Chad Johnson Files for House District 22 Run
Johnson, who lost the seat to Democrat Amy Trask by 2,089 votes in November, is the only candidate to file for the 2028 race so far.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Elections
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Chad Johnson filed with the Florida Division of Elections to run for House District 22 in 2028, days after losing to Democrat Amy Trask by 2,089 votes on November 3, 2026. Trask received 40,402 votes to Johnson's 38,313, a 51% to 49% result.
Why it matters
The filing signals an early attempt to reclaim a seat Democrats flipped in a year when they won 16 Republican-held House districts. Johnson's vote total fell from 56,989 in 2024 to 38,313 in 2026, and he has so far been the only candidate to file for the seat.
Florida Division of Elections records show Johnson as the only 2028 filer so far, while the 2026 result shows 40,402 votes for Trask against 38,313 for Johnson. Whether Republicans field a stronger candidate for 2028 remains unresolved.
The players
Chad Johnson
A Republican from Chiefland who represented House District 22 and lost the seat to Amy Trask in 2026, with his campaign treasurer Noreen Fenner based in Tallahassee.
Amy Trask
A Democrat from Gainesville who won House District 22 in 2026 after losing the 2024 Democratic Primary to David Arreola.
The details
Johnson, a Republican from Chiefland, said in a post-election text to the Sun that many conservatives sat out the cycle amid turmoil in Washington. He also expressed concern that Levy and Gilchrist counties would lose out to Alachua County's priorities in Tallahassee. The district covers Levy and Gilchrist counties and southwestern Alachua County, where Trask won 34,180 to 18,748, while Johnson took 82% of the vote in Gilchrist and 73% in Levy.
Timeline
2024: Johnson beat Raemi Eagle-Glenn in the Republican Primary and defeated David Arreola in the general.
November 3, 2026: Trask defeated Johnson for House District 22.
November 4, 2026: Johnson texted the Sun about conservatives sitting out the cycle.
November 10, 2026: Johnson filed to run for House District 22 in 2028.
Political Context
House District 22 was one of 16 Republican-held Florida House seats Democrats won on November 3, 2026, a wave Johnson attributed partly to conservatives staying home. Johnson's 2028 filing is an early bid to reverse that result before the next cycle begins.
For Levy, Gilchrist and southwestern Alachua County voters, the 2028 race will determine who represents their interests in Tallahassee after a close 2026 result. Residents who want to follow the candidacy can track filings through the Florida Division of Elections.
The takeaway
A 2,089-vote margin shows how narrowly House District 22 turned in 2026, and whether Johnson's early filing draws rivals will shape how competitive the seat becomes.
What happens next
Johnson's candidacy is open-ended, with the qualifying period for the 2028 race not yet scheduled in the source material.
Further reading
For context on how the 2026 cycle reshaped the state's legislative map, see Elections coverage across Florida.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government..
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