U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, who angered lots of his Republican Home colleagues along with his challenges that led to former Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s ouster, has drawn a former U.S. Navy pilot as an opponent in August’s GOP major.
Former Capt. Aaron Dimmock, who now could be a enterprise marketing consultant, filed paperwork final week to problem Gaetz within the closely Republican district that encompasses the western Florida Panhandle. It’s dwelling to Pensacola Naval Air Station and greater than 93,000 veterans reside within the space.
Dimmock’s marketing campaign treasurer beforehand labored for American Patriots PAC, the committee McCarthy used to help his most well-liked candidates within the 2022 election. Dimmock’s marketing campaign doesn’t have a web site, it has not issued an announcement and didn’t reply to emails Tuesday in search of remark. Public information present he lately lived in Missouri.
Based on Dimmock’s LinkedIn web page, he teaches enterprise executives find out how to lead with candor, which he describes as “the flexibility to offer suggestions in a approach that exhibits folks you care about them personally and are prepared to problem them straight.”
Gaetz, in a posting to the social media platform X, stated, “I knew former Consultant McCarthy could be getting a puppet of his to run.” He then known as Dimmock “a Woke Toby Flenderson,” referencing the hapless and infrequently bullied human sources director on the TV present “The Workplace.” Gaetz simply turned again an identical problem by a former FedEx govt in 2022, getting 70% of the vote within the GOP major.
Gaetz, a favourite of former President Donald Trump, was the ringleader of the small Republican group that blocked McCarthy’s election to the speakership for 15 heated rounds in January 2023 earlier than ceding. 9 months later, Gaetz filed the movement that allowed him and 7 different Republicans to oust McCarthy over the strenuous objections of the overwhelming majority of their GOP colleagues. McCarthy resigned from Congress on Dec. 31.
Gaetz, 41, is the topic of an ongoing Home ethics investigation into whether or not he had intercourse with an underage woman, one thing he has denied. The Justice Division didn’t convey expenses following an investigation into his conduct.
Gaetz stated he challenged McCarthy as a result of he was too accommodating to Democrats and did not reduce spending, however his Republican critics say he’s a chaos agent who was angered by the ethics probe.
Based on newspaper information, Dimmock, 50, graduated from a non-public highschool in Indianapolis, the place he quarterbacked the soccer workforce and performed basketball. He then attended the U.S. Naval Academy, the place he majored in ocean engineering. He graduated in 1996.
Dimmock then piloted a P-3 surveillance airplane for about 5 years earlier than changing into a flight teacher. His LinkedIn web page says he then moved into administration, ultimately overseeing Navy recruiting within the Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina area. He lists a grasp’s diploma from Georgetown College and a doctorate from Virginia Commonwealth College.
Gaetz is the son of Don Gaetz, a distinguished Panhandle politician who served as president of the Florida Senate from 2012 to 2014. He graduated from Florida State College in 2003 and William & Mary Legislation Faculty in 2007. He was admitted to the Florida Bar the next yr.
Gaetz shortly entered politics, successful a particular election in 2010 to fill a vacant Florida Home seat. He was elected to the U.S. Home in 2016 and has simply received reelection thrice. His marketing campaign has raised $4.5 million during the last two years and has $2 million in reserves, federal election information present. Dimmock, since he simply entered the race, has not filed any monetary information.
The winner will face Democrat Homosexual Valimont, a former Florida chief within the Mothers Demand Motion for Gun Sense in America. She has raised $280,000.
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