Barbie Harden Hall suspends campaign in CD 11

The leading Democrat running to succeed U.S. Rep. Dan Webster has dropped out.

Barbie Harden Hall, a Mount Dora Democrat and rare diseases advocate, announced she had suspended her campaign for Florida’s 11th Congressional District, citing personal health issues.

“Over the past months I have been working through recurring illness that has affected my ability to campaign in the way that is necessary,” she said. “I have spent time with a slower schedule in hopes that I would be able to heal and get back to full speed in the way that I would like. Unfortunately, things have not improved and I am making the very difficult decision to suspend my Congressional campaign.”

Harden challenged Webster in 2024, throwing her hat in the ring after Webster did not schedule time to meet with her or other advocates during Rare Diseases Week on Capitol Hill. She had become active in the cause after her two-year-old son, Everett, died from metachromatic leukodystrophy complications in 2022.

Since then, she has been a prominent Democratic organizer in Lake County, a long-time Republican stronghold, and promoted pro-Democrat golf cart parades in The Villages that earned national attention.

This year, she was running for an open seat, as Webster announced earlier this year he intends to retire from Congress and will not seek another term. But she said the demands of campaigning are more than she can handle this year.

“This is a decision I did not want to make because I have no doubt we would be successful in the Primary election and I know we have the ability to flip FL-11,” Hall said in a statement. “However, I am not a person that could selfishly stay in the race when it would leave the district with a candidate unable to fight the way that is necessary. I have to wholeheartedly thank the volunteers and supporters who tirelessly worked with me over the last two and a half years. Your support has meant the world to me.”

The race still will be uphill for any Democrat. Under a new congressional map, more than 57% of voters in CD 11 supported Donald Trump for President in 2024 while fewer than 42% picked Democrat Kamala Harris. Webster beat Harden that year with more than 60%, though under slightly different lines.

But besides being an open seat, Democrats have wondered about a more competitive race depending on who wins the GOP nomination.

Lake County Commissioner Anthony Sabatini, whose politics attracted national controversy and whose personal antics have irritated Republicans including allies of Trump, faces a number of opponents in a Republican Primary including comedian Tim Wilkins, former Lake County Property Appraiser Carey Baker and seven others.

“While I may not be continuing as a candidate for office, this is by no means an end of my work to get Democratic candidates elected up and down the ballot in 2026 and beyond,” Hall said.

Democrats still running include Shawn Bettis, Royal Webster and Dan Williams.

The qualification deadline is Friday at noon.