Carey Baker, the former Lake County Property Appraiser, has entered the race for Florida's 11th Congressional District seat. The 63-year-old Republican is competing in a primary field that includes Lake County Commissioner Anthony Sabatini, described as one of Baker's former protégés who has previously run for the seat. Baker has deep roots in the district and a lengthy record of public service spanning more than two decades.
Baker has represented much of Central Florida in the state legislature, serving in both the Florida House and Senate before being elected as the county's Property Appraiser. A lifelong Eustis resident, he has maintained prominence in Republican politics since his initial election to the Florida House in 2000. His family has a history of legislative service, with his father also having represented the area in the state House. After losing his bid for re-election as Property Appraiser in 2024, Baker pursued another leadership position within the local party structure, working alongside Sabatini in a campaign to become Lake County Republican Party Chair, though that effort proved unsuccessful.
In his 2024 Property Appraiser race, Baker ran as a write-in candidate but was defeated decisively. Republican David Jordan, who filed as an official candidate, defeated Baker by a margin of three to one in the General Election. Despite this loss, Baker demonstrated strong fundraising abilities that will serve him in the primary race. He raised $233,000 for his Property Appraiser campaign and has already begun building financial support for his Congressional bid. Florida's 11th Congressional District encompasses all of Sumter County, portions of western Orange County, and the majority of Lake County.
The district leans heavily Republican, with more than 57 percent of voters supporting President Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election, making a GOP nominee likely to prevail in November. On the Democratic side, repeat candidate Barbie Harden Hall suspended her campaign on Saturday due to health issues. Hall had been the leading fundraiser among Democratic candidates and appeared to be the party's strongest choice for the nomination. Three other Democratic candidates remain in the race: Royal Webster, Shawn Bettis, and Dan Williams.