Recent polling and endorsements have positioned Ben Butler as the frontrunner in the August 18 Republican primary for Florida’s 9th Congressional District, a seat redrawn this year to favor GOP candidates challenging incumbent Democrat Darren Soto. Butler, an Okeechobee rancher and local water management official, has secured support from multiple sitting Florida Republican members of Congress. A late July Victory Insights survey showed a tight contest among Butler, Thomas Chalifoux, Jorge Martinez, and Dan Green, with over 40 percent of likely primary voters undecided. Chalifoux, the 2024 nominee and Army veteran, trails in trader pricing amid the crowded field of eight candidates. Upcoming debates and final voter outreach before primary day remain key variables that could influence turnout among Republican voters.