∙ This is the fourth article in the “Be a More Informed Voter” series by Sandy Parker of Sparker's Soapbox and will be published in the Naples Daily News in the coming months.
With the 2024 election season just around the corner, it's a great time to learn about the people who represent Collier County in government. Most are seeking re-election this year.
This article covers Congress and Florida's representatives in the Legislature. In future articles, we will discuss local government representatives.
Who represents us in the U.S. Senate?
Florida's two senators are Republicans Marco Rubio and Rick Scott.
Rubio, 52, a lawyer, was first elected to the Senate in 2010. His current term ends in 2028. He serves as Vice Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and previously served as Chairman of the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee. He served as a member of the Florida House of Representatives from 2000 to 2008, and from 2006 to 2008. For more information, visit rubio.senate.gov.
Scott, 71, a lawyer and businessman, was elected to the Senate in 2018 and is seeking reelection for a second term this year. Previously, from 2011 he served as the 45th Governor of Florida until 2019. For more information, visit rickscott.senate.gov.
Who represents us in the U.S. House of Representatives?
Collier County residents live in Congressional Districts 19, 26, or 18. Find your district at house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative.
Republican Byron Donald, 45, represents the 19th District, which includes western Collier and parts of Lee County. Donald was first elected in 2020 and is seeking re-election for a third term this year. He has worked in the banking, finance, and insurance industry, and from 2016 until 2020 he served as Chairman of the Insurance and Banking Subcommittee in the Florida House of Representatives. For more information, visit donalds.house.gov.
Republican Mario Diaz-Balart, 62, represents the 26th District, which includes much of Inland Collier and parts of Miami-Dade County. He is a ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee and chairs the State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Subcommittee. He was first elected to Congress in 2002 and is seeking reelection for a 12th term this year. He previously served in the Florida House and Senate from 1988 until 2002. For more information, visit mariodiazbalart.house.gov.
Republican Scott Franklin, 59, represents the 18th District, which includes parts of eight Central Florida counties, including part of Immokalee. Mr. Franklin was first elected in 2020 and is seeking his third term. He previously owned and operated a small business and was a naval aviator. For more information, visit franklin.house.gov.
Who represents us in the Florida Senate?
All Collier County residents live in Florida's 28th Senate District, which includes parts of Collier, Hendry, and Lee counties.
Republican Kathleen Passidomo, 70, has represented Collier County in the Senate since 2016, serving as Majority Leader from 2018 to 2020 and Senate President from 2022 to 2024. She previously served as a member of the Florida House of Representatives from 2010 to 2016. Her term will be limited as her current term ends in 2026. Mr. Passidomo is an attorney with the law firm of Kelly, Passidomo & Kelly. For more information, visit flsenate.gov/senators/s28.
Who will represent us in the Florida House?
Collier County residents live in Florida House Districts 80, 81, or 82.
The 80th Congressional District, which includes parts of Collier and Lee counties, is represented by Republican Adam Botana, 40, who was first elected in 2020 and is seeking reelection for a third term. Most recently, he held House leadership positions as Vice Chair and House Speaker of the Select Committee on Hurricane Resilience and Recovery. Botana works at his family's Baywater Boat Rentals in Bonita Springs.
The 81st District, which includes much of coastal Collier County, is represented by Republican Bob Rommel, 61. He was first elected in 2016 and is currently serving his fourth term. Rommel, the restaurant owner, will have a limited term when his term expires this year.
Republican Lauren Mello, 57, represents District 82, which includes parts of Collier County and all of Hendry County. Like Botana, Melo was first elected in 2020 and is currently seeking a third term. Most recently, he served as Chairman of the House Secondary Education and Workforce Subcommittee. She is a real estate broker with Florida Real Estate Specialists.
Find your district and learn more at myfloridahouse.gov/representatives.
What's next?
Election season has already begun, and it's time to start learning about the candidates who will be on your August ballot. Visit sparkers-soapbox.com for more information to help you prepare to vote.
Sandy Parker is the founder and publisher of Sparker's Soapbox, which encourages and promotes informed voting in Collier County and throughout Florida.learn more inspakers-soapbox.com.
