Gaetz easily fends off McCarthy-funded challenger in GOP primary
(The Center Square) – Former U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s attempt to defeat one of the coup ringleaders that helped take away his gavel failed on Tuesday night.
U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz sailed to an easy victory over Pensacola native and former naval aviator Aaron Dimmock. Gaetz first won his seat in November 2016. Democrat Gay Valimont is his opponent on Nov. 5.
Dimmock was endorsed and funded by McCarthy, a Californian unhappy Gaetz and others targeted his removal.
Gaetz won the 1st Congressional District primary with 73% of the vote.
The 1st is a heavily GOP district in northwest Florida, which includes Escambia, Okaloosa and Santa Rosa counties, as well as portions of Walton County.
“Thank you so much for your support, Florida!” Gaetz wrote in a post on X.
The rest of the state’s congressional delegation also sailed to easy victories in their primaries.
In the neighboring 2nd Congressional District, U.S. Rep. Neal Dunn easily defeated underfunded challenger Rhonda Woodward with 83% of the vote and will take on Democrat Yen Bailey, a late replacement for the Democrats.
Democratic U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz easily won against pro-Palestinian challenger Jen Perelman by 66 points in the 25th Congressional District in Broward County. She’ll take on GOP challenger Chris Eddy in the heavily Democratic district that went for President Joe Biden in the 2020 election.
The closest primary was in the 16th Congressional District in Manatee County, where U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan easily held off Eddie Speir by a 22-point margin. He’ll take on Democrat Jan Schneider, who won her primary with 66% of the vote.
Out of 28 congressional races, the GOP and the Democrats each had six incumbents run opposed in their primaries.
