Aaron Dimmock, a retired Navy officer and aviator, has entered the Republican major to problem Consultant Matt Gaetz of Florida — leaping into the race hours earlier than a submitting deadline final Friday.
Mr. Dimmock’s marketing campaign committee shares a treasurer with American Patriots PAC, a bunch that was utilized by former Speaker Kevin McCarthy to assist candidates who have been aligned with him within the 2022 midterms. Mr. Gaetz led the revolt amongst Home Republicans that in the end ousted Mr. McCarthy from the speakership.
Mr. Dimmock and representatives of American Patriots PAC didn’t reply to requests for remark. The first for the First Congressional District, which covers Pensacola and the western Florida Panhandle, will happen on Aug. 20.
Mr. Dimmock, a graduate of america Naval Academy, served as a pilot for the P-3 surveillance aircraft for the Navy. In an interview with the U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Affiliation in 2020, Mr. Dimmock mentioned that he had deployed to Bosnia and Kosovo and had accomplished a number of excursions within the Center East. He additionally described flying surveillance missions over New York Metropolis within the quick aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, assaults on the World Commerce Middle. He turned an teacher pilot, later labored as a recruiting officer and closed out his profession as a Navy liaison within the Pentagon. The Navy operates a serious air base in Pensacola.
Mr. Gaetz shortly attacked Mr. Dimmock on social media, pointing to LinkedIn posts that Mr. Dimmock made as a enterprise advisor in 2020 in assist of racial range and the Black Lives Matter motion after the homicide of George Floyd by the Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin.
“Meet Aaron W. Dimmock,” Mr. Gaetz wrote. “The B.L.M. supporting D.E.I. teacher operating in opposition to me within the Republican Major. I knew former Consultant McCarthy can be getting a puppet of his to run. I didn’t know it will be a Woke Toby Flenderson!”
