Dan Green
Dan Green, 50, of Vero Beach, grew up in Indian River County, attended American University, Florida State University and George Washington University, and worked at the U.S. Departments of Defense and State from 2001 to 2009. He served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy and Force Development from 2019 to 2021 under President Trump and has been a research fellow at the Heritage Foundation. He is a captain in the U.S. Navy Reserve with 23 years of service and five deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. He launched his campaign with $1 million of his own money and won the Aug. 18, 2026 Republican primary with about 25.4%, narrowly ahead of rancher Ben Butler (24.4%).
How they got on the ballot: Won Aug 18, 2026 Republican primary with ~25.4% over Ben Butler (~24.4%), Thomas Chalifoux (~20%), Jorge Martinez (~19%), Marcus Carter and Justin Story (~4% each) and Steve Rance (~2%); AP call came Aug 20 (FOX 35: https://www.fox35orlando.com/news/florida-congressional-district-9-election-results ; Florida Politics: https://floridapolitics.com/archives/815103-dan-green-emerges-as-gop-nominee-who-will-face-darren-soto-in-cd-9/ ; Vero News: http://veronews.com/2026/08/27/hopeful-of-victory-dan-green-striving-to-be-first-vero-beach-resident-to-be-sworn-in-as-congressman/)
Campaign finance (FEC filings through 10/14/2026): raised $2,692,713, spent $2,243,203, cash on hand $449,960; $247,588 from individual donors, $197,150 from PACs, $2,240,000 from the candidate. FEC filings ↗
Sources last checked 2026-09-18. Report an error ↗
Positions on the major issues
Compare with opponents →Each entry describes what the candidate has said or done, and what they say they will do, in neutral terms with sources. The chip shows how that relates to the statement voters rate in the matching tool.
Taxes & spending Strongly agrees· stated position
Disagrees that people who can afford more should pay more; says government should cut spending rather than raise taxes.
"I don't think we should be raising taxes. The government should cut spending in order to reduce the national debt."
Immigration Leans agree· stated position
Would admit those who follow legal immigration methods and opposes sanctuary cities.
"Those who follow the legal methods of immigrating to the United States"
Abortion Strongly disagrees· stated position
Strongly agrees human life should be protected from conception; would allow abortion only for rape, incest and the life of the mother.
"In case of rape, incest, and life of the mother"
Guns Strongly disagrees· stated position
Says there are too many gun restrictions.
"We have too many restrictions"
Health care Strongly disagrees· stated position
Says taxpayer-funded health care should be abolished and private insurance should be the primary means of coverage.
"Taxpayer funded health care should be abolished in all forms"
Elections & voting Strongly disagrees· stated position
Opposes voting without photo ID.
Gender identity laws Leans agree· stated position
In a Sept. 18, 2026 interview Green criticized Rep. Soto for voting against a measure requiring parental consent for minors' gender-transition medical procedures, describing the vote as undermining parental rights and parental consent.
"undermining parental rights and parental consent"
Trump administration Strongly agrees· stated position
Green, a Trump-era Pentagon appointee, says he will stand with President Trump's agenda on national security, fiscal restraint and constitutional limits on government, and has positioned his campaign as a conduit for the 'America First' agenda.
No public position found on 9 issues
We searched campaign sites, questionnaires, interviews, votes and official actions and did not find a clear stance on: Housing affordability, Social Security & Medicare, Education & school choice, Environment & water, Crime & policing, Energy & utilities, Tariffs & trade, Ukraine, Veterans. This is reported as unknown rather than guessed from party affiliation; these issues are excluded from this candidate's match score.
Positions on issues outside this office's scope (1)
Growth & development Leans agree· stated position
His campaign says he focuses on 'finding real solutions to overdevelopment in Florida to protect the way of life.'
Other issues this candidate has raised
- Property insurance costs — Says Florida homeowners are hurt by rising insurance rates and that he will 'take their fight to Washington'; no specific federal mechanism described.
- Overdevelopment — Pledges to find solutions to overdevelopment in Florida.
- Proof of citizenship to vote — Supports requiring proof of citizenship and ID for federal elections.
- National security and fiscal restraint — Cites his counterterrorism and Pentagon experience; says he supports fiscal restraint and constitutional limits on government.
- Comstock Act enforcement — Supports enforcing the Comstock Act's restrictions on mailing abortion-inducing drugs.
- Cost of living and size of government — Green says grocery, gas and property-insurance costs are too high and that government should 'get it out of our pockets'; he faulted Soto for voting against ending taxes on tips, overtime and Social Security benefits.
- Television ad 'Courage' on his 9/11 service and priorities — Green released a 30-second ad noting he was working at the Pentagon as a civilian policy staffer when Flight 77 struck the building, and naming his priorities as 'getting prices down, protecting our communities from overdevelopment, and defending our nation.'
Record: votes, actions and documented facts
- Served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy and Force Development, 2019-2021; Navy Reserve captain with five deployments.
- Put $1 million of his own money into the campaign at launch.
- The DCCC has published an opposition-research page, 'The Case Against Dan Green.'Sources: The Case Against Dan Green - DCCC
Endorsements (as reported)
- Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio)
- Rep. Mike Haridopolos (R-Fla.)
- Additional endorsements listed on campaign site
- President Donald Trump (Truth Social, Sept. 1, 2026)
- NRCC 'MAGA Majority' program (Sept. 8, 2026)
- Florida Police Benevolent Association