Florida → House → District 27
The Florida House directory lists Richard Gentry (R) for the 2024–26 term and gives the county coverage as Parts of Lake, Marion, and Volusia.
District map · 2022 House plan
¶ Geography and communities
- Boundary Overview: Situated across the north-central riverine interior and coastal approach corridors of the St. Johns River basin. Encompasses the vast wilderness, lakes, and rural communities of northern Lake County, southeastern Marion County (encompassing the heart of the Ocala National Forest), and northwest/inland Volusia County flanking the St. Johns River and Lake George. Bounded to the north by Putnam County (House District 20), to the west by central Marion County (House Districts 21 and 24), to the south by central/southern Lake County (House Districts 25 and 26), and to the east by suburban Volusia County and the Halifax area (House Districts 28, 29, and 30).
- Incorporated Municipalities:
- Volusia County (Partial): City of DeBary (southwestern riverfront commuter hub along the St. Johns River), City of Pierson ("Fern Capital of the World"; agricultural and cut-foliage municipal center).
- Lake County (Partial/Northern Tier): Town of Lady Lake (eastern/rural fringes bordering Marion and Lake Griffin approaches), City of Umatilla (northern municipal extensions and forest entries).
- Marion County (Partial/Southeastern Tier): Unincorporated towns and lakeside settlements situated inside or adjacent to the Ocala National Forest boundaries.
- CDPs, Unincorporated Hamlets & River Communities:
- St. Johns River & Lake Country (Lake/Volusia/Marion): Astor (riverfront boating, eco-tourism, and commercial fishing hub on the St. Johns River; home of incumbent Richard Gentry), Paisley, Pittman, Altoona, Lake Mack-Forest Hills, Volusia (historic landing), Barberville, Seville, Glenwood, Emporia, Cow Creek, Salt Springs (eastern boundaries), Lynne, Forest Corners.
- Transportation & Logistics Corridors:
- Highways & Arterials: US Highway 17 (major north-south freight and agricultural arterial through DeBary, Barberville, Pierson, and Seville), State Road 40 (crucial east-west arterial cutting through the Ocala National Forest connecting Ocala directly to Astor and Ormond Beach/Daytona Beach), State Road 19 (north-south forest corridor connecting Eustis/Umatilla north through Salt Springs to Palatka), State Road 42, and County Road 445.
- Riverine & Freight Rail: St. Johns River commercial and recreational navigation channel; CSX Transportation freight corridor running along the US-17 corridor in northwestern Volusia; SunRail commuter rail terminus at DeBary Station.
- Environmental & Conservation Assets: Ocala National Forest (federal national forest preserving the world's largest contiguous sand pine scrub forest), Lake George (second-largest freshwater lake in Florida), St. Johns River basin, Alexander Springs Wilderness and Recreation Area, Juniper Springs Recreation Area, Silver Glen Springs, De Leon Springs State Park, Tiger Bay State Forest, and Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge.
¶ 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: ~75.0%–78.0%
- Hispanic / Latino: ~12.5%–14.5% (substantial concentrations of agricultural and ornamental horticulture workers in Pierson, Seville, and western Volusia)
- Black / African American: ~5.5%–7.0%
- Asian / Multi-racial / Other: ~3.0%–4.5%
- Socioeconomic Indicators:
- Median Household Income: ~$56,000–$66,000. Displays distinct internal economic sectors:
- Suburban commuter households in DeBary commuting south into Seminole and Orange counties via I-4 or SunRail report higher median household incomes ($75,000+).
- Rural interior settlements across the Ocala National Forest, Astor, and agricultural tracts in Pierson/Seville report lower median household incomes ($42,000–$52,000), with higher dependency on agriculture, timber, ecotourism, and river-based service industries.
- Age Profile: Elevated median age (~48–52 years), driven by riverfront retirees in Astor and Lake George alongside 55+ enclaves in northern Lake and Volusia.
- Demographic Reference: Florida Senate District 27 Demographic Profile.
¶ Elections and political context
- Voter Distribution (Active Voters across District Footprint):
- Strong Republican advantage. Across the three-county footprint, active voter registration sits at approximately 47% Republican, 26% Democratic, and 27% No Party Affiliation (NPA) / minor party registrants.
- Partisan Lean: R+16 to R+20 (Solid Republican; conservative rural voters in Astor, Pierson, Seville, and the Ocala National Forest combine with suburban Republican strength in DeBary to create reliable supermajority margins).
- Voter Inquiries & Election Navigation:
- To verify district boundary lines, locate assigned precinct polling places, check active registration status, or review certified election returns, voters should access the Florida Division of Elections or consult their respective local supervisor of elections:
- Recent General Election & Primary History:
- 2024 General: Richard Gentry (R) won election to the Florida House, securing 67.9% of the vote (69,227 votes) against Democratic challenger Andy Ferrari (32.1% / 32,711 votes).
- 2024 Republican Primary: Richard Gentry won a competitive three-candidate Republican primary on August 20, 2024, capturing 40.8% of the vote (6,419 votes) against Stephen Shives (38.8% / 6,108 votes) and Beckie Sirolli (20.4% / 3,212 votes) to succeed term-limited Representative Stan McClain.
- 2022 General (Prior Incumbent Stan McClain): Stan McClain (R) re-elected unopposed.
- Primary & Factional Dynamics: General elections are uncompetitive for Democrats. Political competition is heavily centered in the Republican primary, balancing the influence of veteran Tallahassee regulatory/building lobbyists (such as Gentry) against grassroots populist conservative factions and Volusia/Marion homebuilders.
¶ Economic and civic anchors
- Ornamental Foliage, Ferneries & Agribusiness:
- Pierson / Seville Cut-Foliage Belt: The Town of Pierson serves as a central hub of the world cut-foliage industry, producing leatherleaf fern, plumosus, and greens shipped globally for floral arrangements.
- Commercial timber silviculture, slash pine operations, and private citrus groves spanning northern Lake and Volusia counties.
- Building Industry & Real Estate Development:
- The homebuilding and land-development sector represents a primary economic force in the district; incumbent Richard Gentry is a member of the Florida Housing Hall of Fame and served as chief counsel/lobbyist for the Florida Home Builders Association (FHBA) for over two decades.
- Ecotourism, Freshwater Boating & Marinas:
- St. Johns River and Lake George marine tourism: Concentrated in Astor, featuring destination marinas (e.g., Astor Bridge Marina, Castaways), commercial ecotour operators, and guide services for black bass fishing.
- Ocala National Forest recreation: Major federal tourism footprint supporting camping, off-highway vehicle (OHV) trails, and spring-basin concessions at Juniper Springs, Alexander Springs, and Silver Glen Springs.
- Public Utility Infrastructure & State Regulation:
- Duke Energy and Florida Power & Light (FPL) electric transmission infrastructure crossing the St. Johns River corridor.
- Gentry previously served as Florida’s Public Counsel (heading the Office of Public Counsel), the state's constitutional consumer advocate representing utility ratepayers before the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC).
- Transportation & Regional Commuter Rail:
- SunRail DeBary Station: Northernmost terminus of Central Florida’s passenger commuter rail system, linking southern Volusia commuters south through Seminole and Orange counties into Downtown Orlando.
¶ People and organizations to map
- People and organization leads:
- Representative Richard Gentry & The Florida Home Builders Association (FHBA): Decades of executive leadership with the FHBA, building deep, durable relationships with statewide residential contractors, title companies, and real estate developer PACs.
- Office of Public Counsel / Florida PSC Regulatory Veterans: High-level institutional familiarity with state utility commissioners, energy executives, and regulatory attorneys overseeing power grids and water monopolies.
- Stan McClain Legislative Legacy: Former Representative Stan McClain (long-serving Marion County House member who served as Chair of State Affairs) retains significant advisory and grassroots influence across Marion and Lake conservative networks.
- Constitutional Officers & Sheriff Alliances: Close working ties with Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood, Lake County Sheriff Peyton Grinnell, and Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods regarding rural border patrol and search-and-rescue mutual aid in the Ocala National Forest.
- Civic & Political Research Leads:
- Research Lead (Pierson Fern Growers & Agricultural Labor Advocates): The Florida Fern Growers Association and regional nursery cooperatives, which lobby on seasonal agricultural guest-worker policies (H-2A visas), water-use permits from the St. Johns River Water Management District, and cold-weather crop freeze assistance.
- Research Lead (SunRail Transit-Oriented Development Developers): Commercial syndicates and multi-family developers holding acreage surrounding the DeBary SunRail Station seeking state infrastructure matching funds and local zoning variances.
- Research Lead (Springs Conservation & National Forest Alliances): Friends of the Wekiva River, St. Johns Riverkeeper, and the Florida Springs Council, monitoring state legislative actions regarding septic-to-sewer mandates and groundwater protection along the Silver Glen and Alexander spring sheds.
- Strategic Cultural & Infrastructure Landmarks:
- Astor Bridge (State Road 40): Pivotal bascule bridge carrying SR-40 over the St. Johns River, serving as the sole east-west evacuation and freight spine through the Ocala National Forest.
- Alexander Springs & Juniper Springs: Acclaimed first-magnitude and second-magnitude natural springs within the Ocala National Forest.
- De Leon Springs State Park: Historic spring and cultural landmark featuring the Old Spanish Sugar Mill and eco-heritage tourism.
- DeBary SunRail Commuter Station: Regional transit anchor connecting southwest Volusia directly to the Greater Orlando employment market.
¶ Representation and legislative work
- Incumbent: Richard Gentry (R - Astor)
- Chamber Role: Serving as a member of the Florida House in the 2024–2026 legislative term (elected November 2024).
- Standing Committee Assignments:
- State Affairs Committee
- Joint Committee on Public Counsel Oversight
- Select Committee on Property Taxes
- Government Operations Subcommittee
- Industries & Professional Activities Subcommittee
- Natural Resources & Disasters Subcommittee
- Transportation & Economic Development Budget Subcommittee
- (Verified via the Florida House Directory Committee Assignments Profile for Rep. Gentry).
- Key Policy Focus Areas & Legislative Priorities:
- Public Utility Oversight & Consumer Protection: Exceptional statutory appointment to the Joint Committee on Public Counsel Oversight, directly supervising the Office of Public Counsel (which Gentry previously led as Florida's consumer utility advocate).
- Property Tax Reform & Valuation Caps: Serves on the Select Committee on Property Taxes, reviewing agricultural greenbelt exemptions for timber and ferneries, homestead assessment caps, and small-county commercial tax valuations.
- Building Codes & Professional Contractor Deregulation: Decades of construction lobbying experience inform work on the Industries & Professional Activities Subcommittee, focusing on statewide building code updates, private property rights, and contractor licensure reciprocity.
- Natural Resource Protection & Disaster Mitigation: Positions on the Natural Resources & Disasters Subcommittee and Transportation & Economic Development Budget Subcommittee guide state funding for St. Johns River dredging, hurricane debris clearing, and stormwater drainage along the low-lying river settlements of Astor and Lake George.
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.