Four Sheriffs whose counties fall within Florida’s 9th Congressional District are lining up behind Republican Ben Butler in his bid to unseat U.S. Rep. Darren Soto.
Highlands County Sheriff Paul Blackman, Glades County Sheriff David Hardin, Okeechobee County Sheriff Noel Stephen, and Indian River County Sheriff Eric Flowers endorsed Butler, pointing to his positions on public safety, border security, and support for law enforcement.
“The people risking their lives to protect our communities know what’s at stake in this election,” Butler said. “They know we need leaders willing to secure the border, crack down on violent crime, stop the flow of fentanyl, and unapologetically stand with law enforcement. I’m honored to have their support.”
Butler, a ninth-generation Floridian and Lorida dairy farmer, manages Butler Oaks Farm and has served on the South Florida Water Management District Governing Board since Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed him in 2019. He launched his campaign last week with endorsements from U.S. Reps. Kat Cammack and Greg Steube, and his campaign reported raising more than $100,000 in its first 48 hours.
The race opened up after a new map signed by DeSantis reshaped CD 9 to stretch from Kissimmee to Okeechobee, flipping a seat Soto has held since 2016 into one where nearly 58% of voters backed Donald Trump.
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Ed. note: This story was drafted with assistance from AI. Editorial judgment, sourcing, and final review were performed by Peter Schorsch and the Florida Politics editorial team.
