CQPolitics

One of Florida’s few landlocked districts, the 8th is thriving nonetheless, powered by the presence of Walt Disney World, Sea World and Universal Studios’ resort in the Orlando area. The district surrounds western Orlando and includes upscale parts of the region, a large chunk of the city — including much of the downtown area — and the Walt Disney World complex. It then pushes north to take in parts of Lake and Marion counties, giving it a rural element.

The Orlando economy is booming and boasts a very low unemployment rate. While tourism is still the 8th’s undisputed leader — the Orlando area is the world’s top vacation destination and receives around 50 million visitors each year — the district’s economy is diverse and increasingly relies on a growing technology sector headed by Oracle and defense and aerospace contractor Lockheed Martin. The research park of the University of Central Florida’s Institute for Simulation and Training is an economic engine for the area. While the economic growth and redevelopment of downtown Orlando has brought new office parks and upscale condominiums to the city, housing prices have skyrocketed and affordable housing for workers in the tourism industry is scarce.

Residents of Orlando’s suburbs — from middle-class areas near the city to well-heeled Winter Park and Windermere — support conservative Republicans on social and economic issues. The population here is younger, wealthier and more educated than in most Florida districts. Republicans mostly prevail in Orange County elections, but the county’s surging Hispanic population has put Orange within political reach of Democratic statewide candidates. Many Orlando-area Hispanics are of Puerto Rican heritage and vote Democratic. Al Gore in 2000 was the first Democratic presidential nominee to carry Orange County since Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1944, and John Kerry captured the county in 2004.

Major Industry

Tourism, technology, aerospace

Cities

Orlando (pt.), 123,842; Ocoee (pt.), 23,591; Ocala (pt.), 16,384; Eustis, 15,106

Notable

Dozens of celebrities — including golf’s Tiger Woods and basketball’s Shaquille O’Neal — have homes at Isleworth in Windermere; There are more than 100 lakes in the Orlando metropolitan area.