Daniel Webster (Florida politician) facts for kids

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Quick facts for kids Dan Webster
Official portrait, 2023

Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2011
Preceded by	Alan Grayson
Constituency	8th district (2011–2013) 10th district (2013–2017) 11th district (2017–present)
Majority Leader of the Florida Senate
In office November 2006 – November 4, 2008
Preceded by	J. Alex Villalobos
Succeeded by	Alex Díaz de la Portilla
Member of the Florida Senate
In office November 3, 1998 – November 4, 2008
Preceded by	John Ostalkiewicz
Succeeded by	Andy Gardiner
Constituency	12th district (1998–2002) 9th district (2002–2008)
89th Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives
In office November 19, 1996 – November 17, 1998
Preceded by	Peter Wallace
Succeeded by	John Thrasher
Member of the Florida House of Representatives
In office November 4, 1980 – November 3, 1998
Preceded by	John Mica
Succeeded by	Randy Johnson
Constituency	39th district (1980–1982) 41st district (1982–1998)

Personal details
Born	Daniel Alan Webster (1949-04-27) April 27, 1949 (age 76) Charleston, West Virginia, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Sandra Jordan (m. 1972)
Children	6
Education	Georgia Institute of Technology (BS)
Website

Daniel Alan Webster (born April 27, 1949) is an American businessman and politician. He is currently a U.S. Representative for Florida's 11th congressional district. He has held this position since 2017.

Webster is a member of the Republican Party. He first joined the U.S. Congress in 2011. Before that, he worked in the Florida state government for 28 years. He was the first Republican Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives since the Reconstruction period.

After getting his engineering degree, Webster worked in his family's air conditioning and heating business. He now owns and runs it. He has lived in Florida since he was seven years old and lives in Clermont. Webster was first elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 1980. Later, he was elected to the Florida Senate in 1998. He is the longest-serving lawmaker in Florida's history.

Early Life and Education

Webster as a member of the Florida State House in 1980

Webster as Speaker of the Florida State House

Daniel Webster was born in Charleston, West Virginia. His mother, Mildred Rada, was a nurse. His family moved to Orlando, Florida, when he was seven. This move was suggested by a doctor to help with Webster's sinus problems.

He went to the Georgia Institute of Technology. There, he was involved in student government. He graduated in 1971 with a degree in electrical engineering. After college, he was eligible for military service. However, he was not drafted because of foot problems that made it hard for him to stand for long periods.

Since graduating, Webster has worked in his family's air conditioning and heating business. He currently owns and operates it. He lives in Clermont, Florida.

Serving in the Florida House of Representatives

First Elections

Webster first ran for the Florida House of Representatives in 1979 when he was 30 years old. He decided to run after his church had trouble getting a zoning permit for a Sunday school building. He felt there was an unfairness in how the county commission treated religious organizations.

In the Republican primary election, Webster won 38% of the votes. He then won a runoff election with 54% of the votes. In the main election, he won against Henry Swanson by a small number of votes.

After new district maps were drawn, Webster ran in the 41st House District in 1982. He won reelection. In 1984, he was reelected for a third time. After 1984, Webster did not have any opponents in his State House elections. He was reelected without opposition every two years.

Time as a Representative

Webster was first elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 1980. He served as a leader for the minority party. In 1996, Republicans gained the majority in the House. Webster became the first Republican Speaker of the Florida House in 122 years. He served as Speaker until 1998. He could not run for reelection due to term limits.

During his time as Speaker, Webster received many awards. These awards came from groups like the American Heart Association and the Florida Chamber of Commerce. He was also named Legislator of the Year in 1995.

Supporting Education

Webster's first bill to become law was the 1985 Home Education Program Act. This law made homeschooling legal in Florida. He believes this was his most important law. He homeschooled his own six children. He continues to support homeschooling.

As Speaker in 1997, Webster worked on school funding. He wanted to make sure all school districts got what they needed without raising taxes. He supported a plan to build schools using borrowed money. He also helped pass a law in 1998 to improve pre-kindergarten education. This law also provided training for parents who homeschooled their children.

Marriage Laws

In 1990, Webster supported a law in Florida to create covenant marriage. This type of marriage makes it harder for couples to get a divorce.

Serving in the Florida Senate

Elections and Leadership

Webster ran for the Florida Senate without opposition. He served until 2008, when he reached his term limit. From 2006 to 2008, he was the Senate Majority Leader. In 2006, he received an award from the Florida Family Policy Council.

In 2008, the Florida Department of Transportation Turnpike District Headquarters was named the "Senator Daniel Webster Building" in his honor. Also, in 2005, State Road 429 was named the "Daniel Webster Western Beltway." The largest committee room in the Florida House was named "Speaker Daniel Webster Hall" in 2008.

Serving in the U.S. House of Representatives

Elections to Congress

2010 Election

Webster decided to run for the U.S. House of Representatives in 2010. He quickly became a leading candidate. This was due to his name recognition and support from former Florida Governor Jeb Bush. He also received support from former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee.

In August 2010, Webster won the Republican primary election. He defeated six other candidates. He was seen as a strong candidate by the Republican Party. The campaign included ads that discussed his views on marriage and other topics. On November 2, 2010, Webster won the election. He received 56% of the votes.

Later Elections

Due to changes in district boundaries, Webster ran for reelection in different districts.

In 2012, he won reelection in the 10th district. He defeated Val Demings.
In 2014, he was reelected to the 10th district.
In 2016, he ran in the 11th district because his old district became more Democratic. He won the Republican primary and then the general election.
In 2018 and 2020, Webster ran for reelection in the 11th District without Republican opponents. He won both general elections.
In 2022, the district boundaries changed again. Webster faced a primary challenger but won the nomination. He then easily won the general election.

Time in Congress

Webster's main goals in Congress have been to make government smaller and more efficient. He also supports cutting spending and taxes. He believes in protecting personal rights and encouraging financial responsibility.

Webster has run for Speaker of the House three times. In January 2015, he received 12 votes. In October 2015, he received nine votes. In 2017, he received one vote.

Committee Work

In the 118th Congress, Webster serves on several important committees:

Committee on Natural Resources: This committee deals with issues like energy, minerals, water, wildlife, and fisheries.
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology: This committee focuses on science, space, and aeronautics.
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: This committee handles topics like the Coast Guard, maritime transportation, highways, transit, and water resources. He is the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation.

Political Views

Education

Webster is a strong supporter of home schooling.

Gun Laws

Webster supports allowing people with gun permits to carry concealed firearms across state lines. He has received support from gun rights organizations.

Tax Reform

Webster voted for the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. He believes that tax laws should be simpler and allow people to keep more of their money. He thinks the 2017 law helps Americans and makes the tax system fairer.

Veterans

Webster voted against the Honoring our PACT Act of 2022. This act aimed to expand health benefits for veterans who were exposed to toxic chemicals during their military service.

Donald Trump

Webster was one of many Republican House members who supported a lawsuit in December 2020. This lawsuit challenged the results of the 2020 presidential election. The Supreme Court did not hear the case.

Personal Life

Webster is a Southern Baptist and attends First Baptist Church of Central Florida. He is on the board of trustees for the University of Central Florida. He and his wife, Sandra E. "Sandy" Webster, have six children and 17 grandchildren.

The Websters homeschooled their children. Their son John married Alyssa Bates in 2014. The Bates family was featured on the reality show Bringing Up Bates.

Images for kids

Webster's official House portrait, 2011.
Representative Daniel Webster speaks on Memorial Day at Veterans Memorial Park in The Villages, Florida.