Mike Beltran will shift to HD 70 to seek re-election

Mike Beltran. Image via Colin Hackley.

Rep. Mike Beltran, a Lithia Republican, will run for re-election in the new House District 70. That means he won’t face Rep. Andrew Learned, a Brandon Democrat, in what was shaping up to be a top contest in November.

“The new districts won’t change my commitment to advocating for our community, advancing conservative policies, and protecting the Constitution in the Florida House of Representatives,” Beltran told Florida Politics.

“I plan to seek re-election in House District 70. I look forward to continuing to represent many current constituents who now reside in the new District 70 and also look forward to the opportunity to serve those I have not yet had the opportunity to represent.”

Beltran first won election to the House in 2018 and is seeking a third consecutive term.

A House district map (H 8013) had placed the majority of geography in Beltran’s current district, House District 57, into proposed House District 69. Beltran’s home landed in the new HD 69 as well. Learned also lives in the new HD 69 and has said he will most likely run there.

The new HD 70 includes portions of Beltran’s current district too, including residents of Apollo Beach and Sun City Center. The district reaches across Interstate 75 and covers parts of south Hillsborough County and north Manatee County.

A partisan performance analysis by MCI Maps also shows the voters in both proposed HD 69 and 70 favored Republican Donald Trump in the last presidential election, but HD 70 is the friendlier territory for Republicans.

About 54.29% of voters in the new HD 70 backed Trump, while just 50.29% of voters in the new HD 69 supported the Republican. Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, won both districts by a slightly larger margin in 2018.

Beltran is the fourth member of the House to announce he will move to a new district that includes much of his prior district. Rep. Tommy Gregory, a Sarasota Republican, announced earlier this week he will move to House District 72, also in Manatee County. Rep. Mike Caruso, a Delray Beach Republican, will shift to the new House District 87. Rep. Christopher Benjamin, a Miami Gardens Democrat, will run in House District 107.

The new map remains under review by the Florida Supreme Court.