In a significant political development, Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis has been declared the next congressional representative for Northwest Florida. The Associated Press officially called the race for Patronis at 7:20 p.m., with him leading Democrat Gay Valimont by approximately 9 percentage points. As of 8:50 p.m., Patronis had secured 96,717 votes, representing 56.97%, while Valimont trailed with 71,668 votes, accounting for 42.22%. Additionally, non-party affiliated candidate Stephen Broden garnered around 1% of the total votes.
In a victory speech delivered from the Fish House restaurant in Pensacola, Patronis expressed his belief that the Democratic Party's aspirations in the region were faltering: “Let it be known that this election is a reminder that the Florida Panhandle will forever be red and be forever Trump country.” This statement reflects the district's long-standing conservative leanings, which Patronis has capitalized on throughout his campaign.
During the final weeks of the campaign, Patronis faced increased scrutiny as Valimont was able to raise an unprecedented $6 million, a record for a Democratic candidate in one of the nation’s most Republican districts. Valimont utilized these funds for an aggressive advertising campaign aimed at undermining Patronis’s candidacy. In response, Patronis launched his own ads, marking a rare instance where a Republican had to allocate resources in a general election within this historically conservative district.
While Patronis dominated voting in three of the four counties comprising the district, Valimont achieved a notable victory in Escambia County, receiving 51.18% of the vote with 77 of 80 precincts reporting. The voter turnout in Escambia County reached 33%, surpassing the expected 25%.
On election day, Escambia County Supervisor of Elections Robert Bender reported temporary ballot shortages at some sites but assured that every voter in line before the 7 p.m. closing time would be able to cast their ballot. This commitment to voter access was crucial in a race that saw heightened engagement from both parties.
Patronis heavily relied on the support of President Donald Trump to secure his victory. His campaign centered on rallying Trump supporters to participate in the election. "I'm looking forward to working with Trump to help rebuild our military, to close the border, and to get our country back on track," Patronis stated during his address, highlighting his alignment with Trump’s policies.
Although Valimont did not win, she expressed pride in her campaign's achievements during an election night watch party in Pensacola Beach. Valimont stated, “We have started something here. We are going to finish it, but not today.” Her campaign still had $1.7 million left unspent, which she pledged to donate $25,000 to each of the Democratic executive committees across the four counties in the district to bolster local organizing efforts.
Valimont’s performance marks the best showing for a Democrat in Northwest Florida since 1994, a year when long-time Democratic Congressman Earl Hutto retired. Historically, this district has been a stronghold for conservative politics, with Republican Joe Scarborough first elected in 1994. The district has not seen a Republican candidate perform below 64.6% in general elections since then.
Both the Florida Democratic Party and the national Democratic Party have acknowledged the close nature of the race as a signal of changing tides against Trump’s policies, suggesting that such momentum could lead to a Democratic resurgence in the 2024 midterms. DNC Chair Ken Martin emphasized this sentiment, stating that even in a district where Trump had a significant victory margin, Valimont's campaign demonstrated that the seat was not guaranteed to the Republican Party.
