Photo: Ballotpedia candidate photo (downloaded copy in assets/photos)

U.S. House, District 1

Gay Valimont

DemocraticGun-violence-prevention activist (Ballotpedia); Democratic nominee for FL-1 in 2024, the April 2025 special election and 2026Pensacola, Escambia County (Ballotpedia)

Gay Valimont is a gun-violence-prevention activist based in Pensacola (Ballotpedia). She was the Democratic nominee for the 1st District in November 2024 and in the April 2025 special election, receiving 42% against Jimmy Patronis. She ran unopposed in the Aug. 18, 2026 Democratic primary and faces Patronis again in November. Her campaign lists health care, veterans' care, insurance costs, reproductive rights and gun safety as priorities.

How they got on the ballot: Unopposed in Aug 18, 2026 Democratic primary (WEAR-TV: https://weartv.com/news/local/patronis-wins-florida-district-1-primary-sets-up-rematch-with-valimont)

Campaign website ↗Ballotpedia profile ↗

Campaign finance (FEC filings through 10/14/2026): raised $295,714, spent $260,991, cash on hand $34,723; $289,284 from individual donors, $4,885 from PACs. FEC filings ↗

Sources last checked 2026-09-18. Report an error ↗

Positions on the major issues

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Each entry describes what the candidate has said or done, and what they say they will do, in neutral terms with sources. The chip shows how that relates to the statement voters rate in the matching tool.

Housing affordability Strongly agrees· stated position

Statement: "Government should do more to make housing affordable (subsidies, zoning changes, rent measures)."

Supports the bipartisan ROAD to Housing Act and stopping large Wall Street investors from buying up homes.

"Expand Affordable Housing"

Sources: Gay Valimont for Congress - Priorities (2026-09-18)

Immigration Leans disagree· stated position

Statement: "Immigration enforcement should be stricter, including large-scale deportation of people in the country illegally."

Would secure the border with technology and more judges while creating a clear legal path to citizenship.

"a clear, legal path to citizenship"

Sources: Gay Valimont for Congress - Priorities (2026-09-18)

Abortion Strongly agrees· stated position

Statement: "Abortion should be legal in most cases (Florida's six-week ban should be repealed or loosened)."

Says she supports access to comprehensive reproductive health care and the right to choose, and would vote to restore abortion rights in federal law.

"I will always protect our RIGHT TO CHOOSE and when I get to Congress, we will make it law again."

Sources: Gay Valimont for Congress: Priorities · Ballotpedia: Gay Valimont

Guns Strongly agrees· stated position

Statement: "Gun laws should be stricter (keep the red-flag law and the age-21 purchase rule; expand background checks) rather than looser (permitless or open carry, lower purchase age)."

Supports universal background checks and federal red-flag laws.

"universal background checks and federal red flag laws"

Sources: Gay Valimont for Congress - Priorities (2026-09-18)

Health care Strongly agrees· stated position

Statement: "Government should expand its role in health coverage (expand Medicaid in Florida, extend Affordable Care Act subsidies)."

Would fight for universal, affordable, quality health care and reinstate the $35 insulin cap.

"fight for universal, affordable, quality healthcare"

Sources: Gay Valimont for Congress - Priorities (2026-09-18)

Social Security & Medicare Strongly agrees· stated position

Statement: "Social Security and Medicare benefits must be protected from any cuts, even if that requires more revenue."

No cuts and no privatization of Social Security and Medicare.

"No cuts, no privatization"

Sources: Gay Valimont for Congress - Priorities (2026-09-18)

Elections & voting Strongly agrees· stated position

Statement: "Voting should be made easier (mail voting, drop boxes, restoring voting rights) rather than adding new restrictions."

Would strengthen the John Lewis Voting Rights Act.

"Strengthen the John Lewis Voting Rights Act"

Sources: Gay Valimont for Congress - Priorities (2026-09-18)

Crime & policing Mixed / neutral· stated position

Statement: "Criminal penalties should be tougher and police funding increased, rather than emphasizing reform and rehabilitation."

Supports funding for both law enforcement and community programs, plus federal money for opioid treatment; a mixed position.

"funding for both law enforcement and community programs"

Sources: Gay Valimont for Congress - Priorities (2026-09-18)

Veterans Strongly agrees· stated position

Statement: "Expanding VA services and veterans' benefits should be a top priority."

Wants a full-service VA hospital in Northwest Florida and full funding to cut the VA backlog.

"Build a Full-Service VA Hospital"

Sources: Gay Valimont for Congress - Priorities (2026-09-18)

No public position found on 8 issues

We searched campaign sites, questionnaires, interviews, votes and official actions and did not find a clear stance on: Taxes & spending, Education & school choice, Environment & water, Gender identity laws, Energy & utilities, Tariffs & trade, Ukraine, Trump administration. This is reported as unknown rather than guessed from party affiliation; these issues are excluded from this candidate's match score.

Positions on issues outside this office's scope (1)

Property insurance Strongly agrees· stated position

Statement: "The state should intervene more directly in the property-insurance market (rate caps, expanding Citizens, stricter insurer regulation) rather than relying mainly on market-based reforms."

Would push federal legislation to cut homeowners-insurance rates by at least 25 percent.

"Lower Homeowners Insurance"

Sources: Gay Valimont for Congress - Priorities (2026-09-18)

Other issues this candidate has raised

Full-service VA hospital for Northwest Florida — Says she will fight to deliver a full-service VA hospital so veterans can get care close to home.
Sources: Gay Valimont for Congress: Priorities
Homeowner insurance relief — Supports federal legislation to cut homeowner insurance rates by at least 25%.
Sources: Gay Valimont for Congress: Priorities
Tricare expansion and VA claims backlog — Would push for full VA funding and expanded Tricare coverage to shorten waits.
Sources: Gay Valimont for Congress: Priorities
Term limits — Ballotpedia lists term limits among her key campaign messages, alongside health care, education, veterans affairs and foreign policy.
Sources: Ballotpedia: Gay Valimont

Record: votes, actions and documented facts

Democratic nominee in FL-1 in November 2024 and in the April 1, 2025 special election (42% vs. Patronis 57%).
Sources: Ballotpedia: Gay Valimont

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