Gay meets with community members in Florida's panhandle
By: Danika Joy Fornear
In a political climate dominated by extremist rhetoric and self-serving politicians, Gay Valimont stands out as a candidate driven by genuine public service. A mother, gun safety advocate, and healthcare champion, Valimont is running for Congress in Florida’s 1st Congressional District to fight for the people who have been ignored for too long. Her campaign isn’t about political games; it’s about making real, meaningful changes that improve lives in Northwest Florida and beyond.
Who is Gay Valimont?
Valimont’s journey into politics wasn’t planned. She was an athletic trainer with a background in health and exercise science, earning degrees from Georgia Southern University and Troy State University. But in 2012, her life changed when the tragic mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School galvanized her into action. Like many parents across the country, she could no longer stand by while children were being slaughtered in schools. She became active in Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America and later became the leader of its Florida chapter, growing its engagement by over 400%.
Her activism took on even greater significance when personal tragedies struck. In 2021, she lost her son, Eli, to a rare brain tumor. A year later, her husband, Brian, passed away from ALS. These devastating losses reinforced her belief that healthcare must be a right, not a privilege, and that gun violence prevention must be treated as a public health crisis. She refuses to let grief silence her—she’s using her experiences to fight for the policies that would have made a difference for her own family and thousands of others.
What Does She Stand For?
Gay Valimont’s platform is built around common-sense policies that put people first. Unlike the Republican extremists who prioritize corporate donors and party politics, she is focused on issues that actually affect working families, veterans, and the vulnerable.
1. Gun Violence Prevention
As a longtime gun safety activist, Valimont understands that gun violence isn’t a partisan issue—it’s a public safety issue. She supports universal background checks, closing loopholes that allow criminals and domestic abusers to access firearms, and implementing red flag laws that allow law enforcement to intervene before a tragedy occurs. Unlike her opponent, she will stand up to the gun lobby and prioritize community safety over corporate profits.
2. Healthcare Access and Affordability
Valimont knows firsthand the brokenness of America’s healthcare system. She watched her husband battle ALS and her son fight a brain tumor, all while navigating a system that too often puts profits over patients. She supports expanding Medicaid, capping prescription drug prices, and investing in rural healthcare infrastructure to ensure every Floridian has access to quality care.
3. Protecting Veterans and Military Families
Northwest Florida is home to a large population of veterans and active-duty military members, yet their needs are often neglected by career politicians. Valimont will fight to improve VA healthcare, expand mental health services for veterans, and ensure that military families have access to stable housing, job opportunities, and quality education.
4. The Opioid Crisis and Mental Health
Florida’s 1st Congressional District has been hit hard by the opioid epidemic. Instead of criminalizing addiction, Valimont supports a public health approach—expanding access to treatment programs, funding mental health services, and holding pharmaceutical companies accountable for their role in the crisis.
5. Protecting Reproductive Rights
At a time when Republican leaders are rolling back reproductive rights, Valimont is an unapologetic defender of a woman’s right to make her own healthcare decisions. She will fight to restore the protections of Roe v. Wade, ensure access to birth control, and protect IVF and other essential reproductive healthcare services.
Why Florida Needs Gay Valimont in Congress
For too long, Florida’s 1st Congressional District has been represented by extremists who care more about TV appearances and social media fights than actually governing. Matt Gaetz, the former representative, spent more time pushing conspiracy theories and obstructing progress than serving his constituents. The people of Northwest Florida deserve better. They deserve a leader who will fight for their healthcare, their safety, and their economic well-being—not someone who treats public office like a reality TV show.
Valimont isn’t running to be a celebrity politician; she’s running to get things done. She knows that politics should be about solving problems, not creating them. She has spent years organizing, advocating, and working directly with communities to push for policies that make a real difference.
How to Support Gay Valimont’s Campaign
Winning in Florida’s 1st Congressional District won’t be easy. Republican leadership and corporate interests will do everything in their power to keep a progressive, people-first candidate like Valimont out of office. That’s why grassroots support is crucial. Here’s how you can help:
- Donate: Campaigns need resources to reach voters. Every dollar helps Valimont’s team organize, advertise, and mobilize supporters. You can contribute at here.
- Volunteer: Whether you can knock on doors, make phone calls, or help spread the word on social media, every effort counts.
- Spread the Word: Talk to friends, family, and neighbors about why Valimont is the right choice. Share her platform and challenge the misinformation that will inevitably be spread by her opponents.
- Vote: The most powerful thing you can do is show up on Election Day and make your voice heard. Encourage others to do the same.
The Time for Change is Now
Northwest Florida needs leadership that puts people over politics. It needs a representative who understands the struggles of working families, veterans, and those left behind by a broken healthcare system. It needs someone willing to stand up to powerful interests and fight for common-sense policies that make communities safer and stronger.
Gay Valimont is that leader. It’s time to elect someone who will actually serve the people—not just themselves.
Let’s make history. Let’s send Gay Valimont to Congress.
Support Gay here — secure.actblue.com/…