JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – U.S. Rep. Ted Yoho, the Gainesville Republican who was elected six years ago railing against career politicians, will retire from Congress after three terms and return to being a full-time veterinarian. His departure from Florida’s 3rd Congressional District provides an opportunity for 10 Republicans, four Democrats and a write-in candidate who all want to fill the seat that represents Alachua, Bradford, Clay, Putnam, Union and part of Marion counties. (See list below)
Yoho is one of only two of Florida’s 27 members of the U.S. House who are not seeking re-election and their decision not to run set off mad scrambles for their GOP-leaning seats. In addition to the 14 candidates qualifying to run for Yoho’s by Friday’s deadline, 13 signed up to run in Congressional District 19 in Southwest Florida, where Francis Rooney is retiring after two terms.
Northeast Florida’s three other congressmen all drew opposition and most will be contested both in their party primary in August and the general election in November.
Candidates for Northeast Florida congressional seats
3rd District (North Central Florida)
- Republicans: Kat Cammack, Ryan Chamberlin, Todd Chase, Bill Engelbrecht, Joe Dallas Millado, Gavin Rollins, Judson Sapp, James St. George, David Theus, Amy Pope Wells
- Democrats: Adam Christensen, Phillip Dodds, Tom Wells
- Write-in: Ed Silva
4th District (Nassau County and most of Duval and St. Johns counties)
- Republicans: Erick Aguilar and John Rutherford (incumbent)
- Democrat: Donna Deegan
- Write-in: Gary Koniz
5th District (from central Jacksonville west to past Tallahassee)
- Democrats: Albert Chester and Al Lawson (incumbent)
- Republicans: Gary Adler and Roger Wagoner
6th District (Southern St. Johns County, Flagler and Volusia counties)
- Republicans: Michael Waltz (incumbent)
- Democrats: Clint Curtis and Richard Thripp
- Write-ins: Alan Grayson and John “Gerry” Nolan
Neither 4th Judicial Circuit State Attorney Melissa Nelson nor Public Defender Charlie Cofer, who represent Clay, Duval and Nassau counties, drew opposition.
In the 7th Circuit, which includes St. Johns and Putnam counties, State Attorney R.J. Larizza will run against NPA candidate Don Dempsey and three Republicans are running for public defender as James Purdy is not seeking re-election. The qualifying candidates are George Burden, Anne Marie Gennusa and Matt Metz.
Candidates for state House and Senate seats have until early June to qualify.
Over the next few months, News4Jax will be in touch with all the candidates on the ballot and produce profiles of each for our Voter’s Guide, online well before early voting begins this summer.