Darren Soto
Darren Soto, an attorney, served in the Florida House and Senate before winning the 9th District seat in 2016; he has represented it since 2017 and was unopposed in the Aug. 18, 2026 Democratic primary. The April 2026 map redrew his district, which had been a Hispanic-majority seat protected under the Voting Rights Act, into one where about 58% of voters backed Donald Trump in 2024; Cook, Sabato and Inside Elections rated the new district Likely Republican as of August 2026.
How they got on the ballot: Unopposed in Aug 18, 2026 Democratic primary (CBS News: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/florida-9th-congressional-district-primary-results-darren-soto-redistricting/)
Campaign finance (FEC filings through 10/14/2026): raised $3,652,280, spent $3,416,404, cash on hand $249,995; $1,567,917 from individual donors, $2,051,050 from PACs. FEC filings ↗
Sources last checked 2025-07-04. 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 Leans disagree· based on record
Soto voted against H.R. 1 (the 2025 reconciliation law), which paired extended tax cuts with reductions in projected Medicaid and SNAP spending. All House Democrats voted no.
Immigration Strongly disagrees· based on record
Soto voted against the Laken Riley Act in January 2025 and explained his opposition in an interview with the Florida Phoenix; the Republican Party of Florida ran ads criticizing the vote.
Abortion Strongly agrees· stated position
With the Florida Democratic delegation, Soto called the state's six-week ban 'draconian' and 'a blow to Floridians' reproductive freedom,' saying the decision to seek an abortion should remain private and not be put in the hands of politicians.
"The decision to seek an abortion is a personal decision that should remain private, not be put in the hands of politicians."
Guns Strongly agrees· stated position
His campaign site has a gun-safety-reform page and he has said he is 'committed to remaining in the fight for common sense gun safety reforms' while respecting Second Amendment rights; he has discussed state and federal gun-safety measures at town halls.
"We can respect Second Amendment rights while keeping guns out of dangerous hands."
Health care Strongly agrees· based on record
Soto voted against H.R. 1 and, during committee consideration, displayed photos of children on Medicaid, saying half the children in his district are on Medicaid or KidCare and that the bill's Medicaid reductions would affect them.
"You can't cut $715 billion from Medicaid, and then not have this affect our kids."
Social Security & Medicare Leans agree· based on record
Voted for the Social Security Fairness Act (H.R. 82), the 2024 law repealing the Windfall Elimination Provision and Government Pension Offset, raising benefits for some public-sector retirees.
Elections & voting Strongly agrees· based on record
Voted against the SAVE Act (H.R. 22), the 2025 bill requiring documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote.
Crime & policing Leans disagree· based on record
Voted against the Protecting Our Nation's Capital Emergency Act (H.R. 2096), the 2025 bill repealing parts of the District of Columbia police-accountability law; a vote for it is coded as leaning toward tougher policing.
Gender identity laws Leans disagree· based on record
Voted against the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act (H.R. 28), the 2025 bill barring transgender girls and women from female school sports under Title IX; a vote for it is coded as leaning toward keeping restrictions in place.
Energy & utilities Leans agree· based on record
Voted against the Protecting American Energy Production Act (H.R. 26), the 2025 bill barring a presidential moratorium on hydraulic fracturing without an act of Congress; a vote for it is coded as leaning toward fossil-fuel production.
Trump administration Leans disagree· stated position
His office's 2025 end-of-year report describes 'holding the Trump Administration accountable' as a priority, and he joined members seeking an inspector-general probe into the administration's delay of Puerto Rico disaster funds.
No public position found on 6 issues
We searched campaign sites, questionnaires, interviews, votes and official actions and did not find a clear stance on: Housing affordability, Education & school choice, Environment & water, 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.
Other issues this candidate has raised
- Puerto Rico recovery and drinking water — Maintains a Puerto Rico issue page and 'recovery blueprint'; in August 2026 led a letter urging the EPA to address a drinking-water emergency on the island.
- Children's Medicaid and KidCare — Says half of the children in his district rely on Medicaid or KidCare and has opposed federal Medicaid reductions.
- Impoundment of appropriated funds — Sought an inspector-general inquiry into whether delaying Puerto Rico disaster funds violated the Impoundment Control Act.
- First Spanish-language ad of the cycle — Soto announced a six-figure Spanish-language ad buy on Sept. 22 aimed at Hispanic voters in the redrawn district. The spot features a couple describing rising grocery, gas and health care costs, and says Soto wants to end the war in Iran so the country can focus on problems at home.
- Support from national Democrats — DCCC Chair Suzan DelBene was scheduled to fundraise with Soto on Sept. 25. Soto is in the DCCC's Frontline program for battleground incumbents.
- Ad campaign: bipartisan appeal and a Spanish-language radio spot — Soto put a high-six-figure buy behind a 30-second ad featuring a self-described conservative Vero Beach voter saying she is crossing party lines, and on Oct. 6 added a one-minute Spanish-language radio spot, 'El Mismo Patron,' with a six-figure buy, saying Dan Green would support legislation stripping health care, raising prices through tariffs and cutting taxes for the wealthiest.
- Rated the most vulnerable House Democrat — Roll Call placed Soto third on its list of the 10 most vulnerable House members, the highest-ranked Democrat, citing the new map that put him in a district President Trump carried with more than 58% in 2024.
- Campaign announcements and ads — The campaign announced it raised more than $1.6 million in the third quarter across its campaign account and Victory Fund, and launched a six-figure Spanish-language radio ad ('El Mismo Patrón') on grocery costs that criticizes Republican Dan Green.
Record: votes, actions and documented facts
- Voted against H.R. 1, the 2025 reconciliation law (all House Democrats voted no); the NRCC criticized the vote as jeopardizing benefits for Floridians.
- Voted against the Laken Riley Act (Jan. 2025); the Republican Party of Florida ran ads criticizing him and Rep. Frost over the vote.
- Led an August 2026 letter to the EPA on Puerto Rico's drinking-water emergency.
- Voted against the Laken Riley Act (S. 5), the 2025 law requiring federal detention of unauthorized immigrants charged with theft or violent crimes and letting states sue over immigration enforcement.
- Voted against the SAVE Act (H.R. 22), the 2025 bill requiring documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote.
- Voted against the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1), the July 2025 budget law that made the 2017 tax cuts permanent and added new deductions while cutting Medicaid and food-assistance spending.
- Voted against the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1), the July 2025 budget law that added Medicaid work requirements and eligibility checks projected to reduce coverage.
- Voted against the Protecting American Energy Production Act (H.R. 26), the 2025 bill barring a presidential moratorium on hydraulic fracturing without an act of Congress; a vote for it is coded as leaning toward fossil-fuel production.
- Voted against the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act (H.R. 28), the 2025 bill barring transgender girls and women from female school sports under Title IX; a vote for it is coded as leaning toward keeping restrictions in place.
- Voted against the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act (H.R. 21), the 2025 bill setting criminal penalties for providers who fail to care for an infant born alive after an attempted abortion; a vote for it is coded as leaning toward more abortion restrictions.
- Voted against the Protecting Our Nation's Capital Emergency Act (H.R. 2096), the 2025 bill repealing parts of the District of Columbia police-accountability law; a vote for it is coded as leaning toward tougher policing.
- Voted for the Social Security Fairness Act (H.R. 82), the 2024 law repealing the Windfall Elimination Provision and Government Pension Offset, raising benefits for some public-sector retirees.
- Voted Yea on H.Con.Res. 93, a War Powers Resolution directing the President to remove U.S. armed forces from hostilities with Iran (Roll Call 307, Sept. 15, 2026; agreed to 220-204).
- Voted Yea on the motion to table H.Res. 1486, a resolution impeaching President Trump (Roll Call 298, Sept. 15, 2026; tabled 232-147 with 47 voting present). A Yea vote set the resolution aside; a Nay vote would have kept it before the House.
- Voted Nay on H.J.Res. 210 and Nay on H.J.Res. 213, Congressional Review Act resolutions disapproving EPA authorizations of California's at-berth ocean-going vessel and commercial harbor craft diesel-emission rules (Roll Calls 306 and 311, Sept. 15-16, 2026; passed 216-211 and 214-208).
- Chief sponsor of the Firefighter PFAS Injury Compensation Act (HR 10462), which would create a federal program to compensate firefighters and their families harmed by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances found in firefighting foam and gear.
- Voted with Republicans and other vulnerable Democrats on a resolution denouncing 'socialism in all its forms' that also included a call for passage of President Trump's voter ID bill, according to Roll Call.
- Co-introduced the bipartisan Puerto Rico Medicare Advantage Fairness Act with Rep. Gus Bilirakis (announced Oct. 13), which would set Puerto Rico's Medicare Advantage geographic adjustment equal to the U.S. Virgin Islands'.
- Original co-sponsor of the bipartisan RAISE Act of 2026 (introduced Oct. 5), giving USDA standing authority to issue block grants to farmers after natural disasters.
Endorsements (as reported)
- Orange County Fire Fighters Association, IAFF Local 2057
- Osceola County Professional Firefighters, Local 3284
- Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board
- 26 labor unions, including the Florida AFL-CIO, Florida Education Association, IAFF, UAW, UNITE HERE and Teamsters (campaign-announced list)