This week, U.S. Rep. Dan Webster, R-Fla., announced that his office has returned more than $10 million to veterans since the start of 2017.
First elected to Congress in 2010 after decades on the Florida political stage–including being the first Republican since Reconstruction to serve as speaker of the state House–Webster weighed in on his efforts for veterans this week.
“Serving veterans is one of my top priorities,” said Webster. “We owe them a debt we can never repay. Yet, too often, our veterans’ attempts to receive the benefits or compensation they have earned are met with delays. I am pleased that we have been able to intercede on behalf of so many constituent veterans to ensure they receive the services and compensation they have earned. I am committed to continuing to work to improve the service quality and efficiency for our veterans.”
Now 71, Webster has had something of a dramatic ride during his time in Congress. While he crushed then U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson, D-Fla., in 2010, Webster had a tough time beating Democrat Val Demings in 2012 after redistricting. After another round of redistricting, Webster set his sights away from I-4 to a GOP-leaning district to the north.
After the 2014 election, Webster offered a leadership challenge to U.S. House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, but came up short and was thrown off of the powerful U.S. House Rules Committee. After Boehner stepped down in 2015, Webster made another attempt to grab the gavel but lost out to then U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wisc.
Webster is not expected to have a tough outing this year as he squares off against Dana Cottrell, a teacher and the Democratic nominee, in November. In 2018, Webster route Cottrell, taking 65 percent while the Democrat pulled 35 percent.
Reach Kevin Derby at kevin.derby@floridadaily.com.
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