Voters in Florida’s 1st Congressional District will head to the polls on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, to decide a congressional rematch between Republican incumbent Jimmy Patronis and Democratic challenger Gay Valimont. The contest features a return matchup of the April 1, 2025, special general election, which was triggered by the departure of former U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz. In that special election, Patronis secured a full congressional term bid by capturing 56.9% of the vote with 97,370 ballots, while Valimont received 42.3% with 72,375 votes, according to certified results from the Florida Division of Elections. Independent candidate Tyler L. Davis has also qualified for the upcoming general election ballot.
Patronis enters the race as a prominent Florida political figure with a background in state government. Before joining the U.S. House, he served as Florida’s chief financial officer and state fire marshal, sat in the Florida House of Representatives, and worked in his family’s restaurant business. In Congress, Patronis holds assignments on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the Small Business Committee. His campaign centers on backing the agenda of President Donald Trump, advocating for tax cuts, scaling back federal spending, bolstering military investment, and reshaping veterans’ services. He also emphasizes his legislative and executive experience handling insurance matters, backing first responders, and protecting local businesses.
Valimont, a Northwest Florida Democrat and gun control activist, is mounting her second consecutive campaign for the seat. Her platform focuses heavily on household affordability, health care access, and insurance rate relief. Valimont’s campaign outlines proposals to lower auto and home insurance expenses, cut prescription drug costs, and expand medical care accessibility. For the district’s large military and veteran population, she has advocated for establishing a full-service Department of Veterans Affairs hospital in Northwest Florida, increasing support for military families, and deploying additional resources to combat the opioid crisis. On public safety, Valimont balances backing for law enforcement and community crime-prevention funding with calls for stricter federal gun safety laws, including universal background checks and federal red flag measures.
The November election will determine who permanently represents the Northwest Florida district in the U.S. House of Representatives, offering voters a clear philosophical choice on federal spending, tax policy, public safety, and the federal government’s role in addressing cost-of-living pressures.
