Meet 11th Congressional District democratic candidate Royal Webster

BIOGRAPHY INFO

Age: 64

City/town of residence: Winter Garden

Family: Wife, 4 Children, 6 Grandchildren 

Education: Bachelor of Arts in history

Qualifications: Former U.S. Army military intelligence analyst and veteran; public high school Spanish teacher; union member; actively involved in the community through coaching, mentoring, and volunteer service; and more than 40 years of proven leadership in both military and civilian life. My career has been defined by service to others, with a commitment to strengthening my community, supporting families, and helping the next generation succeed.

What makes you the best candidate for Florida’s 11th Congressional District?

What makes me the best candidate for Florida's 11th Congressional District is that my entire life has been about service. I served our country as a U.S. Army military intelligence analyst, am a public high school teacher, coached and mentored young people for over 40 years, and have remained active in my community through volunteer service. I understand leadership because I've lived it—in uniform, in the classroom, and in my community.

I am also a 100% grassroots candidate. I don't come from a political family or a career in politics. I am running because I believe Congress needs more public servants and fewer politicians. My priorities are making life more affordable by lowering the costs of healthcare, prescription drugs, housing, groceries, childcare, and energy; strengthening public education; supporting our veterans; protecting our environment; and restoring accountability to Washington.

I believe the best leaders spend more time listening than talking. Throughout this campaign, I've knocked on doors, attended community meetings, and listened to the concerns of families across our district. My goal is simple: to represent every resident of Florida's 11th Congressional District with integrity, transparency, and a commitment to putting people before politics. 

What are the key differences between you and your opponents?

I believe several qualities distinguish me from the other candidates in this race. I am the only candidate who is both a U.S. Army veteran and a public school educator, giving me firsthand experience serving our country in uniform and serving our community in the classroom. I have also earned the endorsement of multiple Democratic caucuses and organizations, reflecting broad support from leaders who share my commitment to public service.

While many campaigns focus on identifying problems, my campaign is focused on offering practical solutions. I believe voters deserve more than criticism—they deserve a clear vision and a plan to make life more affordable, strengthen public education, support our veterans, protect our environment, and improve the quality of life for every family in our district.

I also believe elected officials must be held accountable to the people they represent. I will always work to find common ground and negotiate when it benefits our community, but I will never compromise my integrity, my values, or what I believe is in the best interest of Florida's 11th Congressional District, our state, and our country.

Evaluate outgoing U.S. Rep. Daniel Webster’s performance over his tenure in Congress. What did he do well? What would you do differently? 

While Congressman Daniel Webster's political views differ from mine on many issues, I respect that he has served this district consistently according to his principles and beliefs. Where I believe he fell short was in being equally available to all of his constituents. Effective leadership means representing everyone in your district, including those who disagree with you.

Leadership requires making difficult decisions, and no elected official will make everyone happy. However, one of the most important qualities of a leader is accessibility. A member of Congress should be willing to meet with, listen to, and engage all constituents—not just those who share their views. Political leadership is about making tough decisions, being accountable for those decisions, and being available to explain and discuss them with the people you represent, regardless of whether those decisions are popular or unpopular. That is the standard I will hold myself to if I am elected.

I would make accessibility and communication a top priority. I would hold in-person town halls every quarter at four different locations across the district on the same Saturday—9:00 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 4:00 p.m., and 7:30 p.m.—rotating the locations each quarter so every community has the opportunity to participate. I would also host a virtual town hall every month to ensure that residents who cannot attend in person still have direct access to their representative.

Representing a politically diverse and geographically large district of approximately 890,000 people presents unique challenges, but those challenges are not an excuse for being unavailable. I believe one of the most important responsibilities of a member of Congress is to be accessible, to listen, and to maintain an open dialogue with the people they represent. My goal would be to ensure that every constituent knows they have a representative who is willing to listen, answer questions, and be accountable.

Give the current U.S. House a letter grade — A-F — and share how your presence would change that grade.

I would give the current U.S. House of Representatives a D. While there are many dedicated public servants serving in Congress, too much time is spent on partisan conflict, political theater, and fundraising instead of solving the everyday problems facing American families. The American people deserve a Congress that is more accountable, more collaborative, and more focused on results than rhetoric.

I believe my presence would help move that grade to a B. I cannot change Congress by myself, but I can change how I represent Florida's 11th Congressional District and the example I set.

Discuss three tangible ways constituents will experience your presence as their representative in the U.S. House.

First, my constituents will experience unprecedented accessibility. I will hold quarterly in-person town halls throughout the district, monthly virtual town halls, and maintain an open-door policy so constituents know their representative is available to listen and respond.

Second, While one member of Congress cannot transform the institution alone, I believe leadership is contagious. By being accessible, transparent, and focused on solving problems instead of scoring political points, I hope to set an example that encourages more collaboration and accountability. If more members approached public service this way, I believe Congress would earn a much higher grade from the American people.

Third, they will experience accountability and transparency. I will explain my votes, communicate regularly about my work in Congress, and welcome questions—even from those who disagree with me. I believe a representative works for the people, and the people deserve honesty, accessibility, and a willingness to be held accountable.

District 11 is a diverse district with many needs. What are the district’s three most pressing issues?

While some of the challenges facing Florida's 11th Congressional District are primarily the responsibility of state and local government, I believe the four most pressing issues are housing affordability, environmental protection, education, and transportation while responsibly managing urban sprawl.

Housing costs continue to place enormous financial pressure on working families, seniors, and young adults trying to build a future. Protecting our environment is essential to preserving Florida's natural resources, ensuring clean water, managing responsible growth, and preparing for the impacts of a changing climate. Investing in public education is one of the most important responsibilities we have because a strong education system creates opportunities for our children, strengthens our workforce, and builds a more prosperous future for our entire community. Finally, our region must improve transportation infrastructure while planning for continued growth. Smart investments in roads, public transit, and thoughtful land-use planning are essential to reducing congestion, protecting our quality of life, and ensuring that growth does not come at the expense of our communities or our environment.

Discuss the impending Social Security shortfall and your solutions. 

Social Security is one of the most important commitments our nation has made to its seniors, people with disabilities, and working families. We must take action now to protect this earned benefit for current and future generations. According to current projections, the Social Security Trust Fund is expected to become unable to pay full scheduled benefits in the fourth quarter of 2032 if Congress does not act. While Social Security will not disappear, failing to address the issue could result in a reduction in benefits for millions of Americans.

My solution is straightforward: eliminate the Social Security payroll tax cap. Under the current system, Social Security taxes are only collected on wages up to the taxable wage base, which is $184,500 in 2026. Once an individual earns more than that amount, additional income is no longer subject to the Social Security payroll tax. By removing this cap, we can ensure that those who earn the most contribute on all of their income and that everyone pays their fair share.

Protecting Social Security is not about cutting benefits or placing more burdens on working families. It is about making sure this promise remains strong, fair, and available for the generations that have earned it.

Discuss the current state of health care in the United States and your solutions.

The current state of healthcare in the United States is unacceptable. We have some of the best doctors, hospitals, and medical technology in the world, yet millions of Americans still struggle to afford the care they need. Too many families are forced to choose between paying medical bills and paying for housing, groceries, or other basic necessities. Medical debt remains one of the leading causes of financial hardship and bankruptcy in our country.

I support creating a Medicare for All option for those who choose to participate. I do not believe in taking away healthcare coverage from people who are satisfied with their current plans, but every American should have access to an affordable, high-quality public option.

We also need to address the high costs within our healthcare system by reducing fraud, waste, and abuse; increasing transparency; allowing greater negotiation of prices; and holding pharmaceutical companies, insurers, and healthcare providers accountable for excessive costs and price gouging. Healthcare should be about caring for patients, not maximizing profits at the expense of American families.

Do you support term limits for Congress? Why or why not?

Yes, I support term limits for Congress, and I have signed the term limits pledge. I believe public service should be a commitment to the people, not a lifetime career built around power, influence, or financial reward.

Over time, our political system has created incentives that allow some elected officials to remain in office for decades, and in some cases, they begin to believe that they are the only ones capable of serving. I believe that is a misconception. Our country has millions of talented, qualified, and dedicated citizens who are capable of stepping forward to serve.

Term limits can help encourage fresh ideas, increase accountability, and remind elected officials that they are temporary stewards of the public trust. At the same time, experience and institutional knowledge matter, which is why I believe term limits should be balanced with a commitment to electing qualified leaders who are ready to serve effectively from day one.

Discuss how you plan to work with your fellow representatives, the U.S. Senate and President Trump.

This is a complicated question because I believe Congress and the presidency both require a higher standard of leadership and accountability. I have given the current Congress a grade of D because too often partisan division and political priorities have taken precedence over solving the problems facing the American people. I also recognize that there are policies from the current administration that I strongly disagree with, including tariffs that raise costs for consumers and foreign policy decisions that I believe have not always put American interests first.

As a former U.S. Army military intelligence analyst and veteran, I understand the seriousness of national security threats, including the threat posed by Iran. However, I also believe that military action must be carefully considered, and our nation should avoid unnecessary wars of choice while pursuing diplomatic solutions whenever possible.

My responsibility will not be to a political party, a president, or special interests. My responsibility will be to the constituents of Florida's 11th Congressional District, the people of Florida, and the United States of America. I will work with anyone—Republican, Democrat, or Independent—when it benefits the people I represent. I will negotiate in good faith, but I will not compromise my integrity, my values, or what I believe is in the best interest of the American people.