Spotlight on the FL 8th Congressional District

Republican Winner, Daniel Webster
Florida's 8th Congressional District is located in central Florida and covers most of Orlando and its suburbs, including Walt Disney World. Florida Attorney General and gubernatorial candidate Bill McCollum (R) held this seat from 1983-2001. Democrat Alan Grayson, controversial for his over the top comments (e.g. claiming that the Republican health care plan would cause people to get sick and die), unseated three term Republican Ric Keller in a close 2008 contest. Grayson has considerable personal resources and this Democrat trending district is not as easy for Republicans to capture and hold as it once was. Nonetheless, Republicans make a good case that Grayson, who votes the liberal party line, makes outrageous statements, and hobnobs with the likes of Michael Moore, is out of touch with the constituents of the 8th. From a crowded primary field, the GOP voters chose former Florida Speaker of the House and Senate Majority Leader Daniel Webster to go up against Grayson in the general election. The veteran Webster beat Grayson by a huge margin, 56% to 48%, knocking off one of the GOP's number one targets. Webster knows first hand how to fix broken government, restore forgotten values and create effective practices and policy. There will be no waiting period at the taxpayers expense- Daniel Webster is ready today.
Daniel Webster
  • BSEE, Georgia Tech, 1971
  • State Representative, 1980-1998 - Minority Floor Leader, 1982-1984 - Minority Whip, 1988-1990 - Republican Leader, 1994-1996
  • Florida Speaker of the House, 1996-1998
  • Florida State Senate, 1998 - 2008- Majority Leader, 2006-2008
  • Businessman - Air Conditioning Contractor
  • Member: A/C Contractors Assoc.; Farm Bureau; Florida Reading Assoc.; Greater Orlando Assoc. of Realtors; National Federation of Independent Businessmen; Nature Conservancy; West Orange Chamber of Commerce

ISSUES

  • Less Government - Daniel Webster recognizes that government does not create success; it can only create or remove barriers that restrict Floridians' opportunity to achieve success.  He also believes government's fundamental role is to protect its citizens' security.   In the Florida Legislature, Daniel worked to reduce government and streamline and improve fundamental services.
  • Lower Taxes - Floridians work hard daily to put food on the table, a roof over their family's head, prepare for the future, and invest in the education of their children.   The answer to economic challenges is not to take more dollars from the hard-working people of Florida.
  • More Personal Responisibility - Personal responsibility is a fundamental freedom that American's have enjoyed since the inception of our country, but is a freedom that must be protected and never taken for granted.  Washington must encourage personal responsibility and accountability.
  • More Individual Freedom - The Declaration of Independence states that our inalienable rights include, "…Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness…" That belief compelled our Founding Fathers to fight, sacrifice and die to create this country. Our constitutional rights must be protected; government must not be allowed to undermine them. 
  • Empowering the Family - The family is the foundation upon which a strong, healthy, successful society is built. Our country was founded by individuals who sought a government that would invest and strengthen the family unit.  Daniel Webster is unwavering in his commitment to work to reform government policies in ways that will strengthen families.
  • Sanctity of Life - Webster is pro-life. He was a central figure in the Terri Schiavo case, where he lead a faction in the Florida legislature that sought to intervene and keep Schiavo alive. He sponsored a bill that would have made it illegal to kill someone in a persistent vegetative state by withholding food and water from them without a judge's approval; the bill did not pass the Senate, however. 
“Washington needs a revival of principle. Congress is too proud, they’re to pious, they’re too petty, they’re too partisan, and they lack a set of principles.”
Daniel Webster-More Numbers
The Spotlight On reports are overviews of actual Republican primary winners or top Republican primary contenders. Spotlights should not be interpreted as recommendations to support specific candidates. Before supporting any candidate, do thorough research to confirm that the candidate shares your views on issues you deem most important.