Jimmy Patronis ad slams Gay Valimont using her own anti-Donald Trump rhetoric

Republican Jimmy Patronis has promised to be an ally of President Donald Trump in Congress. His latest campaign ad makes clear that Democrat Gay Valimont will not.

Ahead of the April 1 Special Election in Florida’s 1st Congressional District, the Republican has gone on air with an ad blasting his opponent for her rigid opposition to Trump’s agenda.

“Gay Valimont has been clear: She really hates President Trump,” a female narrator states.

From there, the 30-second spot splices together several clips of Valimont criticizing Trump and Elon Musk, the Tesla CEO who heads Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency.

That includes Valimont criticizing Trump after a televised meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. “What we saw in the oval office today was … it was disgraceful,” Valimont said. It then goes on to show a clip of Valimont promising to “be that 216th Democrat that stands in the way” of Trump’s priorities in Washington.

Notably, national Democrats have stepped in to help Valimont send a message about outrage at Trump’s agenda. And Valimont has more than tripled Patronis in fundraising, collecting $6.5 million to Patronis’ $2.1 million.

But Patronis, running in a congressional district where 68% of voters supported Trump over Democrat Kamala Harris in November, is counting on Valimont’s criticism of the President backfiring.

“These radical Democrats hate President Trump,” the narrator states, “and they hate all of us who voted for him. No thanks, Gay. We like the President.”

Patronis’ campaign said the advertisement will begin running immediately in media markets in the district. It is also running on digital platforms.

The district leans heavily Republican.

As of the March 3 closing of voter rolls, CD 1 was home to around 312,000 Republicans registered and eligible to vote in the election, compared to fewer than 119,000 Democrats and about 136,000 registered without party affiliation or with minor parties.

The winner of the race will succeed former U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, who in November defeated Valimont with 66% of the vote.

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