Florida → House → District 22
The Florida House directory lists Chad Johnson (R) for the 2024–26 term and gives the county coverage as Gilchrist, Levy and Part of Alachua.
District map · 2022 House plan
¶ Geography and communities
- Boundary Overview: Situated across North-Central Florida and the Nature Coast along the Gulf of Mexico. It spans from the western suburbs of Gainesville (Alachua County) westward through the rural Suwannee and Santa Fe river valleys of Gilchrist County to the coastal estuaries and islands of Levy County. Bounded to the north by Suwannee, Columbia, and northern Alachua counties (House Districts 7, 10, and 21), to the east by eastern Alachua and Marion counties (House Districts 21 and 24), to the south by Citrus County (House District 23), and to the west by Dixie County (District 7) and the Gulf of Mexico.
- Incorporated Municipalities:
- Gilchrist County (Full Coverage): City of Trenton (county seat; agricultural and dairy center), City of Bell.
- Levy County (Full Coverage): City of Bronson (county seat), City of Chiefland (primary inland commercial retail center), City of Williston (equestrian, agricultural, and general aviation hub), Town of Cedar Key (historic Gulf barrier-island municipality and clam aquaculture capital), Town of Inglis (crossroads near the Withlacoochee River), Town of Yankeetown, Town of Otter Creek.
- Alachua County (Partial/Western Tier): City of Newberry (rapidly suburbanizing municipal core, agro-industrial complex, and location of the legislative district office), City of Archer (crossroads municipality along US-41/SR-24), portions of western Gainesville and unincorporated suburban tracts west of Interstate 75. Florida House of Representatives
- CDPs, Unincorporated Hamlets & Coastal Enclaves:
- Gilchrist County: Spring Ridge, Waters Lake, Wilcox, Tyler, Sun Springs.
- Levy County: Morriston, Rosewood (historic community), Fanning Springs (tri-county boundary community on the Suwannee River), Gulf Hammock, Raleigh, Waccasassa.
- Western Alachua Subdivisions: Tioga (Town of Tioga master-planned community), Haile Plantation (western portions), Jonesville, rustic rural residential acreage along State Road 26.
- Transportation & Logistics Corridors:
- Highways & Arterials: Interstate 75 (primary north-south expressway corridor skirting western Gainesville in Alachua County), US Highway 19/98 (major coastal transit corridor through Chiefland, Inglis, and Fanning Springs), US Highway 27/27A (linking Williston and Chiefland north to Perry and High Springs), US Highway 41 (arterial through Archer and Williston), State Road 26 (east-west commercial corridor connecting Gainesville to Newberry and Trenton), and State Road 24 (arterial running from Archer southwest to Cedar Key).
- Navigable Waterways & Coastal Assets: Gulf Intracoastal Waterway / barge canal approaches, Suwannee River, Santa Fe River, Withlacoochee River (Levy/Citrus border), and Waccasassa Bay.
- Environmental & Conservation Assets: Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuge, Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge, Waccasassa Bay Preserve State Park, Manatee Springs State Park, Fanning Springs State Park, Ruth B. Kirby Gilchrist Blue Springs State Park, Ginnie Springs (privately managed first-magnitude spring basin), Goethe State Forest, and the Withlacoochee Gulf Preserve.
¶ Population and electorate
- District Apportionment Target: ~179,754 residents (2020 Census Florida House district apportionment standard).
- Voting Age Population (VAP) by Race/Ethnicity (District Specific Estimates):
- Non-Hispanic White: ~75.5%–78.5%
- Hispanic / Latino: ~9.0%–11.0% (concentrated in agricultural worker corridors across Levy and Gilchrist)
- Black / African American: ~6.5%–8.0% (concentrated in historic neighborhoods in Chiefland, Archer, and East Williston)
- Asian / Multi-racial / Other: ~3.5%–5.0%
- Socioeconomic Cleavages:
- Displays a noticeable economic division between master-planned suburban developments and rural production centers:
- Western Alachua Suburban Enclaves (Tioga, Haile Plantation, Jonesville): Upper-middle-class professional households affiliated with the University of Florida, Shands healthcare networks, and corporate consulting, with median household incomes exceeding $95,000.
- Levy & Gilchrist Rural Core: Fiscally constrained rural counties anchored by farming, timber, livestock, and commercial aquaculture, where median household incomes range between $45,000 and $55,000 with elevated poverty rates (~16%–19%).
- Educational Attainment: ~32.5% Bachelor’s degree or higher across the blended district footprint.
- Demographic Reference: Florida Senate District 22 Demographic Profile.
¶ Elections and political context
- Voter Distribution (Active Voters across District Footprint):
- Solid Republican advantage. Across Gilchrist, Levy, and western Alachua County, active voter registration sits at roughly 49% Republican, 27% Democratic, and 24% No Party Affiliation (NPA) / minor party registrants.
- Partisan Lean: R+14 to R+18 (Solid Republican; commanding conservative margins in rural Gilchrist and Levy counties offset Democratic strength in collegiate and suburban precincts on the western edge of Gainesville/Alachua).
- Election Inquiries & Regional Information:
- To confirm voter registration status, look up precinct maps, or review certified election returns, voters can refer to the official Florida Division of Elections Portal and local county supervisors of elections:
- Recent General Election & Primary History:
- 2024 General: Republican Chad Johnson was elected to his first term representing District 22, prevailing over Democratic candidate David Arreola (former Gainesville City Commissioner). WUFT News
- 2024 Republican Primary: Chad Johnson won a competitive primary against Raemi Eagle-Glenn to secure the Republican nomination to succeed Representative Chuck Clemons.
- 2022 General (Prior Incumbent Chuck Clemons): Chuck Clemons (R) was elected to represent the newly drawn District 22.
- Primary & Factional Dynamics: General elections require the Republican nominee to maximize turnout in deep-red rural precincts (Chiefland, Trenton, Williston, Bronson) while remaining competitive in the swing-heavy suburban master-planned developments of western Alachua (Jonesville, Tioga). The primary regularly balances traditional timber/agribusiness dynasties against suburban fiscal-conservative and property-rights blocs.
¶ Economic and civic anchors
- Agribusiness, Dairy & Cattle Production:
- Gilchrist County and Levy County rank among the top livestock, cattle grazing, poultry, peanut, and watermelon producing areas in Florida.
- Major commercial dairies and dairy-feed infrastructure clustered around Trenton and Bell.
- Commercial timber, pine sawmills, and mulch/pulp processing throughout Levy County’s interior timber reserves.
- Commercial Aquaculture & Seafood:
- Cedar Key Aquaculture Association: Cedar Key is one of the nation's leading producers of farm-raised hard clams (Mercenaria mercenaria), serving as an economic engine that replaced the wild oyster fishery following historic gillnet bans.
- Equine Industry & Training Facilities:
- Williston and eastern Levy County serve as a western extension of the Ocala/Marion County horse country, supporting thoroughbred breeding, training tracks, and commercial equestrian boarding facilities.
- Higher Education & Workforce Training:
- Commercial Retail, Agro-Tourism & Mining:
- Newberry agro-industrial and sports tourism complex (Champions Park youth baseball/softball tournament complex driving hospitality revenues).
- Limerock and aggregate mining operations located along the US-27 and SR-24 corridors in Levy and southwestern Alachua counties.
¶ People and organizations to map
- People and organization leads:
- Representative Chad Johnson & The Cattlemen/Auctioneer Network: Extensive statewide background with the Florida Auctioneers Association, Levy County Cattlemen’s Association, and Florida Farm Bureau; maintains strong ties to rural property owners and agricultural finance institutions.
- The Florida Farm Bureau Federation: Headquartered in Gainesville, with strong county chapters in Levy and Gilchrist, maintaining a major institutional lobbying footprint on agricultural water permitting, rural sales tax exemptions, and right-to-farm statutes.
- The Clemons Political Legacy: Former House Speaker pro tempore Chuck Clemons (who held the predecessor seats from 2016 to 2024 and endorsed Johnson) retains considerable political advisory and fundraising influence across Alachua, Levy, and Gilchrist.
- The Law Enforcement & Constitutional Officer Coalition: Levy County Sheriff Bobby McCallum, Gilchrist County Sheriff Bobby Schultz, and local county commissioners form a unified regional policy coalition on rural criminal justice, disaster logistics, and school safety.
- Civic & Political Research Leads:
- Research Lead (Cedar Key Clam Industry & Working Waterfront Coalitions): The Cedar Key Watermen's Association and University of Florida Shellfish Aquaculture Extension frequently petition the legislature for working waterfront tax relief, hurricane gear-replacement assistance, and water quality monitoring programs in Waccasassa Bay.
- Research Lead (Springs Basin & Water Permitting Advocacy Groups): Environmental trusts like the Florida Springs Council and Our Santa Fe River regularly engage the Suwannee River Water Management District and state lawmakers regarding groundwater consumptive use permits (CUPs) granted to commercial bottling facilities and agricultural irrigators around Ginnie Springs and Gilchrist Blue Springs.
- Research Lead (Newberry Municipal Growth & Phosphate/Energy Taskforces): Newberry city leadership exploring municipal utility expansions, local charter school conversions, and industrial park rezoning along the CSX rail corridor.
- Strategic Cultural & Infrastructure Landmarks:
- Historic Cedar Key Island & Docks: Working waterfront and historic island community accessible via SR-24, known for seafood processing, ecotourism, and the Cedar Key Arts Festival.
- Ruth B. Kirby Gilchrist Blue Springs State Park: First-magnitude freshwater spring and recreation area on the Santa Fe River, acquired by the state in 2017.
- Champions Park (Newberry): Elite 16-field youth baseball and fastpitch softball complex hosting national tournaments and driving regional sports tourism.
- Manatee Springs State Park (Chiefland): First-magnitude spring discharging into the Suwannee River, serving as a winter manatee refuge and public park.
¶ Representation and legislative work
- Incumbent: Chad Johnson (R - Chiefland) Florida House of Representatives
- Chamber Role: Serving as a member of the Florida House in the 2024–2026 legislative term.
- Standing Committee Assignments:
- Joint Administrative Procedures Committee (JAPC) Florida House of Representatives
- Ways & Means Committee Florida House of Representatives
- Careers & Workforce Subcommittee Florida House of Representatives
- Human Services Subcommittee Florida House of Representatives
- Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee Florida House of Representatives
- Justice Budget Subcommittee Florida House of Representatives
- (Verified via the official Florida House Committee Assignments Profile for Rep. Johnson).
- Key Policy Focus Areas & Legislative Priorities:
- Taxation & Revenue Oversight: Position on the Ways & Means Committee provides direct input on state sales tax holidays, agricultural commercial exemptions, and business rent tax policies.
- Administrative Rulemaking & Agency Accountability: Service on the Joint Administrative Procedures Committee (JAPC) provides oversight authority regarding executive agency rules, regulatory overreach, and statutory adherence.
- Rural County Infrastructure & Fiscal Relief: Prioritizes state capital assistance for small, fiscally constrained rural counties (Levy and Gilchrist) to finance road paving, rural EMS services, and municipal water/wastewater upgrades.
- Agriculture & Property Rights: Focuses on defending agricultural greenbelt classifications, protecting water rights within the Suwannee River Water Management District, and supporting livestock disease containment programs.
Research text: Gemini browser session, 2026-10-04. Officeholder and county coverage: Florida House directory. The graph keeps these leads separate from the reference office record.