Republican congressional candidate Dan Green is running for Florida's 9th Congressional District on the premise that the current military confrontation with Iran represents the final resolution of a decades-long conflict rather than the start of a new one. Green, a Navy veteran with service tours in Iraq, argues that America is finally addressing strife with Tehran that dates back to 1979, while simultaneously campaigning on kitchen-table economics against a 10-year Democratic incumbent in a newly redrawn suburban district based in Orlando.
Green contends that the United States and Iran have been in a state of conflict since the Iranian seizure of the U.S. embassy in Tehran and the subsequent hostage crisis. He cites historical attacks, including bombings of Marine Corps barracks in the 1980s and the Khobar Towers attack in Saudi Arabia, as evidence of sustained hostilities. Green also references his own military experience, stating that Iranians killed American soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines during his tours in Iraq. He asserts that Iran plotted to assassinate President Donald Trump and frames the current situation as a necessary step toward stability in the Middle East.
Despite the district voting for President Donald Trump by a large margin in 2024, Green acknowledges that Republicans face headwinds due to persistent voter concern over inflation and energy prices. He positions the Republican Party as the alternative to what he describes as a rising democratic socialist wing within the Democratic Party. Green claims that many Democratic members are embracing radical ideologies aimed at abolishing the U.S. Senate and implementing higher taxes, arguing that voters should reject this trajectory.
The 9th District contains a large Latino population, which has played a role in shifting Florida from purple to red. Green argues that Republicans must appeal to voters across racial and ethnic lines by focusing on cost-of-living issues, including grocery prices, gas prices, and property insurance rates. He maintains that the rule of law is the foundation of the republic, asserting that there are compassionate ways to enforce it while adhering to legal standards.
Green faces incumbent Democrat Soto, who has held the seat for a decade. Green argues that Soto has not solved the district's problems and has voted against eliminating taxes on Social Security, overtime, and tips. He also criticizes Soto for not prohibiting transgender care and for failing to stop insider trading. Green contends that most of the district has never voted for Soto and that the area's conservative bent will allow him to overcome incumbency advantages such as name recognition and resource access. He states that his military background enables him to execute a campaign plan aimed at flipping the seat from blue to red.