U.S. Rep. Neal Dunn (R) defeated U.S. Rep. Al Lawson (D) in the general election for Florida’s 2nd Congressional District on Nov. 8, 2022. Dunn received 60% of the vote to Lawson’s 40%. This election was one of two U.S. House races in which two incumbents faced off in the general election.
Florida’s congressional district boundaries were redrawn after the 2020 census. According to data from Daily Kos, voters in the redrawn 2nd District backed Donald Trump (R) over Joe Biden (D) 55% to 44% in the 2020 presidential election.
Dunn, who was first elected to represent the old 2nd District in 2016, told the Tallahassee Democrat, “My conservative principles are more in line with the people of Florida-02. … One of the many things I would like to accomplish in the next congressional session is stopping the Biden Administration’s failed policies that are driving up inflation.” Dunn said, “The Biden administration’s decisions and actions are a reckless, unnecessary disaster, choking off opportunity for everybody in America, and Al votes with this President 100% of the time. … I have and will continue to offer this district steadfast, conservative, Republican leadership to work to unleash the potential for the American economy.”
Lawson was first elected to represent Florida’s 5th Congressional District in 2016. He said, “I have served North Florida since 1982, first in the Legislature and now Congress. I put policy ahead of politics to get results[.] … From my time in the Florida Legislature until now in Congress, I have prided myself in working across party lines to make positive change for North Florida.” According to Politico‘s Gary Fineout, Lawson “tried to appeal to north Florida voters by stressing his ability to win federal funding for hometown projects as well as hitting Dunn over his vote in opposition to a new law that expands health care benefits for veterans.”
All 435 House districts were up for election on November 8.
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