Erika Booth
{{short description|American politician from Florida}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Erika Booth
| image = Erika Booth (Official portrait, 2024).jpg
| caption = Official portrait, {{circa|2024}}
| state_house1 = Florida
| state1 = Florida
| district1 = 35th
| term_start1 = November 5, 2024
| term_end1 =
| preceded1 = Tom Keen
| constituency =
| majority =
| office2 = Member of the
Osceola County School Board
from the 5th district
| term_start2 = November 8, 2022
| term_end2 = December 12, 2023
| predecessor2 = Robert Bass
| successor2 = Scott Ramsey
| party = Republican
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1977|9|27}}
| birth_place = Kissimmee, Florida, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| spouse = {{marriage|Ricky Booth|2005}}
| alma_mater = University of Florida (BS)
University of Central Florida (MEd)
| occupation = {{hlist|Politician|educator}}
| residence = St. Cloud, Florida, U.S.
| website = {{URL|https://erikaboothfl.com/}}
| children = 3
}}
Erika Booth (born September 27, 1977){{Cite web |date=2024-11-05 |title=Erika Booth |url=https://www.flhouse.gov/Sections/Representatives/details.aspx?MemberId=4914&LegislativeTermId=91 |website=Florida House of Representatives |language=en}} is an American educator and politician who currently serves as a Republican member of the Florida House of Representatives from the 35th district, which includes most of Osceola County and eastern parts of Orange County.{{Cite news |date=November 7, 2023 |title=State House District 35 primary elections: Erika Booth, Tom Keen win, will face off in Jan. 16 general election |url=https://www.aroundosceola.com/news/state-house-district-35-primary-elections-erika-booth-tom-keen-win-will-face-jan-16-general |access-date=December 9, 2024 |work=Osceola News-Gazette}}{{Cite web |title=Erika Booth |url=https://ballotpedia.org/Erika_Booth |access-date=2024-12-09 |website=Ballotpedia |language=en}} She previously served as a member of the Osceola County School Board from 2022 to 2023.
Early life and education
Erika was born on September 27, 1977 in Kissimmee, Florida.{{Cite web |title=Candidate: Erika Booth |url=https://www.voterfocus.com/CampaignFinance/candidate_pr.php?op=cv&e=14&c=osceola&ca=491&rellevel=4&committee=N |website=Osceola County Supervisor of Elections |date=2020-03-10}} She graduated from Saint Cloud High School in 1995 and earned her bachelor's degree in health science from the University of Florida in 2000. She later earned a master's degree in education from the University of Central Florida.{{Cite web |last= Jacobacci |first=Abby |title=Meet Erika Booth |url=https://www.osceolaschools.net/site/default.aspx?PageType=3&DomainID=4&ModuleInstanceID=22035&ViewID=6446EE88-D30C-497E-9316-3F8874B3E108&RenderLoc=0&FlexDataID=92895&PageID=1 |website=osceolaschools.net |access-date=2024-12-09}}
Professional career
Booth has been a public elementary school teacher for 20 years and was honored for her teaching techniques in 2020.{{Cite news |last=Fields |first=Tammie |date=March 24, 2020 |title=A+ Teacher: She Uses Language to Bring Out Best in Students |url=https://mynews13.com/fl/orlando/A-Plus/2020/03/24/a-plus-teacher-uses-language-to-bring-out-the-best-in-her-students |access-date=December 9, 2024 |work=Spectrum News}}
Political career
=Osceola County School Board=
Booth was elected to the Osceola County School Board for District 5 in 2022. She resigned from her office after her final board meeting on December 12, 2023. Booth was succeeded by fellow Republican Scott Ramsey, who was appointed to the seat by Governor Ron DeSantis on July 20, 2024.{{Cite web |last=Brensel |first=Lauren |date=July 20, 2024 |title=DeSantis appoints Osceola school board candidate weeks before election |url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/07/19/desantis-appoints-osceola-school-board-candidate-weeks-before-election/ |access-date=2024-12-09 |website=Orlando Sentinel |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Mellado |first=Megan |date=July 22, 2024 |title=Osceola County School Board member appointed weeks ahead of election |url=https://www.wesh.com/article/osceola-school-board-member-appointed-ahead-election/61667845 |access-date=2024-12-09 |website=WESH |language=en-US}}
=Florida House of Representatives=
After an unsuccessful campaign for the 35th district of the Florida House of Representatives in the 2024 special election, which she lost to Tom Keen, Booth announced her candidacy for a rematch in the 2024 Florida House of Representatives election.{{Cite web |last=Vakil |first=Caroline |date=January 17, 2024 |title=Democrats flip Florida state House seat in special election |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4413475-democrats-flip-florida-state-house-seat-special-election/ |access-date=2024-12-09 |website=The Hill |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Mrgan |first=Silas |date=August 21, 2024 |title=Booth vs. Keen rematch set in state House District 35 |url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/08/20/arrington-to-face-martinez-for-state-senate-district-25-booth-vs-keen-rematch-set-in-state-house-district-35/ |access-date=2024-12-09 |website=Orlando Sentinel |language=en-US}} Her campaign was endorsed by DeSantis and she won the August primary with 63% of the vote.{{cite web |last=Vecerina |first=Michelle |date=August 7, 2024 |title=DeSantis endorses Erika Booth, Nick Primrose, Sam Greco in Florida House primary race |url=https://flvoicenews.com/desantis-endorses-erika-booth-nick-primrose-sam-greco-in-florida-house-primary-race/ |access-date=December 8, 2024 |website=Florida's Voice}}{{Cite news |date=August 20, 2024 |title=Florida Primary Election Results |url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/08/20/us/elections/results-florida-primary.html |access-date=December 7, 2024 |work=The New York Times}} Booth went on to defeat Keen in the general election; a gain for Republicans.{{Cite web |last=Langston |first=Jacob |date=November 5, 2024 |title=Erika Booth beats incumbent Tom Keen in Florida House District 35 race |url=https://www.clickorlando.com/results-2024/2024/11/04/find-results-for-the-florida-house-district-35-race-on-nov-5-2024/ |access-date=2024-12-09 |website=WKMG-TV |language=en-US}}{{cite web|url=https://floridapolitics.com/archives/705928-tom-keen-erika-booth-hd-35/|title=Erika Booth takes back HD 35 seat for GOP in rematch with Tom Keen|last=Ogles|first=Jacob|date=November 5, 2024|access-date=December 10, 2024|website=Florida Politics}} She was sworn into office on November 19, 2024.{{cite web|url=https://flvoicenews.com/newly-elected-florida-lawmakers-sworn-in-marking-start-of-2024-2025-legislative-term/|title=Newly elected Florida lawmakers sworn in, marking start of 2024-2026 legislative term|last=Cooper|first=Amber Jo|date=November 19, 2024|access-date=December 10, 2024|website=Florida's Voice}}
Personal life
Booth married her husband Ricky, a current Osceola County commissioner, in 2005.{{Cite web |title=Ricky Booth |url=https://www.osceola.org/Government/Board-of-County-Commissioners/Ricky-Booth-District-5 |website=osceola.org |access-date=2024-12-10}}{{Cite news |last=Lloyd |first=Terry |date=August 20, 2024 |title=Osceola County Commission incumbents win; School Board member ousted |url=https://www.aroundosceola.com/election-2024-news/osceola-county-commission-incumbents-win-school-board-member-ousted |access-date=December 10, 2024 |work=Osceola News-Gazette}} They have three children and live in St. Cloud, Florida.{{cite web|url=https://www.legistorm.com/person/bio/516529/Erika_Booth.html|title=
Florida State Rep. Erika Booth|access-date=December 9, 2024|website=LegiStorm}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-par|us-fl-hs}}
{{s-bef|before=Tom Keen}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of the Florida House of Representatives
from the 35th district|years=2024–present}}
{{s-inc}}
{{s-end}}
{{Florida House of Representatives}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Booth, Erika}}
Category:People from Kissimmee, Florida
Category:Members of the Florida House of Representatives
Category:Republican Party members of the Florida House of Representatives
Category:University of Florida alumni