This story is part of a statewide partnership of more than 30 nonpartisan newsrooms and universities working to help Florida voters make informed decisions in the 2026 elections. Learn more about the Florida Elections Reporting Partnership at floridaelections.org.

As Election Day nears, incumbent Democrat State Rep. Allison Tant and Republican newcomer Tracy Robinson are vying to become the next representative of Florida House District 9, which includes Madison County and portions of Jefferson and Leon counties.

Allison Tant

Democrat Allison Tant, incumbent representative of Florida House District 9, is running for reelection for a final term. In an interview with The Florida Trib, Tant focused on two common needs of her constituents: affordability and accessibility in housing and jobs.

Having served as District 9’s representative since 2020, Tant said she is focused on maintaining the connections and work she has done across her district’s many communities.

“Housing is really critical,” Tant said in the interview. “What we’re not doing is getting enough housing built for first-time homebuyers.” She attributes this problem to the acts of housing developers. Tant said, “They [developers] steamroll local governments, so that local governments have to approve their permits.” This creates environments where local county and city commissions have little control over expanding affordable housing. 

Tant also identified housing as a barrier to economic growth. “In Madison County, there is just not a group of homes available [for a workforce] to move into,” said Tant. Even young adults from Madison are unable to participate in the local economy and job market. “Most of the time when a student graduates from school who lives in Madison, they move,” said Tant. “And they do that because there is no place to live.”

Job creation is a priority, Tant said, although she adds that she is hesitant to support artificial intelligence (AI) as a means of creating employment opportunities. The construction of data centers could bring jobs. However, the long-term consequences of AI are still unknown, according to Tant, and she remains cautious of AI playing such a role in the economy.

Healthcare, particularly for young people, is also especially important to Tant. “We can’t let dollars that are meant to help children get affordable healthcare through the Healthy Kids program be taken and misused by another state agency,” said Tant. “That is not acceptable.” More guardrails are needed when preventing such misuse of funds, according to Tant.

  For fiscally constrained counties like Jefferson and Madison, affordable and accessible groceries have also been an issue for voters. In the last year, Winn-Dixie supermarkets have closed across Florida to be converted to Aldi grocery stores, according to a story aired by FOX 35 Orlando. In this transition, however, the remodeling and conversion of Winn-Dixies into Aldi stores takes a significant amount of time. According to Tant, “the Winn-Dixie sold there [in Madison County] to Aldi is not yet open.”

Tant said that when she learned of the Winn-Dixie closures, she called the Florida Department of Commerce, and that is how she learned that Aldi had bought out most of the Winn-Dixie stores. According to Tant, she encouraged the Florida Department of Commerce to send a workforce development team to a local Winn-Dixie in her district, where the team provided training and work opportunities to those who became unemployed.

  According to Tant, everybody wants the same things: affordable housing, access to jobs, and an overall affordable life.

Tracy Robinson

Republican Tracy Robinson, an artificial intelligence engineer, is running for Florida House District 9 with a promise to R.E.V.I.V.E the district.

R.E.V.I.V.E. refers to Robinson’s campaign priorities: “Restore Communities,” “Economy & Lower Taxes,” “Veterans & Public Safety,” “Infrastructure,” “Values, Voice & Accountability,” and “Education & Opportunity.”

Robinson responded to requests for an interview by text but declined to be interviewed. In a public Facebook post, Robinson was critical of the student reporter and the attempts to interview her.

In the post, Robinson criticized The Florida Trib for having left-leaning coverage on conservative policies, including immigration enforcement, the Hope Florida initiative, and the DeSantis administration. Robinson did not inform the reporter of the post; the reporter discovered it independently.

The following information on her positions is taken from her campaign website and her answers to a candidate questionnaire on the VOTE411 Voter Guide.

Robinson’s background includes experience in AI, police training, and emergency management. She studied criminal justice technology at North Florida College and completed its police academy. Additionally, she studied at Florida A&M University Developmental Research School Virtual Franchise and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in AI, medicine, and bioengineering at the University of Louisville. Her campaign describes her as an AI engineer focused on medical applications, such as medical imaging and diagnostic tools.

Robinson’s campaign website also highlights her position as an emergency management coordinator with the Florida Division of Emergency Management, indicating she is now deployed as an independent contractor. According to her campaign website, her work as an emergency management coordinator gave her the opportunity to support communities, using technology to monitor weather events and support emergency responses.

The following positions and answers are drawn from the VOTE411 Voter Guide.

When asked what she would prioritize during her first six months in office, Robinson said she would prioritize disaster resilience and local infrastructure. She also expressed interest in supporting small businesses, attracting employers, and creating career paths.

Regarding implementation of more voter-ID laws, such as requiring proof of citizenship, Robinson said the state should make such proof and documents more affordable and easily accessible. “ Election integrity and voter access should go hand in hand,” she said. She supports streamlining access to birth certificates and other documents through county and state agencies. 

According to Robinson, she supports reducing barriers that raise construction costs and said new development should include housing at multiple price points. “Increasing housing at multiple price points benefits both homeowners and renters,” Robinson said. Additionally, she said growth must never come at the cost of disrupting the local economy or erasing the identity of District 9’s communities. “We can grow and build without losing who we are,” she said. 

In the questionnaire, Robinson called rural healthcare access a crisis, pointing to physician shortages and gaps in specialty care as major issues. Through federal flexibility waivers, Robinson supports the funding of rural delivery systems and the stabilization of rural hospitals. According to Robinson, healthcare in rural communities should be expanded and made more accessible.

Robinson supports Florida’s current laws and regulations on abortion. “I am pro-life,” she said. “My faith is the foundation of my values and I believe every human life is sacred and begins at conception. I support Florida law and the protections it provides, including exceptions allowed under state law.” Policy should also support mothers and families, according to Robinson. “We need a dedicated Healthy Mother Healthy Baby program that improves prenatal care, maternal healthcare, and postpartum services,” she said. 

On property insurance, Robinson calls for greater transparency in insurer rates and protections for policyholders, and she supports eliminating property taxes for senior citizens and reducing taxes for other homeowners. Additionally, Robinson said local governments should identify wasteful spending, modernize outdated systems, and eliminate inefficiencies.

Robinson addressed rising concerns over data centers via a now-deleted post on her LinkedIn stating that decisions belong to local officials, not state representatives. She said that she would advocate for environmental protections if a county considered one. Robinson said that despite being an AI engineer, data centers are outside her professional field.  

“When it comes to approving or denying data center, that decision is not made by a State House Representative. These decisions are made by the County Commission, Planning and Zoning, and other local government leaders,” Robinson wrote. 

The LinkedIn post read: 

“STANCE ON DATA CENTERS: DATA CENTERS — WHERE DO I STAND?

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

The United States has been working to remain ahead of China in artificial intelligence, which includes investing in AI infrastructure and data centers. We also know that China has been involved in misinformation and disinformation campaigns targeting Americans.

One of the greatest concerns surrounding advancing technology is ensuring that it is used responsibly and safely. Artificial intelligence offers many benefits, but like any powerful technology, it must be protected from misuse—especially when national security is involved. The more advanced AI becomes, the more advanced military system, weapons and nuclear capabilities.The United States must continue to lead in innovation while ensuring that technology remains in responsible hands.

From what I understand, many newer data centers use advanced cooling systems, including systems that recycle or repurpose water, and are designed to be more energy-efficient than older facilities from over 75 years ago. Laws and regulations also require companies to take responsibility for their infrastructure needs, including the electricity demands associated with their operations. Data centers have come a long way since the early days of computing in 1946.

However, DATA CENTERS ARE NOT MY FIELD and have nothing to do with my work. I have never stepped inside a data center.

There has been considerable discussion about data centers, and my campaign has received many questions about them. However, I want to be clear about my professional expertise. When it comes to approving or denying data center, that decision is not made by a State House Representative. These decisions are made by the County Commission, Planning and Zoning, and other local government leaders.

However, when I become your State Representative this November, I will work to make sure strong environmental protection are put in place if the county decides to have a Data center or NOT. I will advocate for laws and regulations that protect our communities, our natural resources, and the health and safety of the public.

So when it comes to DATA centers, My field is different. I am an AI medical engineer, and my work focuses on healthcare and emergency management.

AI has been used in medicine for more than 50 years. Many people have already used AI without realizing it, including through social media, technology platforms, medical systems, and everyday applications.

My area involves technologies such as MRI, CT (CAT) scans, cancer detection, medical imaging, and diagnostic tools that help doctors detect and treat diseases earlier. My emergency management background involves using technology and data to help communities prepare for and respond to disasters, such NASA GPS, monitoring hurricanes, analyzing weather information, supporting emergency response decisions, and helping people navigate safely during severe weather events.”