Florida → House → District 52
The Florida House directory lists Samantha Scott (R) for the 2024–26 term and gives the county coverage as Sumter, Part of Hernando.
District map · 2022 House plan
¶ Geography and communities
Enacted in the 2022 redistricting cycle, District 52 spans rural central Florida, active-adult master-planned tracts, and the eastern nature coast interior, incorporating all of Sumter County and the eastern tier of Hernando County.
- Municipalities Included (Full or Partial):
- City of Bushnell: Historic county seat of Sumter County and municipal home of the incumbent.
- City of Wildwood: Fast-growing transportation, rail, and industrial crossroad in northern Sumter County.
- City of Coleman & City of Webster: Agricultural, institutional, and historic rural municipalities in central/southern Sumter County.
- City of Center Hill: Rural agricultural municipal center in eastern Sumter County.
- Census-Designated Places (CDPs), Master-Planned Communities & Unincorporated Areas:
- The Villages (Sumter County Portions): Dominant demographic, residential, and political center across northern Sumter County (including Lake Sumter Landing and Brownwood Paddock Square).
- Ridge Manor (Hernando County): Primary population and commercial center in eastern Hernando County situated along the SR 50/US 301 corridor.
- Lake Panasoffkee: Unincorporated lakefront residential and eco-recreational community in west-central Sumter County.
- Richloam / Withlacoochee State Forest Tracts: Expansive forested preserves spanning southeastern Hernando and southwestern Sumter.
- Key Transportation & Freight Corridors:
- Interstate 75 (I-75): Core statewide interstate spine traversing Sumter County north-south and linking freight corridors between Tampa, Ocala, and Atlanta.
- Florida's Turnpike (SR 91): Northern terminus connecting directly into I-75 near Wildwood.
- State Road 50 (Cortez Boulevard): Primary east-west regional highway crossing through eastern Hernando County (Ridge Manor) toward Clermont and Orlando.
- U.S. Highway 301 & U.S. Highway 441: Parallel north-south commercial and agricultural arterials linking Bushnell, Wildwood, and Belleview.
- CSX Wildwood Rail Hub: Significant freight switching yard and intermodal rail corridor.
¶ Population and electorate
(District-specific metrics based on enacted redistricting parameters; strictly excluding broader countywide aggregates.)
- Target Population: Standard reapportionment single-member baseline of ~179,754 residents post-2020 redistricting.
- Demographic Composition:
- Racial / Ethnic Composition: Predominantly non-Hispanic White population driven heavily by senior retirement migration into The Villages, balanced by multi-generational rural White, African American, and Hispanic/Latino working-class communities concentrated in Bushnell, Coleman, Wildwood, and Ridge Manor.
- Age Cohort Distribution: One of the oldest median-age legislative districts in the United States, shaped by the demographic weight of The Villages age-restricted 55+ residential villages.
- Socioeconomic Character:
- Marked economic contrast between affluent, high-wealth, fixed-income retiree households in northern Sumter County and working-class agricultural, construction, service-industry, and correctional-facility workforces in southern Sumter and eastern Hernando.
- Prominent local policy issues include groundwater extraction, aquifer recharge monitoring, healthcare specialist availability, rapid conversion of pastureland into commercial developments, and rising residential property insurance rates.
¶ Elections and political context
District 52 is one of the most reliably conservative, high-turnout Republican strongholds in Florida, powered by exceptional voter turnout rates in The Villages paired with strong conservative rural precincts. Florida Politics
- Partisan Index: Safe Republican (typically R+40 or higher performance baseline).
- Historical Election Results (Post-2022 Redistricting Lines):
- March 24, 2026 Special General Election:
- Samantha Scott (R): Won unopposed (qualifying deadline passed with no opposing candidates; special election canceled and seat awarded under Florida statute).
- 2024 General Election (November 5, 2024):
- John Temple (R - Incumbent): 72.0% (92,690 votes)
- Ash Marwah (D - Challenger): 28.0% (35,972 votes)
- Margin: +44.0% (56,718 votes) R hold
- 2022 General Election (November 8, 2022):
- John Temple (R): 73.0% (78,601 votes)
- Ash Marwah (D): 27.0% (29,090 votes)
- Margin: +46.0% (49,511 votes) R victory
- 2022 Republican Primary (August 23, 2022):
- John Temple: 51.9% (18,280 votes)
- Rock Daze: 48.1% (16,938 votes)
¶ Economic and civic anchors
- Retirement Community Development & Construction:
- The Villages Operating Company / Holding Company of The Villages: Major regional economic engine controlling commercial leasing, residential homebuilding, entertainment plazas, utility infrastructure, and hospitality across thousands of acres.
- Higher Education & Workforce Training:
- Lake-Sumter State College (Sumter Center - Sumterville): Primary regional community college delivering associate degrees, commercial utility worker training, health sciences, and technical certificates (led by predecessor John Temple; Scott serves on the District Board of Trustees).
- Institutional & Correctional Facilities:
- Federal Correctional Complex, Coleman (FCC Coleman): Massive federal prison complex in central Sumter County employing thousands of regional correctional officers, administrative personnel, and healthcare staff.
- Sumter Correctional Institution: State-operated prison facility contributing to local public-sector employment.
- Healthcare Infrastructure:
- UF Health The Villages Hospital: 300+ bed acute-care facility serving the senior healthcare market with specialized oncology, cardiology, and orthopedic surgery services.
- Agribusiness, Building Trades & Real Estate:
- Mike Scott Plumbing: Regional commercial and residential plumbing contractor headquartered in Wildwood (where the incumbent serves as Director of Marketing).
- Connie Mahan Real Estate Group: Active regional real estate brokerage operating out of Bushnell.
- Commercial beef cattle ranching, hay farms, and limestone mining quarries throughout Sumter and eastern Hernando.
¶ People and organizations to map
- Civic Coalitions & Institutional Boards:
- Lake-Sumter State College District Board of Trustees: Key regional higher-education governing board where Scott was appointed as a Trustee.
- Sumter County Chamber of Commerce & Greater Hernando County Chamber of Commerce: Core business advocacy networks shaping transportation priorities, commercial zoning, and regional permitting.
- Sumter County Board of County Commissioners: Central governing body historically navigating zoning, development pacts, and fire-rescue service agreements across The Villages and southern municipal sectors.
- Statewide & Regional Industry Alignments:
- Associated Industries of Florida (AIF): Major pro-business federation that provided early backing and endorsements to the incumbent.
- Americans for Prosperity-Florida (AFP-FL): Conservative free-market advocacy organization backing fiscal restraint and market-based policies in District 52.
- Florida Realtors PAC: High-profile campaign finance presence given the incumbent's active professional licensing and regional brokerage ties.
- Research Leads (Speculative Network Connections):
- Research Lead: Commercial utility, excavation, and plumbing trade associations in Central Florida likely maintain active legislative communication with the incumbent regarding building code updates, contractor licensing deregulation, and workforce apprenticeship ratios.
- Research Lead: The Villages developer-affiliated entities and special district boards (Community Development Districts / CDDs) maintain structural interests in water consumption permits managed by the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) and state infrastructure grants for regional road widening.
¶ Representation and legislative work
- Incumbent Member: Samantha Scott
- Biographical Background: Lifelong resident of Sumter County; resides in Bushnell. Florida House of Representatives
- Professional Background: Director of Marketing for Mike Scott Plumbing; licensed Realtor with Connie Mahan Real Estate Group; corporate communications and small-business administrator.
- Civic Credentials: Trustee, Lake-Sumter State College District Board of Trustees; mother of a first responder and daughter of a U.S. Navy veteran. Elect Samantha Scott
- Legislative Office & Delegations:
- Capitol Office: 1401 The Capitol, Tallahassee, FL. LobbyTools
- District Office: 600 Lee Street, Wildwood, FL. LobbyTools
- Legislative Delegations: Member of the Sumter County and Hernando County legislative delegations. LobbyTools
- House Committee Structure (2024–2026 Term):
- Seated via the March 2026 special election cycle. Policy and committee tracking focus aligns with predecessor and regional delegation responsibilities across: Florida House of Representatives
- Higher Education Budget Subcommittee (aligning with regional state college priorities)
- Housing, Agriculture & Tourism Subcommittee
- Economic Infrastructure Subcommittee
- Local Administration & Regulations Subcommittee
- Signature Policy Priorities: Career, technical, and trade education expansion; protecting rural property rights; regulatory relief for small businesses and commercial contractors; preserving local water resources and aquifer health; and addressing statewide homeowner property insurance reform.
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.