in the family air conditioning and heating business he now owns and operates. He has been a resident of Florida since the age of seven and resides in Clermont. First elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 1980 and the Florida Senate in 1998, Webster is the longest-serving legislator in Florida history. He was raised in Orlando, Florida, where his family moved when Webster was seven, upon a doctor's recommendation that a change of climate might cure Webster's sinus problems.

Florida House of Representatives

Elections Webster first ran for the Florida House in 1979 at age 30. He had been working on a project with his church to convert a residential house into a place for Sunday school to be conducted. When the Orange County commissioners rejected the church's request for a zoning exception, Webster investigated and found that the county commission had rejected every zoning exemption request brought before them by a church or religious organization. Seeking to rectify what he thought was an injustice, Webster ran for public office after finding no politician who shared his displeasure with local and statewide government. In the runoff, he defeated Barbara Owens, 54%–46%. In the general election, he defeated Democratic State Representative Henry Swanson 51%–49%, a difference of just 2,070 votes. The race came down to one precinct, Webster's own Pine Hills, which he won. In 1984, he was reelected to a third term over fellow State Representative Dick Batchelor, 54%–46%.

Florida Senate

Elections Webster ran unopposed for the Florida Senate in Florida's 12th and 9th Senate Districts. He served until reaching the term limit in 2008.

Tenure

In 2002, Webster unsuccessfully tried for the position of Senate president.

On November 2, 2010, Webster won the seat, 56% to 38%.

2016 Representative Daniel Webster speaks on Memorial Day at Veterans Memorial Park in The Villages, Florida.

Due to a series of court-ordered re-drawings that made the 10th substantially more Democratic, Webster announced he would run in the 11th district instead. The district's incumbent, fellow Republican Rich Nugent, was retiring. Webster had previously represented much of the redrawn 11th's eastern portion, around Ocala and the Villages. He opted to maintain his residence in Clermont, within the borders of the 10th; members of Congress are required only to live in the state they wish to represent. Webster won the Republican primary 60%–40% over Justin Grabelle. He defeated Democratic nominee Dave Koller, 65%–32%.

2018

Webster ran for reelection in 2018 for the 11th District. No Republican candidates opposed Webster, so he advanced to the general election. Webster defeated Democratic nominee Dana Cottrell, 65%–35%.

2020

Webster ran for reelection in 2020 for the 11th District. No Republican candidates opposed Webster, so he advanced to the general election, again defeating Cottrell by a similar margin (67%–33%).

2022

Webster ran for reelection in 2022 for the 11th District. The boundaries of the district were redrawn by the 2020 redistricting cycle. The 11th was pushed to the east to grab part of Orange County. The reconfigured district included Webster's new home in Winter Garden, and was described as "Safe R" or "Solid R" by numerous outlets. Webster faced a primary challenger in far-right activist Laura Loomer. Webster managed to hold off the challenge and won the nomination by a close margin of 51%–44%. In the general election, Webster easily defeated Democrat Shante Munns by 63%–35%.

Missed votes Webster has missed 5.2% of roll-call votes during his tenure in Congress, which is worse than the median of 1.9% for members serving in Congress, according to GovTrack, a nonpartisan government watchdog group.

Webster did not vote on President Donald Trump's second impeachment.

Webster did not vote on H.Res 503, the measure that established the January 6 Select Committee.

Tenure Webster's main platform in the 2010 election was a call for smaller, streamlined government, spending cuts, budget roll backs, and tax cuts. He also said he would increase the protection of personal rights and encourage financial responsibility in the federal government.

On September 28, 2015, Webster announced that he was running again for Speaker of the House to replace John Boehner. He received 43 votes in the House GOP Conference. Still, most members of the Freedom Caucus who voted for him in conference honored their pledge to support Ryan on the House floor, and Webster received nine votes in the final tally.

Despite not being a candidate in the 2017 speakership election, Webster received one vote from Thomas Massie of Kentucky.

In April 2026, Webster announced his retirement from Congress following the 2026 United States elections, explaining that "the time has come to pass the torch to the next conservative leader".

Committee assignments For the 118th Congress: Committee on Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Committee on Science, Space, and Technology Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation (Chairman) Subcommittee on Highways and Transit Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment

2004 U.S. Senate election

Webster briefly ran for the United States Senate in 2004 when he attempted to collect the 93,000 signatures necessary to place his name on the ballot without paying the filing fee. Webster claimed that he sought to be the first Senate candidate to ever qualify by this method as a symbolic gesture and a way to build an early network of voters.

Gun law Webster supports allowing gun owners to carry concealed firearms across state lines where concealed carry is legal. In 2017, he voted for H.J.Res.40, which successfully used the Congressional Review Act to block implementation of an Obama-era amendment to the NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007 that was aimed at preventing the mentally impaired from legally purchasing firearms.

In 2015–2016, Webster accepted $1,000 in direct campaign contributions from the NRA Political Victory Fund. From 2004 to 2018, he accepted $37,881 from NRA sources. Webster has an "A" rating from the NRA, generally indicating a voting record that supports gun rights.

LGBT rights

Webster has a "0" rating from the Human Rights Campaign regarding his voting record on LGBT-related matters. He co-sponsored the First Amendment Defense Act. He does not support same-sex marriage.

Social issues

Abortion

Webster opposes abortion under all circumstances. He believes the current tax code is "punishing taxpayers" and is broken. He says the 2017 act "allows Americans to keep more money in their pockets, ends lobbyist loopholes and special-interest exemptions, and makes everyone play by the same rules." He says "the majority" of his constituents will be "among the biggest winners in the nation" due to the new tax policies.

Veterans Webster voted against the Honoring our PACT Act of 2022 which expanded VA benefits to veterans exposed to toxic chemicals during their military service.

Donald Trump Texas v. Pennsylvania In December 2020, Webster was one of 126 Republican members of the House of Representatives to sign an amicus brief in support of Texas v. Pennsylvania, a lawsuit filed at the United States Supreme Court contesting the results of the 2020 presidential election, in which Joe Biden defeated incumbent Donald Trump. The Supreme Court declined to hear the case on the basis that Texas lacked standing under Article III of the Constitution to challenge the results of an election held by another state.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued a statement that called signing the amicus brief an act of "election subversion." She also reprimanded Webster and the other House members who supported the lawsuit: "The 126 Republican Members that signed onto this lawsuit brought dishonor to the House. Instead of upholding their oath to support and defend the Constitution, they chose to subvert the Constitution and undermine public trust in our sacred democratic institutions." New Jersey Representative Bill Pascrell, citing section three of the 14th Amendment, called for Pelosi to not seat Webster and the other Republicans who signed the brief supporting the suit, arguing that "the text of the 14th Amendment expressly forbids Members of Congress from engaging in rebellion against the United States. Trying to overturn a democratic election and install a dictator seems like a pretty clear example of that."

Second impeachment Webster did not cast a vote regarding the second impeachment of Donald Trump on January 13, 2021, due to a "family medical obligation".

Personal life Webster is a Southern Baptist and attends First Baptist Church of Central Florida. He is on the University of Central Florida board of trustees.