This isn’t Gay Valimont’s first congressional campaign, but it’s certainly different. After running against Matt Gaetz in 2024, Valimont found herself back on the campaign trail just eight days after his resignation triggered a special election.
- “After Matt resigned, it was eight days later, and I was in Puerto Rico licking my wounds from the last election, and my phone blew up,” Valimont shared during our interview. The campaign that had barely turned off its lights quickly sprang back into action, securing petition signatures over the Thanksgiving holiday in just 10 days.
The biggest difference this time? ”I’m not running against the gates,” Valimont noted, adding that her fundraising success has dramatically improved, allowing her campaign to reach more voters through advertising, digital outreach, and door-knocking efforts.
Northwest Florida Roots Run Deep
Valimont emphasizes her deep connection to the district, contrasting herself with Republican candidate Jimmy Patronis: “I live here. I pay my bills here. I know what they’re going through.”
Her ties to the region were cemented through personal tragedy. In 2020, Valimont lost her 44-year-old husband to ALS and her 8-year-old son to a terminal brain tumor. These devastating experiences shaped her perspective on healthcare and strengthened her commitment to the district.
- “I’m never going to leave this district because every corner of it reminds me of my child and my family,” she explained. “When they send me to Washington, I’ll go there, do my job, stand up for us, and then come home.”
Kitchen Table Issues First: What are voters telling Valimont? Cost of living tops the list.
- “Groceries are too expensive, homeowner’s insurance is too expensive,” she noted, adding that renters ultimately bear these costs as well. With potential tariffs on the horizon, she worries things could get worse without strong representation fighting for Northwest Florida families.
- Healthcare also remains a priority, informed by her firsthand experience navigating the system during her family’s health crises.
Breaking Partisan Divides
Valimont positions herself as a Democrat who can work across the aisle, drawing from her upbringing with a Republican father and Democratic mother.
“The National Party has nothing to do with me,” she stated frankly, acknowledging the Democratic Party’s messaging problems. She’s focused on reconnecting with rural Democrats and former Democrats who feel left behind by the national party.
“At this point in our politics, we’ve got to put partisan hate aside and get to work,” Valimont insisted. “I’m a Democrat, but that doesn’t mean people that vote for me have to be a Democrat.”
The Final Sprint
With just two weeks until Election Day, Valimont’s campaign is operating around the clock. Sixty canvassers are knocking on doors, sometimes aiming to reach voters twice.
The campaign is hosting a veterans town hall at The Improv Event Center, 375 N. Pace Blvd., at 6 p.m. on Thursday with special guest Amy McGrath, the former fighter pilot who challenged Mitch McConnell. Valimont will also appear at early voting locations with her distinctive orange trailer.
- For voters still making up their minds, Valimont’s message is simple: “Come out and talk to me if you’re not sure.”