Despite losing to Paul Ryan in the House speakership race at the end of October, Dan Webster has kind words for his victorious rival even as he looks ahead to a difficult 2016.
Webster praised Ryan in a message to supporters earlier this week.
“I know that you, like myself, are tired of the gridlock that has plagued Washington for all too long,” Webster wrote. “That is why I ran for speaker earlier this year: to help other members see there is a better way to do business, by pushing down the pyramid of power, and giving that power back to the representatives of the people. I am encouraged by the progress Speaker Ryan is making and honored that he’s asked for my counsel. For the first time in a long time we are moving in the right direction, though we have a long way to go.”
“Since Speaker Boehner stepped down, we have seen the beginnings of a principle based, member-driven Congress - a Congress that operates more like what our founding fathers intended,” Webster added. “I am encouraged by Speaker Ryan’s progress, but I know we have a long way to go.”
Webster came up short against John Boehner at the start of the year when he offered a conservative challenge to the then-speaker. When Boehner resigned later in the year, Webster was the favorite candidate of some conservatives, tea party supporters and the House Freedom Caucus as they ensured Kevin McCarthy would not end up with the gavel. But while Webster retained some of his supporters, including fellow Florida Republican Ted Yoho who also challenged Boehner at the start of the year, enough of them drifted over to ensure Ryan would be speaker.
As he readies for 2016, Webster has some choices to make and he appears to be one of the chief political victims as the Florida Supreme Court decided to implement a new congressional map drawn up by the League of Women Voters.
Under the old map, Webster represented parts of Orange and Polk counties and most of Lake County. Under the new map, this district is far more Democratic, taking in only parts of Orange County. Webster has been vocal in his opposition to redistricting but his chances for another term look dire, especially as major Democratic candidates are already running here.
Buzz is growing that Webster could run for the seat held by Rich Nugent who backed him over Boehner at the start of the year, leading to them both getting thrown off the House Rules Committee. Starting in Ocala and sprawling over to the Gulf Coast, under the old map, this district winds through Citrus, Hernando, Marion and Sumter counties. Under the new map, the district keeps all of Citrus, Hernando and Sumter counties as well as part of Marion County while adding almost half of the population of Lake County. Nugent has already announced he will not run in 2016 but whoever wins the Republican nomination will be in good shape under the new map. But even here Webster would be in for a fight as Nugent has already thrown his support to Justin Grabell, his chief of staff, and there’s talk of other Republicans getting in the race.
Webster has been a force in Florida politics since 1980 when he was first elected to the state House. A staunch conservative, he served longer in the Legislature than anyone else in Florida history, leading the GOP caucus in the House before becoming the first Republican speaker since Reconstruction after the 1996 elections.
After facing term limits in 1998, Webster moved on to the Senate. While he failed in his efforts to become Senate president, he did serve as Senate majority leader. Turning his eyes to federal office once he faced term limits in the Senate, Webster blew out Democrat Congressman Alan Grayson in 2010, but two years later, in a far better year for Democrats, he almost lost to challenger Val Demings who is running again in 2016.
Webster’s been honored in his district and in Tallahassee with everything from a section of SR 429 to a room in the state Capitol named after him. But his future in Washington is looking increasingly uncertain even as he praises the new House speaker.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
