Florida's 1st congressional district | |
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Representative | |
Area | 4,759 [1] sq mi (12,330 km2) |
Distribution |
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Population (2022) | 789,347 [3] |
Median household income | $71,302 [3] |
Ethnicity |
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Cook PVI | R+19 [4] |
Florida's 1st congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Florida, covering the state's western Panhandle. It includes all of Escambia, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa counties, and portions of Walton county. The district is anchored in Pensacola and also includes the large military bedroom communities and tourist destinations of Navarre and Fort Walton Beach and stretches along the Emerald Coast. The district is currently represented by Republican Matt Gaetz. With a Cook Partisan Voting Index rating of R+19, it is the most Republican district in Florida. [4]
The district encompasses the western part of the Florida Panhandle, in the extreme western portion of the state, stretching from Pensacola and the Alabama border east to include Walton, Holmes, and Washington counties.
Most of the territory now in the 1st District had been the 3rd District from 1903 to 1963; however, it has been numbered as the 1st District since then. It cast aside its Democratic roots far sooner than most of the other areas of the state. It has not supported a Democrat for president since John F. Kennedy in 1960. In 1964, Republican Barry Goldwater carried the district by such a large margin that it nearly pushed Florida's electoral votes into the Republican column. It has continued to vote for Republicans by very wide margins, with the only exception being 1976, where Gerald Ford won a narrow 50–49 victory over Jimmy Carter. Nonetheless, it usually continued to elect conservative Democrats at the state and local level, even in years when Republican presidential candidates won the district handily. Well into the 1980s, the district's congressmen and state lawmakers only faced "sacrificial lamb" Republican challengers on the occasions they faced any opposition at all. For example, Democratic incumbent Earl Hutto was unopposed for reelection in 1984 even as Ronald Reagan won the district with over 70 percent of the vote. As late as 1992, Democratic senator Bob Graham easily carried the district with 54 percent of the vote—more than double Bill Clinton's total in the district.
This changed with the Republican Revolution of 1994. That year, Joe Scarborough became the first Republican to represent the Panhandle since Reconstruction. This change was more a result of eight-term incumbent Hutto retiring than of a Republican upsurge. It had been taken for granted that Hutto would be succeeded by a Republican once he retired, particularly after he was nearly defeated in 1990 and 1992. Republicans had also swept most of the district's overlapping state legislative seats. It is currently considered the most Republican district in Florida, and no Democratic candidate has won more than 40 percent of the vote since Hutto's retirement. John McCain received 67% of the vote in this district in 2008, and Mitt Romney and Donald Trump respectively carried it by similar margins in 2012 and 2016.
The district's conservatism is not limited to national politics. Since 1994, Republicans have dominated elections at the state and local levels. Graham is the last Democrat to have won it in a statewide race. In much of the district, there are now no elected Democrats above the county level.
The area comprising the 1st District has maintained a large military presence ever since John Quincy Adams persuaded Spain to sell Florida to the United States in 1819, in part to gain a deepwater port at Pensacola. The U.S. Air Force also has a large presence in Eglin Air Force Base, which is economically important to the district. Slightly under 14,000 people are employed at the base, which is one of the largest air bases in the world and has approximately 100,000 square miles (260,000 km2) of airspace stretching over the Gulf of Mexico to the Florida Keys. Hurlburt Field is an auxiliary field at Eglin AFB and is the location of the Air Force Special Operations Command. Eglin AFB spreads over three counties. Pensacola Naval Air Station was the first Navy base devoted to the specific purpose of aviation, and is the home of the Blue Angels. Saufley Field, used for training, is slightly north of Pensacola NAS.
A large number of veterans who retire relocate to this district. Tourism, particularly in Navarre, Pensacola Beach, and Destin, is a major economic activity.
Voter Registration and Party Enrollment as of February 20, 2024 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Voters | Percentage | |
Republican | 291,351 | 53.80% | |
Democratic | 119,305 | 22.03% | |
No Party Affiliation | 116,371 | 21.49% |
# | County | Seat | Population |
---|---|---|---|
33 | Escambia | Pensacola | 326,928 |
91 | Okaloosa | Crestview | 218,464 |
113 | Santa Rosa | Milton | 203,162 |
131 | Walton | DeFuniak Springs | 86,354 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Jeff Miller | 53,547 | 65.68 | |
Democratic | Steve Briese | 22,695 | 27.99 | |
Independent | John G. Ralls Jr. | 5,115 | 6.31 | |
Write-ins | 14 | 0.02 | ||
Total votes | 81,071 | 100.00 | ||
Republican hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Jeff Miller (Incumbent) | 152,635 | 75% | |
Democratic | Bert Oram | 51,972 | 25% | |
No party | Others | 19 | 0.01 | |
Total votes | 204,626 | 100% | ||
Turnout | ||||
Republican hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Jeff Miller (Incumbent) | 236,604 | 77% | |
Democratic | Mark S. Coutu | 72,506 | 23% | |
Total votes | 309,110 | 100% | ||
Turnout | ||||
Republican hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Jeff Miller (Incumbent) | 135,786 | 69% | |
No party | Joe Roberts | 62,340 | 31% | |
Total votes | 198,126 | 100% | ||
Turnout | ||||
Republican hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Jeff Miller (Incumbent) | 232,559 | 70% | |
Democratic | James E. Bryan | 98,797 | 30% | |
Total votes | 331,356 | 100% | ||
Turnout | ||||
Republican hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Jeff Miller (Incumbent) | 170,821 | 80% | |
Independent | Joe Cantrell | 23,250 | 11% | |
Independent | John E. Krause | 18,253 | 9% | |
No party | Others | 1,202 | 0.56% | |
Total votes | 213,526 | 100% | ||
Turnout | ||||
Republican hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Jeff Miller (Incumbent) | 238,440 | 70% | |
Democratic | James E. Bryan | 92,961 | 27% | |
Libertarian | Calen Fretts | 11,176 | 3% | |
No party | William Cleave Drummond II | 17 | 0.0% | |
Total votes | 342,594 | 100% | ||
Turnout | ||||
Republican hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Jeff Miller (Incumbent) | 165,086 | 70% | |
Democratic | James E. Bryan | 54,976 | 23% | |
No party | Mark Wichern | 15,281 | 7% | |
Total votes | 235,343 | 100% | ||
Turnout | ||||
Republican hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Matt Gaetz | 255,107 | 69% | |
Democratic | Steven Specht | 114,079 | 31% | |
Total votes | 369,186 | 100% | ||
Turnout | ||||
Republican hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Matt Gaetz (Incumbent) | 216,189 | 67.06% | |
Democratic | Jennifer M. Zimmerman | 106,199 | 32.94% | |
Total votes | 322,388 | 100% | ||
Republican hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Matt Gaetz (incumbent) | 283,352 | 64.61% | ||
Democratic | Phil Ehr | 149,172 | 34.01% | ||
Independent | Albert Oram | 6,038 | 1.38% | ||
Total votes | 438,532 | 100.0 | |||
Republican hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Matt Gaetz (incumbent) | 197,349 | 67.86% | ||
Democratic | Rebekah Jones | 93,467 | 32.13% | ||
Total votes | 290,816 | 100.0 | |||
Republican hold |
Escambia County is the westernmost and oldest county in the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 census, the population was 321,905. The county seat and largest city is Pensacola. Escambia County is included within the Pensacola Metropolitan Statistical Area. The county population has steadily increased as the City of Pensacola and its surrounding bedroom communities continue to grow with residential and commercial development. The county is part of the Northwest Florida region of the state.
Okaloosa County is a county located in the northwestern portion of the U.S. state of Florida, extending from the Gulf of Mexico to the Alabama state line. As of the 2020 census, the population was 211,668. Its county seat is Crestview. Okaloosa County is included in the Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Destin is a city located in Okaloosa County, Florida, United States. It is a principal city of the Crestview–Fort Walton Beach–Destin, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 13,931 at the 2020 census, up from 12,305 at the 2010 census.
Fort Walton Beach, often referred to by the initialism FWB,is a city in southern Okaloosa County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the population was 20,922, up from 19,507 in 2010. It is a principal city of the Crestview−Fort Walton Beach−Destin, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Destin–Fort Walton Beach Airport is an airport located within Eglin Air Force Base, adjacent to the city of Valparaiso and near the cities of Destin and Fort Walton Beach, in Okaloosa County, Florida, United States. The airport was previously named Northwest Florida Regional Airport until February 17, 2015, and Okaloosa Regional Airport until September 2008.
The Florida panhandle is the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Florida. It is a salient roughly 200 miles (320 km) long, bordered by Alabama on the north and the west, Georgia on the north, and the Gulf of Mexico to the south. Its eastern boundary is arbitrarily defined. It is defined by its southern culture and rural geography relative to the rest of Florida, as well as closer cultural links to French-influenced Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. Its major communities include Pensacola, Navarre, Destin, Panama City Beach, and Tallahassee.
The Emerald Coast is an unofficial name for the coastal area in the US state of Florida on the Gulf of Mexico that stretches about 100 miles (160 km) through five counties, Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, and Bay, which include Pensacola Beach, Navarre Beach, Fort Walton Beach, Destin, and Panama City Beach. Some south Alabama communities on the coast of Baldwin County, such as Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, and Fort Morgan embrace the term as well.
Navarre is a census-designated place and unincorporated community in Santa Rosa County in the northwest Florida Panhandle. It is a major bedroom community for mostly U.S. military personnel, federal civil servants, local population, retirees and defense contractors. Due to Navarre Beach and the 4 miles (6.4 km) of beach front on the Gulf of Mexico thereof, as well as several miles of beaches within the Navarre Beach Marine Park and the Gulf Islands National Seashore, it has a small, but rapidly growing community of nature enthusiasts and tourists. Navarre has grown from being a small town of around 1,500 in 1970 to a town with a population estimated at 43,540 as of 2022, if including both the Navarre and Navarre Beach Census Designated Places. The Navarre CDP recorded a population of 40,817 at the 2020 census.
Florida's 2nd congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Florida. The district consists of the eastern part of the Florida Panhandle along with much of the Big Bend region along the Emerald Coast. It straddles both the Eastern and Central time zones. It includes Tallahassee, the state capital, and Panama City. With 49% of its residents living in rural areas, it is the least urbanized district in the state, and voters are generally conservative. The district is represented by Republican Neal Dunn of Panama City.
The 2006 United States House of Representatives Elections in Florida took place on November 7, 2006. Elections were held in Florida's 1st through 25th congressional districts.
Earl Dewitt Hutto was an American politician who served as U.S. Representative from Florida's 1st congressional district.
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Destin Executive Airport, also known as Coleman Kelly Field, is a public use airport owned by and located in Okaloosa County, Florida. The airport is one nautical mile (2 km) east of the central business district of Destin, Florida. It is included in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2021–2025, which categorized it as a general aviation facility.
Robert Lee Fulton Sikes was an American politician of the Democratic Party who represented the Florida Panhandle in the United States House of Representatives from 1941 to 1979, with a brief break in 1944 and 1945 for service during World War II.
The 2008 United States presidential election in Florida took place on November 4, 2008, and was part of the 2008 United States presidential election. Voters chose 27 representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.
The 2012 United States presidential election in Florida took place on November 6, 2012, as part of the 2012 general election in which all 50 states plus the District of Columbia participated. Florida voters chose 29 electors to represent them in the Electoral College via a popular vote pitting incumbent Democratic President Barack Obama and his running mate, Vice President Joe Biden, against Republican challenger and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney and his running mate, Congressman Paul Ryan.
The 2001 special election for Florida's 1st congressional district took place on October 16, 2001, to fill the vacancy caused by Representative Joe Scarborough's resignation. Florida's 1st congressional district was a staunchly conservative district stretching from Panama City Beach to Pensacola in the Florida Panhandle.
Naval Outlying Landing Field (NOLF) Holley was a naval outlying landing field of the larger Naval Air Station Whiting Field located within the city limits of the community of Navarre, Florida. The two runways were each 3,600 feet long. The runways were restricted to limited military use only; however, in 2017, the Gulf Power company was authorized to build a solar power plant on the facility grounds. The plant now provides power for some 18,000 homes, making it one of the largest solar fields in the region. The solar panels completely cover what were once the runways.
Florida's 3rd House district elects one member of the Florida House of Representatives. The district is represented by Jayer Williamson. This district is located in the Florida Panhandle, and encompasses part of the Emerald Coast, as well as parts of the Pensacola metropolitan area and the Crestview metropolitan area. The district covers the most of Santa Rosa County and the top half of Okaloosa County. The largest city in the district is Navarre. As of the 2010 census, the district's population is 158,797.
Florida's 4th House district elects one member of the Florida House of Representatives. The district is represented by Patt Maney. This district is located in the Florida Panhandle, and encompasses part of the Emerald Coast, as well as part of the Crestview metropolitan area. The district covers southern Okaloosa County. The largest city in the district is Crestview. As of the 2010 census, the district's population is 158,781.