Combat veteran Nathan Nelson has announced the suspension of his campaign for Florida’s 1st Congressional District, following President-elect Donald Trump’s endorsement of Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis. Nelson, a former advisor to U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, made the decision in support of Trump’s endorsement and hopes to work with Patronis in the future to strengthen military missions in Northwest Florida.
After Gaetz’s decision not to pursue his old Congressional seat, multiple GOP candidates declared their intent to run for the vacant seat. However, many candidates, including Nelson, began withdrawing from the race after Trump’s endorsement of Patronis. Other candidates still in the race include Bernadette Pittman, Joel Rudman, Gene Valentino, and Jeff Witt.
Nelson, who was paralyzed during his third deployment to Afghanistan, has a background in military affairs and has worked to align local, state, and federal efforts in the defense industry in the Panhandle region. He has also worked in the private sector with defense contractors and as an inspirational speaker.
The 1st Congressional District of Florida, located in the conservative Panhandle region, has a majority Republican electorate. A Special Election for the Congressional seat has been called, with the Primary Election scheduled for January 28 and the Special General Election on April 1. Nelson’s decision to suspend his campaign comes amidst a changing landscape of GOP candidates vying for the seat following Gaetz’s withdrawal.
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Photo credit floridapolitics.com
