Rep. Daniel Webster Announces Retirement After 46 Years in Politics
The 77-year-old Republican congressman cites desire to spend time with his 24 grandchildren after nearly five decades in public office.
CLERMONT, FLORIDA — U.S. Rep. Daniel Webster announced Tuesday he will not seek reelection next year, ending a political career that spans 46 years and includes 16 years in Congress.
The 77-year-old Republican from Clermont said in a news release that he will retire to spend more time with his family after serving Florida since 1980.
“It has been an honor and privilege to represent my beloved state in the U.S. House of Representatives,” Webster said. “I’ve never taken for granted my responsibility to Florida’s hardworking taxpayers and families to advance common-sense reforms and principled policy. The time has come to pass the torch to the next conservative leader and spend more precious time with my wife, children, and 24 grandchildren.”
Growing List of Congressional Departures
Webster becomes the 36th Republican in the House to forego another term this cycle. He joins two other Florida Republicans who have announced their departures: Rep. Vern Buchanan and Rep. Neal Dunn.
The Florida delegation has also seen Democratic Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick resign her seat representing Florida’s 20th Congressional District last week, just before she was scheduled to appear before the House Ethics Committee amid allegations of stealing disaster money.
Four Decades of Public Service
Webster’s political career began in 1980 when he was first elected to the Florida House of Representatives, where he served for 18 years until 1998. During his final two years in that chamber, he served as speaker, becoming the first Republican speaker of the Florida House since 1874. He previously held the position of minority leader.
After leaving the state House, Webster served 10 years in the Florida Senate, including two years as majority leader, before launching his successful congressional campaign in 2010.
His first run for the U.S. House was bolstered by an endorsement from former Gov. Jeb Bush. Webster has generally won his House races handily, though he faced closer contests in some cycles.
Recent Electoral Challenges
In 2022, Webster faced a primary challenge from Laura Loomer, winning with 51% of the vote compared to Loomer’s 44%. His closest general election came in 2012 against Democrat Val Demings, when Webster won with 51.7% of the vote compared to Demings’ 48.3%.
Webster represents a district west of Orlando that includes The Villages, Leesburg, Apopka, and Lake Butler. The retirement of the longtime incumbent is expected to generate significant interest among potential candidates in both parties ahead of the 2028 election cycle.
