OKEECHOBEE- U.S. Rep. Darren Soto has won in Florida's newly redrawn 9th Congressional District, narrowly defeating Republican Dan Green in a seat Republicans reshaped this spring to unseat him.

 Soto finished 1,506 votes ahead, 0.53% of the 285,122 votes cast, just outside the 0.5% margin that triggers an automatic recount. State election officials said no recount is required.

Soto thanked voters for their support in a statement and said he looked forward to representing all of the district’s constituents.

“We must fight to lower costs, protect our healthcare and stop corruption in Washington,” said Rep. Soto. “We must bring well-needed accountability back to our federal government. In Central Florida, the Heartland and the Coast, we must deliver on new jobs, infrastructure, affordable housing and conservation projects.”

In Okeechobee Republican Dan Green received 7,582 votes, while Rep. Soto received 3,492. That number of Republican votes was a decrease from Okeechobee’s last election in 2024, where Republican Scott Franklin received 11,954 votes compared to Democrat Andrea Doria Kale’s 3,596 votes.

During that 2024 election Okeechobee was part of the 18^th Congressional District. But early this year Gov. Ron DeSantis unveiled a new congressional map that moved Okeechobee and Glades County to the 9^th Congressional District. The new maps were expected to give Republicans up to four more of Florida’s 28 House seats.

Forecasters rated Soto the most vulnerable Democrat in Florida's delegation following the redistricting effort to get more Republican seats. But, instead of losing his seat, Rep. Soto is now the first Democrat to represent Okeechobee’s district since Tim Mahoney in 2009.