Who's running in Florida's 1st congressional district
3 candidates are on the ballot. Below is what each one says they stand for, what they have actually done in office or in public life, and the arguments published for and against them — each quoted from a named source rather than summarised by us.
3 candidates · ballot order · Jimmy Patronis currently holds this seat
Medium confidenceMedium confidenceThe candidate's stated positions and basic record are documented, but coverage is thin — often little independent reporting, or criticism from only one side.What would raise it: More independent reporting, a documented voting record, or published criticism from a named opponent would raise this.
What they say they stand for
Their own words. Claims, not verified facts.
The administration's America First agenda, which his campaign makes its central message.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
U.S. Representative for the 1st District since April 2, 2025, after winning the special election to succeed Matt Gaetz.
Florida chief financial officer before entering Congress.
Fourth-generation Floridian from Panama City; worked in his family's restaurant business.
Endorsed by President Donald Trump, House Speaker Mike Johnson, Majority Leader Steve Scalise and Majority Whip Tom Emmer.
Advanced from the August 18, 2026 Republican primary.
Arguments in favor
Cutting waste is now his central purpose in Congress — "This is going to be now my new passion: to attack the wasteful spending at the federal government" — and he has paired that with fighting for military spending in a Panhandle district built around its installations.
— Jimmy Patronis, quoted by WUWF
He has been willing to act against the insurance industry rather than for it, pointing to a $1 million fine he levied against an insurer as state CFO: "Sometimes you've got to put a scalp on the wall to send a message." His READY Act is aimed at helping homeowners prepare for hurricanes.
— Jimmy Patronis, quoted by WUWF
Arguments against
As Florida's chief financial officer he presided over the state's property insurance crisis while his political committee took nearly $2 million from insurance companies — the industry's influence over him is a matter of record, not inference.
— Gay Valimont, reported by WUWF
He backed the DOGE budget cuts in a district with the largest veteran population in Florida and the second largest in the country, leaving VA hospitals short-staffed: "so why do we not have the best for our vets?" Constituents are also paying more for health coverage after Congress let the premium tax credits lapse.
— Gay Valimont, reported by WUWF; the premium point checked and supported by Mid Bay News, which found 2026 ACA premiums up 21.7% after the credits expired
What we couldn’t verify
His committee assignments and his position on the full-service VA hospital his opponent is campaigning for were not established from the sources found.
No National Republican Congressional Committee or Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee page about him by name was found; the criticism above comes from his opponent and from local reporting.
Delivering a full-service VA hospital for the district's veterans.
Addressing the gap she describes between how hard Panhandle families work and what they get back.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
Democratic candidate in the April 2025 special election for this seat.
Community advocate; her work follows the deaths of her husband from ALS and her son from a brain tumour.
Advanced from the August 18, 2026 Democratic primary.
Has not held elected office.
Arguments in favor
Her programme is local and concrete: "In Congress, I'll focus on lowering costs, expanding healthcare access, and delivering the full-service VA hospital our veterans need" — in a district whose veteran population is the largest in the state.
— Gay Valimont's campaign announcement, reported by The Capitolist
She is funded by the district rather than by industry, averaging about $33 a donor, and that grassroots base let her out-raise the incumbent roughly five to one in 2025 and hold a reliably Republican seat to a 15-point margin.
— Gay Valimont, reported by WUWF; spending figures from FEC records as checked by Mid Bay News
Arguments against
She is the candidate of outside money, not of the Panhandle: "My opponent spent $10 million trying to defeat me last year. She outspent me seven to one."
— Jimmy Patronis; Mid Bay News rated the claim partially true, putting the real figures at about $6.5 million to $1.3 million, a ratio nearer five to one
Her politics are defined by opposition to Donald Trump rather than by the district — she promised to "be that 216th Democrat that stands in the way", and "these radical Democrats hate President Trump. They hate all of us who voted for him."
— Jimmy Patronis campaign advertisement, as reported by Florida Politics
What we couldn’t verify
Her positions on foreign policy, taxation and immigration were not stated in material available.
This is her third run for the seat; whether the 2026 campaign has changed her platform from 2024 and 2025 was not established from the sources found.
Education, jobs and sustainable innovation for the Panhandle.
Environmental protection.
Making government more understandable, accessible and responsive.
Rural representation, including opposition to data centres in rural counties.
Support for small businesses and local engagement rather than what he calls reliance on big personalities in politics.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
Project manager and community activist.
Ran as an independent in the 2025 special election for this seat but was disqualified as a write-in candidate.
Qualified as a no-party-affiliation candidate for the November 3, 2026 general election.
Has not held elected office.
Arguments in favor
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
Arguments against
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
What we couldn’t verify
No published criticism of Davis by name could be found, from either major-party campaign or from news coverage, and no published case for him beyond his own campaign site. As a candidate with no party organisation behind him he has drawn very little coverage. Because no case against him exists on the record, none is presented for him either, rather than showing his own campaign's case unanswered.
His fundraising and any endorsements were not reported in material available.
Positions and criticism are quoted from the named sources, not our assessments. This is built to help you start getting informed — confirm the official candidate list with your election authority before you vote.
Florida held its primary on August 18, 2026. Three candidates are on the November ballot: Republican incumbent Jimmy Patronis, Democrat Gay Valimont and Tyler Davis, running with no party affiliation. Patronis won this Panhandle seat in an April 2025 special election after Matt Gaetz resigned, beating Valimont 57% to 42%; this is their rematch. Florida enacted a new congressional map in May 2026, but districts 1 through 7 were left unchanged. Roster from the Florida qualifying lists as reported by Politics1 and Wikipedia. Arguments are shown for Patronis and Valimont, who have contested each other twice. Tyler Davis has drawn no published criticism by name and no published case for him beyond his own site, so neither column is filled for him; his positions are in his profile.
This is one contest on a longer ballot
A Florida ballot also carries state legislative districts, county offices, judicial seats and often local questions — and which of them you vote on is decided by your street address, not your city or ZIP code.
Your ballot is determined by your election authority, not by us. Verify your registration, precinct, and sample ballot at Florida Division of Elections.