Florida → House → District 23
The Florida House directory lists J.J. Grow (R) for the 2024–26 term and gives the county coverage as Citrus and Part of Marion.
District map · 2022 House plan
¶ Geography and communities
- Boundary Overview: Situated along the central Nature Coast and the Withlacoochee River basin in West-Central Florida. Encompasses the whole of Citrus County—from its Gulf coastal estuaries and spring-fed bays eastward to the Tsala Apopka chain of lakes—and crosses the county line to absorb southwestern Marion County, centered on the historic river community of Dunnellon and rural horse farms along the State Road 40 and State Road 200 corridors. Bounded north by Levy County and western Alachua County (House District 22), east by central/southern Marion County and Sumter County (House Districts 21, 24, and 52), south by Hernando County (House District 53), and west by the Gulf of Mexico.
- Incorporated Municipalities:
- Citrus County (Full Coverage): City of Inverness (county seat; historic lakeside municipal center on the Withlacoochee State Trail), City of Crystal River (coastal municipality, world-renowned hub for West Indian manatee observation and Kings Bay ecotourism).
- Marion County (Partial/Southwestern Tier): City of Dunnellon (historic municipality located at the confluence of the Withlacoochee and Rainbow rivers).
- CDPs, Unincorporated Hamlets & Master-Planned Communities:
- Citrus County Master-Planned & Inland Communities: Homosassa, Homosassa Springs, Sugarmill Woods (large-scale wooded master-planned deed-restricted community), Beverly Hills, Citrus Hills, Citrus Springs, Pine Ridge (equestrian residential community), Floral City, Lecanto (geographic/civic core of the county), Black Diamond.
- Marion County Inset: Rainbow Springs, Chatmire, Romeo, Rolling Hills, and rural ranches bordering western Ocala.
- Transportation & Logistics Corridors:
- Expressways & Arterials: Suncoast Parkway / State Road 589 extension (critical north-south toll expressway connecting Citrus County directly into the Tampa Bay metropolitan area), US Highway 19 (primary commercial coastal highway through Homosassa and Crystal River), US Highway 41 (inland artery linking Floral City, Inverness, and Dunnellon), State Road 44 (vital east-west evacuation and commerce corridor connecting Crystal River, Inverness, and I-75 in Sumter County), State Road 40 (connecting Dunnellon east to Ocala), and County Road 486 / County Road 491.
- Navigable Waterways & Coastal Assets: Gulf of Mexico coastal marsh estuaries, Kings Bay, Crystal River channel, Homosassa River, Withlacoochee River, Rainbow River, and the Cross Florida Barge Canal / Inglis Lock approaches.
- Environmental & Conservation Assets: Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge (only national refuge specifically created to protect the Florida manatee), Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge, Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park, Rainbow Springs State Park (first-magnitude spring basin), Withlacoochee State Forest (Citrus Tract and Croom boundaries), Crystal River Archaeological State Park, and the Tsala Apopka Lake system.
¶ 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: ~83.5%–86.0% (one of the highest concentrations of non-Hispanic White voting-age residents in Florida)
- Hispanic / Latino: ~6.5%–8.0%
- Black / African American: ~3.0%–4.5%
- Asian / Multi-racial / Other: ~2.5%–3.5%
- Socioeconomic Indicators:
- Median Household Income: ~$52,000–$62,000 across Citrus County and southwestern Marion County.
- Age & Retirement Footprint: Median age exceeds 58 years; District 23 hosts one of the largest concentrations of retired adults, snowbirds, and Medicare beneficiaries in the state, concentrated in developments such as Sugarmill Woods, Beverly Hills, and Citrus Hills.
- Rapid Commuter Expansion: The northward extension of the Suncoast Parkway (SR-589) through Citrus County has catalyzed rapid growth of bedroom commuters traveling south to Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, creating a shift from purely retiree demographics toward young working families.
- Demographic Reference: Florida Senate District 23 Demographic Profile.
¶ Elections and political context
- Voter Distribution (Active Voters across District Footprint):
- Partisan Lean: R+28 to R+32 (Safe Republican; solid margins across all inland and coastal precincts).
- Recent General Election & Primary History:
- 2024 General: J.J. Grow (R) 76.8% def. Judith Vowels (D) 23.2% (approx. 78,500 to 23,700 votes).
- 2024 Republican Primary: J.J. Grow won the open Republican primary to succeed term-limited Representative Ralph Massullo, M.D.
- 2022 General (Prior Incumbent Ralph Massullo): Ralph Massullo (R) 69.8% def. Paul Reinhardt (D) 30.2%.
- Primary & Factional Dynamics: General elections are uncompetitive for Democrats. Political power is concentrated within the Republican primary, balancing the interests of legacy agricultural, cattle, and limerock mining operations against retirees, anti-tax civic associations in Sugarmill Woods/Citrus Hills, and coastal fishing/tourism businesses in Crystal River and Homosassa.
¶ Economic and civic anchors
- Energy Generation & Industrial Infrastructure:
- Duke Energy Crystal River Energy Complex: Massive energy generation site on the Gulf of Mexico; features combined-cycle natural gas facilities and the decommissioned Crystal River 3 nuclear plant; one of the largest property taxpayers and industrial employers in Citrus County.
- Agribusiness, Citrus & Ranching:
- Agrochemical and agricultural supply companies: Incumbent J.J. Grow founded and led major regional agricultural chemical distribution and crop protection enterprises (Gro-Pro LLC, Verdesian Life Sciences, Farm Nutrients).
- Extensive cow-calf cattle operations, horse ranches, hay production, and citrus holdings in southern Citrus and southwest Marion.
- Healthcare Systems & Senior Living:
- HCA Florida Citrus Hospital (Inverness; full-service acute care hospital, surgical center, and cardiac facility).
- Bravera Health Seven Rivers (Crystal River / now AdventHealth Seven Rivers; primary hospital campus serving the coastal Nature Coast).
- Extensive network of assisted living facilities, memory care campuses, and outpatient clinics supporting the senior population.
- Higher Education & Workforce Training:
- College of Central Florida (CF) - Citrus Campus (Lecanto; higher education, criminal justice academy, and nursing education hub).
- Withlacoochee Technical College (WTC) in Inverness (vocational trades, commercial driver licensing, and law enforcement training).
- Ecotourism, Hospitality & Commercial Marine:
- Manatee tourism ecosystem in Kings Bay and Crystal River: Scuba diving, boat tours, hotel accommodations, and marina operations driving an estimated $100M+ in regional tourism revenue.
- Freshwater ecotourism and paddlecraft concessions centered on Rainbow Springs and the Withlacoochee River in Dunnellon.
¶ People and organizations to map
- People and organization leads:
- Representative J.J. Grow & Statewide Agribusiness Networks: Extensive leadership ties across the Florida Citrus Commission, Florida Farm Bureau, Florida Cattlemen's Association, and agricultural wholesale distributors across the Southeast.
- The Ralph Massullo Healthcare & Political Network: Long-serving former Representative Ralph Massullo, M.D., remains a major political donor, commercial property holder, and healthcare civic leader in Lecanto and Inverness.
- The Law Enforcement & Constitutional Officer Coalition: Citrus County Sheriff Mike Prendergast (former executive director of the Florida Department of Veterans' Affairs) and Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods represent prominent public safety leaders who coordinate on regional enforcement and emergency operations.
- Duke Energy Florida Government Affairs: Major institutional stakeholder in state energy policy, industrial tax assessments, and marine ecological restoration around the Crystal River discharge canal.
- Civic & Political Research Leads:
- Research Lead (Suncoast Parkway Logistics & Land Developers): Commercial real estate investors, aggregate mining operators, and civil road-building contractors holding acreage near the SR-44 and CR-486 Suncoast Parkway interchanges warrant monitoring regarding commercial rezoning and state infrastructure matching funds.
- Research Lead (Kings Bay & Spring Restoration Coalitions): The Kings Bay Restoration Project (Save Crystal River) and the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD / "Swiftmud"), which actively lobby the legislature for recurring state appropriations to vacuum lyngbya algae and replant native eelgrass in the spring runs.
- Research Lead (Sugarmill Woods & Master-Planned Civic Alliances): Sugarmill Woods Civic Association and Citrus County Council of Homeowner Associations, which mobilize voters during primary elections regarding private utility rate increases, wastewater consolidation, and property taxes.
- Strategic Cultural & Infrastructure Landmarks:
- Kings Bay & Three Sisters Springs: World-renowned warm-water winter refuge for the West Indian manatee; critical federal and municipal ecotourism anchor.
- Rainbow Springs State Park: Fourth-largest freshwater first-magnitude spring in Florida, discharging millions of gallons daily into the Rainbow River at Dunnellon.
- Withlacoochee State Trail: 46-mile paved recreational rail-trail running through Inverness, recognized as one of the premier long-distance recreation corridors in Florida.
- Historic Citrus County Courthouse: Iconic 1912 courthouse in downtown Inverness (featured in Elvis Presley's 1961 film Follow That Dream), now a museum anchoring historic downtown events.
¶ Representation and legislative work
- Incumbent: J.J. Grow (R - Inverness)
- Chamber Role: Serving as a member of the Florida House in the 2024–2026 legislative term.
- Standing Committee Assignments:
- Agriculture, Conservation & Resiliency Subcommittee
- Agriculture & Natural Resources Budget Subcommittee
- Commerce Committee
- Local Administration, Federal Affairs & Special Districts Subcommittee
- Insurance & Banking Subcommittee
- (Verified via the Florida House Directory - Rep. Grow Profile).
- Key Policy Focus Areas & Legislative Priorities:
- Agriculture, Citrus Greening & Crop Protection: Deep industry experience informs committee work on state research grants to combat citrus greening (Huanglongbing), right-to-farm statutes, and commercial agricultural pesticide/fertilizer regulations.
- Springshed Protection & Water Resources: Directs state appropriations and statutory oversight through the Agriculture & Natural Resources Budget Subcommittee toward septic-to-sewer conversions, agricultural best management practices (BMPs), and water quality protection for Kings Bay, the Homosassa River, and Rainbow Springs.
- Homeowners & Commercial Insurance Market: Service on the Insurance & Banking Subcommittee addressing escalating property and windstorm insurance premiums in coastal Nature Coast counties prone to storm surge.
- Transportation Concurrency Along the Suncoast Corridor: Advocating for state highway grants to widen connecting arterials (SR-44, CR-486, CR-491) to accommodate commercial and residential sprawl catalyzed by the Suncoast Parkway expansion.
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.