Aaron Dimmock, a retired Navy officer and aviator, has entered the Republican primary to challenge Representative Matt Gaetz of Florida. His campaign committee shares a treasurer with American Patriots PAC, a group that was used by former Speaker Kevin McCarthy to support candidates aligned with him in the 2022 midterms. Mr. Gaetz led the revolt among House Republicans that ultimately ousted Mr. McCarthy from the speakership. The primary for the First Congressional District, which covers Pensacola and the western Florida Panhandle, will take place on Aug. 20.
Mr. Dimmock, a graduate of the United States Naval Academy, served as a pilot for the P-3 surveillance plane for the Navy. He deployed to Bosnia, Kosovo, and completed several tours in the Middle East. He also described flying surveillance missions over New York City in the immediate aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center. Mr. Dimmock became an instructor pilot, worked as a recruiting officer, and closed out his career as a Navy liaison in the Pentagon. The Navy operates a major air base in Pensacola. However, Mr. Gaetz quickly attacked Mr. Dimmock on social media, pointing to LinkedIn posts that Mr. Dimmock made as a business consultant in 2020 in support of racial diversity and the Black Lives Matter movement after the murder of George Floyd by the Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin.
Mr. Dimmock and representatives of American Patriots PAC did not respond to requests for comment. The primary for the First Congressional District, which covers Pensacola and the western Florida Panhandle, will take place on Aug. 20. Mr. Gaetz quickly attacked Mr. Dimmock on social media, pointing to LinkedIn posts that Mr. Dimmock made as a business consultant in 2020 in support of racial diversity and the Black Lives Matter movement after the murder of George Floyd by the Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. Mr. Gaetz labeled Mr. Dimmock as a “B.L.M. supporting D.E.I. instructor running against me in the Republican Primary”, referring to him as a “Woke Toby Flenderson”.
It is clear that Mr. Dimmock’s background as a Navy officer and aviator has prepared him with valuable experience and skills that could potentially make him a competitive candidate in the Republican primary against Matt Gaetz. However, the fact that his campaign committee shares a treasurer with American Patriots PAC, which was used to support candidates aligned with former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, raises questions about his political affiliations and alliances. Mr. Gaetz has wasted no time in attacking Mr. Dimmock on social media, pointing to his past support for racial diversity and the Black Lives Matter movement. The primary in the First Congressional District is sure to be a hotly contested race with both candidates fighting to come out on top.
As the primary approaches, it will be interesting to see how Mr. Dimmock’s military background and experience will resonate with voters in the First Congressional District. His service in the Navy and his deployments to various locations around the world could potentially position him as a strong contender against Mr. Gaetz. However, the ties between his campaign committee and American Patriots PAC, as well as his past support for racial diversity and Black Lives Matter, may also impact his standing with Republican voters in the district. The upcoming primary on Aug. 20 will ultimately determine which candidate will represent the Republican party in the general election and challenge Representative Matt Gaetz for his seat in Congress.
