Ben Butler is one of seven Republicans running to unseat Democratic U.S. Rep. Darren Soto in the newly redrawn Florida’s 9th Congressional District, which is one of the top GOP pickup opportunities created by the new maps the Legislature approved earlier this year.
Soto was first elected to Congress in 2016 and most recently won re-election in 2024 with 55.1% of the vote. The Central Florida district had been concentrated in Osceola and Orange counties, but now covers a sprawling area stretching as far south as Lake Okeechobee.
Following redistricting, the Cook Political Report updated the seat’s rating from “Solid D” to “Likely R.” Other Republicans in the race include Thomas Chalifoux, the party’s nominee in 2024, plus Marcus Carter, Dan Green, Jorge Martinez, Steve Rance and Justin Story.
Florida Politics asked all Republican candidates to answer a few questions. We are publishing their responses unedited so voters can hear directly from candidates. Here’s what Butler told us:
— Profession: I’m a ninth-generation Floridian, dairy farmer and cattle rancher. I’ve spent my career building and operating Butler Oaks Farm, our family’s multi-generational dairy and cattle operation.
— Education: I earned both my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Animal Science from the University of Florida, with a focus on dairy management, agricultural economics and natural resource management.
— Years in the district: I’m a lifelong, ninth-generation Floridian and have lived in the district my entire life, currently residing in Lorida in Highlands County.
— Community involvement: I serve on the South Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board, appointed by Governor DeSantis, working on Everglades restoration, flood protection and water supply issues, and I also serve on the Highlands County Natural Resources Advisory Commission. I’m a former Florida FFA State President and have held leadership roles with the Florida Farm Bureau, Florida FFA Foundation, Southeast Milk Inc. and Newtrient. My wife April, a former law enforcement professional, volunteers with 4-H, FFA Alumni and the South Florida Fair dairy shows. Our daughter Hannah raises registered dairy and beef heifers through FFA and 4-H and is active in Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
— Why are you running? What are your top priorities? I’m running because career politicians in Washington have never had to meet a payroll, work a harvest, or explain to their kids why groceries cost twice what they used to. I have. My top priorities are lowering the cost of living, securing our border, protecting Florida agriculture and water resources, and defending the values that built this district.
— What are the biggest issues facing residents of this district? The affordability crisis tops the list: the cost of housing, groceries, insurance and fuel. Water policy and protecting our agricultural land from overdevelopment matter deeply here too, along with border security and public safety.
— What’s one bill you’d like to introduce in Congress? I’d introduce legislation to cut federal red tape on family farms and ranches, things like overreaching water regulations and permitting delays, so producers can keep land in agriculture instead of selling out to developers. Protecting working farmland protects our food security and our way of life.
— Democrats blame Donald Trump for inflation, Republicans blame the lingering effects of the Joe Biden administration, while Americans just want their prices to go down. What can Congress do to ease the cost of living for working families? Stop the reckless spending that devalues the dollar, unleash American energy production to bring down fuel and utility costs, and cut the regulations that drive up the price of everything from lumber to groceries. Washington didn’t create this affordability crisis by accident, and it won’t fix it by accident either.
— Americans frequently complain about the cost and complexity of our healthcare system. What realistic solutions do you propose? We need more transparency in pricing, more competition among providers and insurers, and less Washington bureaucracy standing between patients and doctors. Real reform means giving families and small businesses more choices, not fewer.
— Do you believe AI will ultimately create more jobs than it eliminates, or should government slow its adoption to protect existing workers? What AI regulations or guardrails, if any, do you support? I believe American innovation, including AI, can create more opportunity than it destroys if we get the guardrails right. I support common-sense protections around national security, data privacy and preventing AI from being weaponized against American workers and children, but I don’t support heavy-handed government control that kills innovation and hands the advantage to China.
— How should we counter China’s growing influence and power, and what can we do to ensure America retains its technological, military and economic advantages? We secure our supply chains, especially in agriculture, energy and technology, we rebuild American manufacturing, and we invest in military readiness. China should not own American farmland, control our critical minerals, or out-compete us in emerging technology. Strength and self-reliance are how we keep our advantage
— With regard to ending the ongoing conflicts in Iran and Ukraine, what should America’s goals and approach be? America’s goal should be peace through strength, not endless war and not retreat. We should support our allies, use every economic and diplomatic tool available, and always put American interests and American lives first.
— Would you vote to continue funding Israel’s defense? Are there any conditions you want to impose on that funding? Yes, I would vote to continue funding Israel’s defense. Israel is our strongest ally in a dangerous region, and a secure Israel is in America’s national security interest.
— The House recently voted to adopt year-round daylight saving time. How would you have voted? I’d support locking the clocks and ending the twice-a-year time change. It’s a small thing, but it’s the kind of common-sense fix that shows Washington can still get simple things right for working families.
— Have congressional Republicans made good use of their majority these past 18 months and why does the GOP deserve to retain control of Congress? Is there anything on which you disagree with your party? Republicans have made real progress securing the border and cutting wasteful spending, but there’s more work to do, especially on the cost of living. I’ll always tell voters the truth, even when it means disagreeing with my own party, because results matter more than politics.
— Why are you the best nominee to win this seat in November? Because I’ve actually lived the issues I’d be voting on. I’ve worked the land, met a payroll, and raised a family in this district for nine generations. Voters don’t need another politician. They need a fighter with real-world experience who will put Florida families first, every single day.
