# Florida's 18th congressional district

Florida's 18th congressional district is an electoral district for the U.S. Congress, located in the Florida Heartland. In the 2020 redistricting cycle, the district was redrawn to cover inland counties of DeSoto, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, and Okeechobee, as well as most of Polk County (including Bartow, eastern Lakeland, and Winter Haven) and some of Immokalee in Collier County. It is essentially the successor to the old 15th district. The district is currently represented by Republican Scott Franklin.
From 2013 to 2023, the district was located in the Treasure Coast and contained the whole of St. Lucie County and Martin County as well as the northeastern part of Palm Beach County, and included Port St. Lucie, Fort Pierce, Stuart, and Jupiter, as well as Treasure Coast International Airport. Much of this district is now the 21st district.
The 18th district was created as a result of the redistricting cycle after the 1980 census. From 1983 to 2012, it was based in South Florida. In its final configuration as a South Florida district, it included portions of Miami-Dade and Monroe counties. The Miami-Dade section included most of the city of Miami, the South Beach section of Miami Beach, and many of the southern Miami suburbs, including Coral Gables and Coral Terrace. The Monroe County section of the district included all of the Florida Keys.

## Recent election results from statewide races

| Year | Office | Results |
| 2008 | President | McCain 55% - 44% |
| 2010 | Senate | Rubio 51% - 17% |
| 2010 | Governor | Scott 57% - 43% |
| 2010 | Attorney General | Bondi 60% - 35% |
| 2010 | Chief Financial Officer | Atwater 61% - 34% |
| 2012 | President | Romney 56% - 44% |
| 2012 | Senate | Nelson 52% - 48% |
| 2014 | Governor | Scott 58% - 42% |
| 2016 | President | Trump 59% - 37% |
| 2016 | Senate | Rubio 59% - 36% |
| 2018 | Senate | Scott 60% - 39% |
| 2018 | Governor | DeSantis 60% - 38% |
| 2018 | Attorney General | Moody 63% - 35% |
| 2018 | Chief Financial Officer | Patronis 62% - 38% |
| 2020 | President | Trump 61% - 38% |
| 2022 | Senate | Rubio 68% - 31% |
| 2022 | Governor | DeSantis 69% - 30% |
| 2022 | Attorney General | Moody 71% - 29% |
| 2022 | Chief Financial Officer | Patronis 69% - 31% |
| 2024 | President | Trump 64% - 35% |

## Composition

For the 118th and successive Congresses (based on redistricting following the 2020 census), the district contains all or portions of the following counties and communities:
Collier County (1)
    Immokalee (part; also 26th)
DeSoto County (2)
    Arcadia, Southeast Arcadia
Glades County (3)
    All 3 communities
Hardee County (9)
    All 9 communities
Hendry County (7)
    All 7 communities
Highlands County (3)
    All 3 communities
Okeechobee County (3)
    All 3 communities
Polk County (37)
    Alturas, Auburndale, Babson Park, Bartow, Bradley Junction, Combee Settlement, Crooked Lake Park, Crystal Lake, Cypress Gardens, Davenport, Dundee, Eagle Lake, Fort Meade, Frostproof, Fuller Heights, Fussels Corner, Grenelefe, Haines City, Highland City, Highland Park, Hillcrest Heights, Homeland, Indian Lake Estates, Inwood, Jan Phyl Village, Lake Alfred, Lake Hamilton, Lakeland (part; also 15th), Lakeland Highlands, Lake Wales, Loughman, Medulla (part; also 15th), Mulberry, Wahneta, Waverly, Willow Oak (part; also 15th), Winter Haven

## List of members representing the district

| Member | Party | Years | Cong ress | Electoral history | Counties |
| District created January 3, 1983 ||||||
| Claude Pepper (Miami) | Democratic | January 3, 1983 – May 30, 1989 | 98th 99th 100th 101st | Redistricted from the 14th district and re-elected in 1982. Re-elected in 1984. Re-elected in 1986. Re-elected in 1988. Died. | 1983–1993 Miami-Dade |
| Vacant | Vacant | May 30, 1989 – September 7, 1989 | 101st | | 1983–1993 Miami-Dade |
| Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (Miami) | Republican | September 7, 1989 – January 3, 2013 | 101st 102nd 103rd 104th 105th 106th 107th 108th 109th 110th 111th 112th | Elected to finish Pepper's term. Re-elected in 1990. Re-elected in 1992. Re-elected in 1994. Re-elected in 1996. Re-elected in 1998. Re-elected in 2000. Re-elected in 2002. Re-elected in 2004. Re-elected in 2006. Re-elected in 2008. Re-elected in 2010. Redistricted to the 27th district. | 1983–1993 Miami-Dade |
| Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (Miami) | Republican | September 7, 1989 – January 3, 2013 | 101st 102nd 103rd 104th 105th 106th 107th 108th 109th 110th 111th 112th | Elected to finish Pepper's term. Re-elected in 1990. Re-elected in 1992. Re-elected in 1994. Re-elected in 1996. Re-elected in 1998. Re-elected in 2000. Re-elected in 2002. Re-elected in 2004. Re-elected in 2006. Re-elected in 2008. Re-elected in 2010. Redistricted to the 27th district. | 1993–2003 Miami-Dade |
| Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (Miami) | Republican | September 7, 1989 – January 3, 2013 | 101st 102nd 103rd 104th 105th 106th 107th 108th 109th 110th 111th 112th | Elected to finish Pepper's term. Re-elected in 1990. Re-elected in 1992. Re-elected in 1994. Re-elected in 1996. Re-elected in 1998. Re-elected in 2000. Re-elected in 2002. Re-elected in 2004. Re-elected in 2006. Re-elected in 2008. Re-elected in 2010. Redistricted to the 27th district. | 2003–2013 Miami-Dade and Monroe |
| Patrick Murphy (Jupiter) | Democratic | January 3, 2013 – January 3, 2017 | 113th 114th | Elected in 2012. Re-elected in 2014. Retired to run for U.S. senator. | 2013–2017 Martin, Palm Beach, and St. Lucie |
| Brian Mast (Palm City) | Republican | January 3, 2017 – January 3, 2023 | 115th 116th 117th | Elected in 2016. Re-elected in 2018. Re-elected in 2020. Redistricted to the 21st district. | 2017–2023 Martin, Palm Beach, and St. Lucie |
| Scott Franklin (Lakeland) | Republican | January 3, 2023 – present | 118th 119th | Redistricted from the 15th district and re-elected in 2022. Re-elected in 2024. | 2023–present: |

## Election results
### 2002

Florida's 18th Congressional District Election (2002) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Ileana Ros-Lehtinen* | 103,512 | 69.11 |
| | Democratic | Ray Chote | 42,852 | 28.61 |
| | Independent | Orin Opperman | 3,423 | 2.29 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 149,787 | 100.00 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2004

Florida's 18th Congressional District Election (2004) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Ileana Ros-Lehtinen* | 143,647 | 64.73 |
| | Democratic | Sam Sheldon | 78,281 | 35.27 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 221,928 | 100.00 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2006

Florida's 18th Congressional District Election (2006) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Ileana Ros-Lehtinen* | 79,631 | 62.15 |
| | Democratic | Dave Patlak | 48,499 | 37.85 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 128,130 | 100.00 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2008

Florida's 18th Congressional District Election (2008) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Ileana Ros-Lehtinen* | 140,617 | 57.87 |
| | Democratic | Annette Taddeo | 102,372 | 41.11 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 242,989 | 100.00 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2010

Florida's 18th Congressional District Election (2010) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Ileana Ros-Lehtinen* | 102,360 | 68.89 |
| | Democratic | Rolando A. Banciella | 46,235 | 31.11 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 148,595 | 100.00 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2012

Florida's 18th Congressional District Election (2012) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Patrick Murphy | 166,799 | 50.4 |
| | Republican | Allen West* | 164,370 | 49.6 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 331,169 | 100.00 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | |
| | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican |

### 2014

Florida's 18th Congressional District election (2014) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Patrick Murphy (Incumbent) | 151,478 | 59.78 |
| | Republican | Carl J. Domino | 101,896 | 40.22 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 253,374 | 100.00 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2016

Florida's 18th congressional district election (2016) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Brian Mast | 201,488 | 53.60 |
| | Democratic | Randy Perkins | 161,918 | 43.07 |
| | No Party Affiliation | Carla Spalding | 12,503 | 3.33 |
| | No Party Affiliation | Marilyn Holloman | 9 | 0.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 375,918 | 100 |
| | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic |

### 2018

Florida's 18th congressional district election (2018) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Brian Mast (incumbent) | 185,905 | 54.3 |
| | Democratic | Lauren Baer | 156,454 | 45.7 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 342,359 | 100.0 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2020

Florida's 18th congressional district election (2020) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Brian Mast (incumbent) | 253,286 | 56.3 |
| | Democratic | Pam Keith | 186,674 | 41.5 |
| | No Party Affiliation | K.W. Miller | 9,760 | 2.2 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 449,720 | 100.0 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2022

Florida's 18th congressional district election (2022) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Scott Franklin (incumbent) | 167,429 | 74.7 |
| | Independent | Keith Hayden Jr | 56,647 | 25.2 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 224,076 | 100.0 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |