| Darren Soto was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2016 to represent Florida's Ninth Congressional District, which includes all of Osceola and parts of Orange and Polk Counties.
Born to a Puerto Rican father and an Italian American mother, Darren's upbringing influenced his passion for public service and helping those in need. After learning the value of hard work from his parents, Darren graduated from Rutgers University and the George Washington University School of Law.
Upon graduation, Darren opened his own practice in Central Florida, where he practiced family law, civil litigation, and real estate law.
With a desire to further help the men and women he advocated for as a lawyer, Darren entered public service in 2006 when he was appointed to serve on the Orlando Civil Service Board and as the treasurer and vice president of communications for the Orange County Young Democrats. Soon thereafter, he was elected to the state House and later to the state Senate. Serving in the Florida Legislature for a decade, he fought to create high-paying jobs, increase access to higher education, and ensure clean water, land, and air for his constituents. Darren spearheaded the passage of landmark legislation to protect families of fallen firefighters, give victims of sexual assault more time to report their attackers, and allow Dreamers to be admitted to the Florida Bar.
In 2016, he took his public service to a national level after being elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. In his first term in Congress, he passed the most laws of any Freshman Member in the House. Now in his fifth term, Darren has established himself as a strong advocate for the environment, hurricane relief, emerging technologies, and the fight to protect the health and safety of his constituents.
He currently serves on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and the House Committee on Natural Resources. Additionally, Darren is the Deputy Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and a proud member of the New Democrat Coalition, Future Forum Caucus, Problem Solvers Caucus, Congressional Progressive Caucus, LGBTQ Equality Caucus, and others.
The first Floridian of Puerto Rican descent to serve in Congress, Darren is proud to represent the hard-working men and women who make Central Florida's theme parks world-renowned, who grow more citrus and raise more cattle than anywhere else in the state, and who explore the farthest reaches of the galaxy from the Kennedy Space Center. From fighting for the needs of Central Floridians and our fellow Americans in Puerto Rico to being a strong voice on healthcare and the environment, Darren is proud to serve his fellow Americans and the constituents of Florida's Ninth Congressional District. His hobbies include playing guitar, pastel painting, and kayaking. |