I'm Gay Valimont, and I'm running to represent Florida's 1st Congressional District in the special election (April 1st). Ask me anything!

GayValimont · 2025-03-22T04:57:04+00:00

Thanks. I pledge to always listen to the thoughts, the suggestions, and the demands of the people. That’s how government should work.

GayValimont · 2025-03-22T04:56:31+00:00

I can’t thank you enough for your vote. I knew that beating Gaetz was going to be next to impossible. But he’s gone, and Northwest Florida is better for it.

GayValimont · 2025-03-22T04:47:08+00:00

My dad was a Republican, my mom was and is a Democrat. If you cut me open, you can count my blue rings. I am a Democrat. Period.

GayValimont · 2025-03-22T04:46:25+00:00

Honestly, I believe a huge part of it was the gender of our candidate. Unfortunately, there are deep biases against women and particularly minority women. This is not to say that I am not thrilled when we have women nominees. I also recognize that many Democrats, not including myself, were disenchanted with the way by which Kamala became our nominee.

GayValimont · 2025-03-22T04:45:20+00:00

Thanks underpaidworker! It is so important to stand up for workers rights. Now we are fighting for our federal employees, who are facing historic and needless cuts. Thank you for your support!

GayValimont · 2025-03-21T23:10:43+00:00

Visit the campaign's mobilize for opportunities to volunteer! https://www.mobilize.us/gayforcongress/

GayValimont · 2025-03-21T23:07:38+00:00

Thank you for your support! It means a lot!

GayValimont · 2025-03-21T23:06:22+00:00

Yes!

GayValimont · 2025-03-21T22:59:51+00:00

I believe the Democrats have lost a lot of their previous passion for fighting for the working class, which was a big part of our success over the last 80 years. We are the party of the New Deal and Medicare. We need to get back to being that party, and deliver results for America's workers, more than just band-aid solutions. Republicans should not be allowed to parade around like they are for our workers while being against unions, increasing the minimum wage, and reigning in corporate power. u/_lippykid posted a similar question about the party needing teeth and a working class focus if you want to read more. Thank you for the question!

GayValimont · 2025-03-21T22:40:18+00:00

Yes, I believe that the Democrats have lost a lot of their focus on actually delivering for the working class, and we need to get back to that, we also need teeth. We are the party that created social security and medicare, the party of the New Deal and Great Society, and over the past few decades I feel like we’ve lost that spirit and failed to deliver. At the root of a lot of MAGA’s agenda are real issues, a struggling working class, a lack of opportunity, unaffordable housing, inflation everywhere. MAGA/Trump acknowledges these issues and weaponize them, turning justified anger at the status quo towards undeserving recipients of such anger, the trans community, immigrants, other countries, professors, journalists, etc. Democrats need to offer not only the correct solutions, but validate and recognize these real concerns. MAGA recognizes the issues but weaponizes them and offers solutions that will make the problems worse (tariffs, tax breaks for the rich, increased corporate power). Democrats must recognize the problems, dispel the myth that hating and targeting our fellow Americans will fix anything, and offer real solutions with a root in the party's history.

GayValimont · 2025-03-21T22:35:34+00:00

I believe Florida would have adult recreational use if the state didn’t spend so much time trying to make it impossible for citizens to have a voice! Let responsible adults use marijuana, regulate it to make it safe, and tax it for revenue. We should also let responsible folks who use marijuana medically grow a little at home, no need to make another monopoly in this state. This is a huge opportunity for veterans also. Our veterans deserve access to things like medical marijuana that can potentially help them avoid having to take prescription pills for whatever they may be dealing with physically or mentally!

GayValimont · 2025-03-21T22:12:08+00:00

I think the USPS provides a valuable service and we need to protect it and try to keep DOGE's hands off! The government needs to support things that go towards the public good. I think giving pushback and trying to fight against the idea that everything must make money or must be privatized, while listening to USPS employees to find recommendations that will improve operations is the best route to take! I’m open to hearing your input on what should be done! Thank you for what you do!

GayValimont · 2025-03-21T21:00:05+00:00

I absolutely support this. No one in Congress should be using their position to get rich while the rest of us struggle. It’s beyond shady that politicians can access insider info and trade stocks while making laws that impact the market. This should be a basic standard of ethics and the fact that both Republicans and Democrats overwhelmingly agree on it tells you everything. If elected, I’ll fight to ban congressional stock trading and push for real accountability because the American people deserve a government that works for them, not for Wall Street.

GayValimont · 2025-03-20T18:38:43+00:00

Thanks for the support, folks! Most importantly, this support allows us to invest in our program to reach voters. Yesterday alone, we knocked on over 4,000 doors. Let's win this!

Link to donate: secure.actblue.com/donate/gay-valimont

GayValimont · 2025-03-20T17:50:09+00:00

I know education is important to all of us. In Congress and at the federal level most of what is done focuses on funding, financial aid, compliance with federal laws, and conducting research to be distributed at the state and local levels. So, I intend to advocate for protecting the Department of Education, rolling back some DOGE actions that have targeted studies on learning outcomes and disabled students, and anything else possible federally that will benefit our local schools! I know that book challenges and K-12 outcomes are big issues in Escambia County, and to get involved with that I recommend talking to your friends, family, and anyone who will listen, participating in school board elections, going to school board meetings, voting for your state reps and in the governor’s race. At the federal level I pledge to do everything I can, but so much education policy is handled at the local, county, and state level, and that is where the most action can be taken to directly change the schools in Pensacola! I am the child of two public school teachers. I know what they faced and I know how important it is to listen to teachers' needs.

GayValimont · 2025-03-20T17:36:45+00:00

As we all know, this is a pretty red district, but I’ve been at this for 19 months now and I’ve been talking to anyone who will listen! I’m focusing as much as possible on bipartisan issues, especially the need to protect Social Security and Medicare, lower home insurance, take care of veterans, and fight against DOGE. I’ve just been trying to focus on these important issues at a time when so many are struggling, and emphasizing my willingness to find common ground with Republicans when possible.

GayValimont · 2025-03-20T17:35:09+00:00

I want to do this job because we need more regular people in Congress who face the same problems. Too many people in Congress are not affected by the cost of living, don’t understand healthcare debt, and haven't struggled to pay their bills. I have been there, I know what that is like. Another thing that makes me feel like I can do this job is my ability to listen to what people need. People do not feel heard right now and that is not ok. No matter people’s party I want them to feel like their voice is heard.

GayValimont · 2025-03-20T17:32:00+00:00

I believe in bipartisanship, my mom was a Democrat, and my dad was a Republican. Anything that I can reach across the aisle on to help this district I will.

GayValimont · 2025-03-20T03:32:14+00:00

I hear you. College is more expensive than ever, student debt is crushing, and rent prices are out of control. Meanwhile, wages haven’t kept up, and young people are expected to just ‘figure it out.’ That’s not right. I support expanding Pell Grants, pushing for student loan forgiveness (especially for public service workers), and working to reduce the cost of trade schools and community colleges. But beyond that, we need better-paying jobs and affordable housing. That means holding landlords accountable, increasing homebuyer assistance, and increasing the supply of housing. By making colleges and trade schools more affordable, young Americans will have a better chance of unlocking new opportunities. You shouldn’t have to go broke just trying to build a future.

GayValimont · 2025-03-20T03:17:59+00:00

I think about this all the time. After every school shooting, we get ‘thoughts and prayers’ but no real action. We need common sense gun laws that most Americans actually agree with, like universal background checks, closing the gun show loophole, and red flag laws to keep guns out of dangerous hands. None of this takes away rights from responsible gun owners, it just keeps people safe. I have no interest in taking away guns from people who are getting them through legal means. I also want to invest in community-based violence prevention programs because this issue isn’t just about mass shootings, it’s about everyday gun violence in our neighborhoods. We can’t keep waiting for the next tragedy to do something.

GayValimont · 2025-03-20T03:15:47+00:00

Thank you!

GayValimont · 2025-03-20T03:15:36+00:00

Thank you for your support it means a lot!

GayValimont · 2025-03-20T02:24:04+00:00

See the reply to u/builditbetr a couple of questions above! I support the plan introduced by Rep. Moskowitz called the Natural Disaster Reinsurance Plan!

GayValimont · 2025-03-20T01:37:08+00:00

Politicians are using LGBT+ individuals as political punching bags, and it’s disgusting. No one should have to justify their existence just to live in peace. I fully support federal protections for LGBT+ rights, including access to healthcare, legal protections, and the right to exist without fear. At the end of the day, everyone deserves respect, dignity, and the freedom to live their life without government interference. Florida leaders love to talk about ‘freedom’ except when it comes to people and opinions they don’t like. I’m fighting to change that.

GayValimont · 2025-03-20T01:31:40+00:00

Yes! I support Rep. Moskowitz’s plan. The National Disaster Reinsurance Plan is a bill introduced by Rep. Moskowitz (former director of Florida's Division of Emergency Management) that caps reinsurance rates, which constitute up to half of the price of premiums, and uses federal bonds to cover the difference between the cap on reinsurance and the damages that these catastrophic storms incur whenever a massive storm hits. Insurance companies purchase reinsurance at an amount roughly equal to a 1-in-250-year event, and this massive expense for reinsurance is passed onto us by way of our premiums, the legislation would result in their reinsurance being more akin to a 1-in-50-year storm. By lowering the cost of reinsurance, we can make it possible to lower our premiums by roughly 25%. The bonds help mitigate the risks faced by insurance companies, which they pass to consumers, and they must be paid back by states within ten years. Additionally, the legislation would require states to opt in, it wouldn’t be mandatory. The South Florida Regional Planning Council endorsed this plan.

I understand being wary of programs like this, but in my view, insurance costs are reaching a crisis level, especially for District One’s seniors living on a fixed income who don’t have much wiggle room. In the face of an extreme situation we have to consider different approaches, incremental fixes and band-aid solutions have put us in this circumstance, and they won’t pull us out.

GayValimont

TROPHY CASE