Update: Congressman Jimmy Patronis shouted, “Hell No!” over the phone. He says he has no plans to switch, citing his support of the military and rapid growing economic development in the district that stretches from Perdido Key to Walton County.
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So local politicos can stop calling potential donors.
The News Service of Florida reported at noon that after a decade in the U.S. House, Republican Congressman Neal Dunn, who currently represents District 2, announced he will not seek another term in November.
“The time has come to pass the torch to new conservative leaders, return home to Panama City and spend more precious time with my family and our beloved grandchildren,” Dunn said in a post on X. Dunn, a physician who was first elected in 2016, represents a sprawling North Florida district that includes areas such as Panama City and Tallahassee.
Dunn received 61.6 percent of the vote as he was re-elected in 2024.
Will Jimmy Jump?
Our congressman, Jimmy Patronis, grew up in Bay County. His family has lived for multiple generations and built Captain Anderson’s, a long-running and well-known seafood restaurant in Panama City.
He graduated from Bay High School in Panama City, then Gulf Coast Community College. Patronis’ initial electoral base was Bay County: he represented Florida House District 6, which included Panama City and southern Bay County, and campaigned explicitly on being a lifelong Bay County resident who would “not forget” his Northwest Florida roots.
- Will President Trump endorse Patronis moving to District 2?
If He Does?
We can expect another filing frenzy. To date, only Republican Cedric Alexander has pre-filed. In the 2025 race to replace Matt Gaetz, we saw 22 candidates, only five failed to qualify.