Ten candidates to compete in Florida’s 3rd Congressional District Republican primary

By

Douglas Kronaizl

Ten candidates are running in the August 18 Republican Party primary in Florida’s 3rd Congressional District. Incumbent Rep. Ted Yoho (R), first elected in 2012, is not running for re-election.

Three candidates—Kat Cammack, Judson Sapp, and James St. George—lead in noteworthy primary endorsements and fundraising.

Cammack was endorsed by two Tea Party organizations and U.S. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), who said, “We need to send strong conservative like … Cammack to Washington who have the courage to take on career politicians and drain the swamp.”

Three members of Florida’s congressional delegation endorsed Sapp, including U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R). Gaetz said Sapp “has been right there with us making America great, fighting for the America First agenda.”

U.S. Rep. Neal Dunn (R-Fla.) endorsed St. George, saying, “As a fellow physician, [St. George] understands the need to repeal ObamaCare and replace it with a free market solution.”

Yoho said he would not endorse a candidate before the primary.

According to pre-primary campaign finance reports, Cammack, a former deputy chief of staff to Yoho, raised $490,000. Sapp, a railroad contractor, reports $770,000, and St. George, a surgeon, leads in fundraising with $920,000 raised.

Ryan Chamberlin, Todd Chase, Bill Engelbrecht, Joe Dallas Millado, Amy Pope Wells, Gavin Rollins, and David Theus are also running in the primary.

Nine of the 10 candidates have completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey. As part of the survey, candidates are asked to list three key messages from their campaigns. From those who submitted surveys, below are excerpts from each of the nine candidates’ first response:

• Cammack: “I will work with the Trump Administration to help build the wall and secure the border.”
• Chamberlin: “We need to Replace Career Politicians with a New Results Driven Congress”
• Chase: “I would fight to fund President Trump’s border wall, eliminate sanctuary cities, and support E-Verify.”
• Engelbrecht: “Bill Engelbrecht is a Conservative Republican who supports President Donald Trump.”
• Millado: “Solving critical issues for everyday Americans and their families with practical policy solutions not politics.”
• Rollins: “Conservative Fighter”
• Sapp: “Lower Taxes”
• St. George: “I am a successful small business owner and a surgeon not a career politician.”

• Theus: “The freedom to believe and exercise your faith at work, in class, church, synagogue, and mosque without threat of persecution by our government.”