Webster Barnaby
{{Short description|American politician (born 1959)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Webster Barnaby
| image = Webster Barnaby portrait.jpg
| birth_place = Birmingham, West Midlands, England, United Kingdom
| party = Republican
| education = Birmingham Metropolitan College (AA)
| state_house = Florida
| district = 29th
| term_start = November 3, 2020
| predecessor = David Santiago
| spouse = Silvia
| children = 2
| residence = Deltona, Florida, U.S.
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|December 9, 1959}}
}}
Webster Barnaby (born December 9, 1959) is a British–American politician who has served as the Florida State Representative since 2020. From 2020 until 2022 in the 27th district and after redistricting, for the 29th district from 2022 until 2024. He is a member of the Republican Party.
Early life and education
Barnaby was born in Birmingham, West Midlands, England, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. He earned an associate degree in business from Birmingham Metropolitan College.{{Cite web|title=Webster Barnaby|url=https://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Representatives/details.aspx?MemberId=4770&SessionId=90|website=myfloridahouse.gov}}
Career
After working in the hospitality industry in the United States Virgin Islands, Barnaby moved to Deltona, Florida in 1991. From 1994 to 2010, Barnaby worked as a district manager for National Write Your Congressman. He later served on the Deltona City Council from 2012 to 2020. A pastor, he has said opening prayers for several Donald Trump rallies.{{Cite web|last=Harper|first=Mark|title=It's Webster Barnaby v. Dolores Guzman in Florida House 27 race|url=https://www.news-journalonline.com/story/news/politics/elections/2020/09/27/election-2020-webster-barnaby-v-dolores-guzman-florida-house-27/5863505002/|access-date=2021-05-05|website=Daytona Beach News-Journal Online|language=en-US}} Barnaby was elected to the Florida House of Representatives in November 2020.{{Cite web|title=Webster Barnaby|url=https://ballotpedia.org/Webster_Barnaby|access-date=2021-05-05|website=Ballotpedia|language=en}}
In March 2022 the Florida Supreme Court approved new legislative maps drawn by the state Legislature which redrew the maps for many Florida districts. Because of these, Barnaby ran for, and won, Florida House 29 on November 8, 2022. His current term in District 29 ends on November 5, 2024.{{Cite web|title=Webster Barnaby|url=
https://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Representatives/details.aspx?MemberId=4770&LegislativeTermId=90|access-date=2023-04-11|website=Florida House|language=en}}
During an April 2023 debate on a bathroom bill, Barnaby referred to transgender people as "demons and imps" pretending to be part of this world, after comparing them to the mutants of the X-Men franchise. He later apologized.{{cite web |url=https://news.yahoo.com/florida-republican-compares-transgender-people-002240439.html |title=Florida Republican Compares Transgender People To 'X-Men' 'Mutants' |date=April 11, 2023 |work=Yahoo News |first=Kelby |last=Vera}}{{cite web |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2023/04/10/florida-republican-apology-transgender-comments-00091315 |title=Florida Republican apologizes after calling transgender people 'mutants' |date=April 10, 2023 |work=Politico |first=Andrew |last=Atterbury}}
Personal life
References
External links
{{CongLinks |votesmart=194567}}
{{Florida House of Representatives}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Barnaby, Webster}}
Category:Politicians from Birmingham, West Midlands
Category:Republican Party members of the Florida House of Representatives
Category:African-American state legislators in Florida
Category:English emigrants to the United States
Category:Florida city council members
Category:Naturalized citizens of the United States
Category:21st-century African-American politicians
Category:20th-century African-American politicians
Category:African-American city council members in Florida
Category:21st-century members of the Florida Legislature
{{Florida-FLRepresentative-Republican-stub}}