U.S. House, Florida 9th Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in Florida's 9th Congressional District?
Darren Soto has the strongest record in Florida's 9th Congressional District. Darren Soto scores 69 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 9, 2026. Darren Soto's highest marks are relevant experience and showing up. Dan Green (7 of 15 criteria) has too little public record to score. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Republican
Dan Green
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 7 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 65
- Performance
- NR
Democratic · incumbent
Strongest record
Darren Soto
69 / 100
Public evidence on 13 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 56
- Qualifications
- 70
- Performance
- 81
The good, the bad and the unresolved
The record
The notable facts of each candidate's public life, each tied to a source and confirmed to be this person. Unresolved matters are labeled with where they stand and do not move a score.
Dan Green
- Credit2019
Appointed deputy assistant secretary of defense for strategy and force development in 2019.
Sources: FOX 35 Orlando, Aug. 19, 2026, Washington Institute for Near East Policy release, Mar. 18, 2019
Darren Soto
- On the record2026
Voted Yea on the 2026 farm bill and the Stop Insider Trading Act when Democratic Leader Jeffries, Whip Clark and Caucus Chair Aguilar voted Nay.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 154, 2026, House Clerk Roll Call 280, 2026
- On the record2021-01-06
Voted Nay on both January 2021 objections to the Arizona and Pennsylvania electoral votes.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 10, Jan. 6, 2021, House Clerk Roll Call 11, Jan. 7, 2021
- Credit2024-09-26
Sponsored the Launch Communications Act (H.R. 682), on spectrum for commercial space launches; its provisions were enacted through S. 1648, signed Sept. 26, 2024.
- Credit2023
Ranked 59 of 436 House members on the Lugar Center Bipartisan Index for 2023, in the top quarter.
Source: Lugar Center and McCourt School Bipartisan Index, House Scores
- Credit2021
Served as chair of the House Ethics Committee's investigative subcommittee on Delegate Michael San Nicolas.
Source: House Committee on Ethics, statements on Delegate San Nicolas
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Dan Green. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through July 29, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
Darren Soto. His 2025 annual financial disclosure was filed May 8, 2026; the Clerk index lists no periodic transaction reports for him. No House Ethics matter naming him as respondent and no FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: House Clerk financial disclosure, Filing ID 10077158, FEC administrative fines search
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Dan Green. No public record found.
Darren Soto. Voted Yea on several bills that Democratic Leader Jeffries, Whip Clark and Caucus Chair Aguilar opposed, including the HALT Fentanyl Act (2025), the 2026 farm bill and the 2026 Stop Insider Trading Act.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 33, 2025, HALT Fentanyl Act, House Clerk Roll Call 154, 2026, Farm, Food, and National Security Act, House Clerk Roll Call 280, 2026, Stop Insider Trading Act
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Dan Green. No public record found.
Darren Soto. No public record found.
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Dan Green. No public record found.
Darren Soto. Served in the Florida Legislature from 2007 to 2016 and in Congress since 2017, including as chair of a House Ethics investigative subcommittee. No censure or conduct finding found.
Sources: House Committee on Ethics, statement on Delegate San Nicolas, GovTrack, Darren Soto
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Dan Green. Longtime Navy Reserve officer with deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, and a Defense Department political appointee from 2019. No official finding of misuse of office found.
Sources: FOX 35 Orlando, Aug. 19, 2026, Ballotpedia, Dan Green
Darren Soto. Voted Nay on both January 2021 objections to the Arizona and Pennsylvania electoral votes. No official finding of misuse of office found.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 10, Jan. 6, 2021, House Clerk Roll Call 11, Jan. 7, 2021
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Dan Green. Appointed deputy assistant secretary of defense for strategy and force development in 2019, a senior Pentagon post, and a longtime Navy Reserve officer. Has not held elected office.
Source: FOX 35 Orlando, Aug. 19, 2026
Darren Soto. In Congress since 2017, now seeking a sixth term, after serving in the Florida House and Florida Senate from 2007 to 2016.
Sources: GovTrack, Darren Soto, WUSF / Central Florida Public Media, Oct. 3, 2026
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Dan Green. His Ballotpedia survey lists priorities on affordability, insurance rates, the budget and defense in general terms.
Source: Ballotpedia, Dan Green, survey
Darren Soto. Sits on the Energy and Commerce and Natural Resources committees, and sponsored eight bills that were enacted, most recently the Launch Communications Act in 2024.
Source: GovTrack, committee membership
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Dan Green. Completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey. His campaign site blocks automated readers. Central Florida Public Media said he did not respond to repeated interview requests.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Dan Green, WUSF / Central Florida Public Media, Oct. 3, 2026
Darren Soto. Offers an e-newsletter and publishes issue pages on his office site. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Dan Green. Grew up in Indian River County, now in the district, and lives in Vero Beach. FEC by-state totals show about 87 percent of itemized individual contributions from Florida.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Dan Green, survey, FOX 35 Orlando, Aug. 19, 2026, WUSF / Central Florida Public Media, Oct. 3, 2026, FEC contribution totals by state
Darren Soto. Has lived in Florida since 2002 and is from Kissimmee, which he represented in the Legislature and Congress. FEC by-state totals show about 32 percent of itemized individual contributions from Florida.
Sources: Office site, About, FEC contribution totals by state
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Dan Green. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through July 29, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
Darren Soto. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through July 29, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Dan Green. No public record found.
Darren Soto. Legislative Effectiveness Score of 0.743 in the 118th Congress against a benchmark of 0.535, meets expectations. His Launch Communications Act, sponsored in the 118th Congress, was enacted in 2024.
Sources: Center for Effective Lawmaking House dataset, 93rd to 118th Congress, GovTrack, H.R. 682 (118th Congress)
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Dan Green. No public record found.
Darren Soto. Missed 30 of 5,079 roll call votes, 0.6 percent, from January 2017 to September 2026.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Dan Green. No public record found.
Darren Soto. Runs district offices in Orlando and Kissimmee and takes casework requests. No published casework totals found.
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Dan Green. No public record found.
Darren Soto. Lugar Center Bipartisan Index score of 0.48077 in the latest posted House scores (118th Congress, 2023), ranked 59 of 436, in the top quarter.
Source: Lugar Center and McCourt School Bipartisan Index, House Scores
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Dan Green. No public record found.
Darren Soto. No public record found.
How to read this
Each criterion is scored 0 to 4 against the written rubric in the Ballot Standard. NR means no record: there is no reliable public evidence either way, so the criterion is left out and never counts against the candidate. A total is published when at least 8 of 15 criteria have evidence.
A sitting officeholder has a longer public record than a first-time candidate, so the two totals rest on different amounts of evidence. Read the count of criteria beside each score. Low marks require an official finding or a primary record. Allegations and opinion are not used.
No policy position is scored. Evidence checked October 9, 2026. Campaigns and readers can send a correction with a public source to tpg@thepoliticalgroup.com.
Questions
Who should I vote for in Florida's 9th Congressional District?
Darren Soto has the strongest record in Florida's 9th Congressional District. Darren Soto scores 69 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 9, 2026. Darren Soto's highest marks are relevant experience and showing up. Dan Green (7 of 15 criteria) has too little public record to score. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Who is running in Florida's 9th Congressional District in 2026?
Dan Green (Republican), Darren Soto (Democratic, incumbent). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Dan Green a good candidate for Congress?
Dan Green has public evidence on 7 of the 15 Ballot Standard criteria, short of the 8 needed for a score. The evidence that exists is shown on the scorecard. No record never counts against a candidate.
Is Darren Soto a good candidate for Congress?
Darren Soto scores 69 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 13 of 15 criteria: character 56 of 100, qualifications 70 of 100, performance 81 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
How is the strongest record decided?
The candidate with the highest Ballot Standard score has the strongest record. Each of 15 criteria on character, qualifications and performance is scored 0 to 4 from public records and established reporting, the same way for every party. No policy position is scored, and unresolved accusations never move a score.
More on this race: every Florida race scored, the trailing candidate's path to victory, and the Florida 2026 election guide. Independent scorecard by The Political Group, not affiliated with any candidate or party.