Voters in Florida House District 23 will decide whether to return Republican incumbent JJ Grow to Tallahassee or send Democratic challenger Tod Cloud, a retired Florida Highway Patrol trooper, to represent Citrus County and part of Marion County. Both candidates identified affordability, protecting Florida’s springs, homeowners insurance, and constituent service as top priorities, but offered different ideas about the role state government should play in addressing those issues.
Grow, an Inverness businessman completing his first term in the House, said his effectiveness comes from building relationships in Tallahassee and delivering results through legislation and state funding. “You have to build relationships,” Grow said. “No one goes to Tallahassee and it becomes a one-person show. It’s not the way it works. You have to deal with the politics of it, which can be tough. And then you’ll also have to convince other people. You have to be able to walk into a committee hearing and stand up in front of 25 other representatives and talk about your bill and answer questions about your bill in order to get your bill passed.” Cloud said his decades in law enforcement and youth mentoring have prepared him to serve residents, adding that his campaign is driven by community service rather than politics. “I’m not going in for the money,” Cloud said. “I’m going in it because I care.”
The candidates agreed Florida homeowners continue to struggle with rising insurance costs but proposed different solutions. Grow defended recent legislation aimed at addressing the issue, while Cloud emphasized the need for more comprehensive reforms. The candidates also discussed their approaches to protecting Florida’s natural resources, including springs and waterways.
Both candidates met with the Citrus County Chronicle Editorial Board on July 6, 2026, to discuss their priorities and visions for the district. The election will take place on November 8, 2026.
Originally reported by Citrus County Chronicle – Inverness
Sources: Citrus County Chronicle – Inverness
