Matt Gaetz Beats McCarthy-Backed Primary Challenge

Results from Florida’s Republican primary showed the incumbent Rep. Matt Gaetz winning decisively over the challenger Aaron Dimmock, 71 to 29 percent. Dimmock, a Navy veteran, was backed by the former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), whose allies in the Florida Patriots PAC spent $3.5 million attacking Gaetz and promoting Dimmock’s candidacy. Gaetz, who had Donald Trump’s endorsement during the primary, spent $1.5 million of his own, making the race one of the country’s most expensive this season.

Gaetz will now face Democratic candidate Gay Valimont in the November general election for Florida’s First Congressional District. Gaetz is heavily favored to win.

Dimmock’s run against Gaetz was part of a broader primary effort mounted by McCarthy and his friends and allies to eject a number of House Republicans who voted for his removal as speaker in 2023, including Bob Good (R-Va.), Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), and Eli Crane (R-Ariz.). The “revenge tour” has had disappointing results for McCarthy so far—of the representatives he attempted to turn out of office, only Good was ousted.