Bill Rufty
U.S. Rep. Dennis Ross, a Lakeland Republican, is announcing Monday that he is seeking re-election to Florida’s 15th Congressional District.
Ross’ district boundaries were redrawn during the recent Supreme Court orders that changed borders of several Florida congressional districts and state Senate districts.
He plans three stops Monday in his slightly reshaped district for the announcement:
- At 1 p.m., he will be at the Southeast Milk Plant, 2502 Turkey Creek Road, Plant City;
- At 2:30 p.m., Ross will announce at Draken International, located at Lakeland Linder Airport, 3330 Flightline Drive; and
- At 4 p.m., Ross will be in Clermont at Uncle Matt’s Organic Inc., 1645 E. State Road 50, Suite 102.
Ross was first elected to the seat in 2010. Previously, his home base, Polk County, had been trimmed from his district. Recent changes make the solidly Republican district, formerly held by Charles E. Canady and then Adam Putnam, now slightly more Democratic in voter makeup.
The 15th Congressional District includes parts of Polk, Hillsborough and Lake counties.
Although the boundaries and district numbers have changed over the years, this principal Polk County district had been in the Republican camp since 1984 when then-Congressman Andy Ireland of Winter Haven switched from a Democrat to Republican.
Ross is being challenged by Jim Lange, a Lutz Democrat and business consultant.
