U.S. House, Florida 1st Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in Florida's 1st Congressional District?
Jimmy Patronis has the strongest record in Florida's 1st Congressional District. Jimmy Patronis scores 63 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 9, 2026. Jimmy Patronis's highest marks are relevant experience and showing up. Tyler L. Davis (4 of 15 criteria) and Gay Valimont (6 of 15 criteria) have too little public record to score. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
No Party Affiliation
Tyler L. Davis
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 4 of 15 criteria
- Character
- NR
- Qualifications
- 56
- Performance
- NR
Republican · incumbent
Strongest record
Jimmy Patronis
63 / 100
Public evidence on 10 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 69
- Performance
- 75
Democratic
Gay Valimont
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 6 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 50
- Performance
- NR
The good, the bad and the unresolved
The record
The notable facts of each candidate's public life, each tied to a source and confirmed to be this person. Unresolved matters are labeled with where they stand and do not move a score.
Tyler L. Davis
No notable items confirmed in news archives or public documents.
Jimmy Patronis
- Unresolved2019-07-17
FDLE reviewed a complaint that, as CFO, he unlawfully released a sexual harassment complaint against a state regulator; in January 2020 it handed the case to the Leon County state attorney.
Where it stands: No charging decision or closure has been reported as of Oct. 9, 2026 (news sweep searched again); no charges are known to have been filed.
Sources: News4Jax, July 17, 2019, Capitol News Service via WCTV, July 17, 2019, Tampa Bay Times, Jan. 24, 2020
Gay Valimont
No notable items confirmed in news archives or public documents.
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Tyler L. Davis. No public record found.
Jimmy Patronis. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through July 29, 2026. No FEC administrative fine or House Ethics matter found. A 2019 state law enforcement review from his time as CFO has no reported outcome (see Record).
Sources: FEC candidate page, coverage dates, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00893594
Gay Valimont. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through July 29, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, coverage dates, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00941161
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Tyler L. Davis. No public record found.
Jimmy Patronis. No public record found.
Gay Valimont. No public record found.
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Tyler L. Davis. No public record found.
Jimmy Patronis. His House office hosted a telephone town hall for constituents on March 17, 2026. No 2026 general election debate record found.
Gay Valimont. No public record found.
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Tyler L. Davis. No public record found.
Jimmy Patronis. Served in the Florida House from 2006 to 2014, on the Public Service Commission, as chief financial officer from 2017 to 2025 and in Congress since April 2025, with no censure, reprimand or formal conduct finding found.
Source: Ballotpedia, Jimmy Patronis
Gay Valimont. No public record found.
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Tyler L. Davis. No public record found.
Jimmy Patronis. Held sworn state office from 2006 and federal office since April 2, 2025. Was not in Congress for the January 2021 electoral count. No official finding of misuse of office found.
Source: Ballotpedia, Jimmy Patronis
Gay Valimont. No public record found.
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Tyler L. Davis. Says she has worked in the financial industry for more than a decade and founded the nonprofit A Pensacola Perspective. Has not held public office.
Source: Ballotpedia, Tyler Davis, Candidate Connection survey
Jimmy Patronis. Served four terms in the Florida House (2006 to 2014), then on the Public Service Commission and as Florida chief financial officer from 2017 to 2025. In Congress since April 2025.
Source: Ballotpedia, Jimmy Patronis
Gay Valimont. Worked in sports medicine as an athletic trainer in Atlanta, including with the Atlanta Falcons, and later as a gun violence prevention organizer. Has not held public office.
Source: Ballotpedia, Gay Valimont, Candidate Connection survey
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Tyler L. Davis. Publishes general goals on education, jobs and the environment on her campaign site and in her Ballotpedia survey.
Source: Campaign site, home page
Jimmy Patronis. Serves on the Small Business and Transportation and Infrastructure committees and has introduced specific bills, including the Seaport Security Act and the GI Bill Transferability Act. Holds no chair post.
Source: GovTrack, committee membership
Gay Valimont. Publishes a priorities page on insurance costs, health care and a full-service VA hospital, with a few specific pledges such as backing federal legislation to cut insurance rates by at least 25 percent.
Source: Campaign site, Priorities
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Tyler L. Davis. Completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey and publishes a campaign site with her plans.
Source: Ballotpedia, Tyler Davis
Jimmy Patronis. Offers an e-newsletter from his House office. Did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 or 2025 surveys and has not completed the 2026 survey.
Sources: Office site, home page, Ballotpedia, Jimmy Patronis
Gay Valimont. Completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey and publishes a plain-language priorities page.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Gay Valimont, Campaign site, Priorities
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Tyler L. Davis. Graduated from Tate High School and Pensacola State College and lists a Pensacola qualifying address.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Tyler Davis, Florida Division of Elections, candidate detail
Jimmy Patronis. No public record found.
Gay Valimont. Lists a Gulf Breeze qualifying address and campaigns from Pensacola; born in Georgia. About 83.1 percent of itemized individual contributions by state for 2025 to 2026 came from Florida (FEC).
Sources: Florida Division of Elections, candidate detail, WUWF, Nov. 18, 2024, FEC contribution totals by state
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Tyler L. Davis. No public record found.
Jimmy Patronis. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through July 29, 2026, with no administrative fine found. Headed the Department of Financial Services as chief financial officer from 2017 to 2025.
Sources: FEC candidate page, coverage dates, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00893594, Florida Auditor General, Report No. 2024-138
Gay Valimont. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through July 29, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, coverage dates, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00941161
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Tyler L. Davis. No public record found.
Jimmy Patronis. No public record found.
Gay Valimont. No public record found.
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Tyler L. Davis. No public record found.
Jimmy Patronis. Missed 1 of 588 roll call votes, 0.2 percent, from April 2025 to September 2026.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
Gay Valimont. No public record found.
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Tyler L. Davis. No public record found.
Jimmy Patronis. Lists district offices in Milton, Pensacola and Crestview, open by appointment. No published casework totals found.
Source: Office site, office locations
Gay Valimont. No public record found.
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Tyler L. Davis. No public record found.
Jimmy Patronis. No public record found.
Gay Valimont. No public record found.
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Tyler L. Davis. No public record found.
Jimmy Patronis. No public record found.
Gay Valimont. No public record found.
How to read this
Each criterion is scored 0 to 4 against the written rubric in the Ballot Standard. NR means no record: there is no reliable public evidence either way, so the criterion is left out and never counts against the candidate. A total is published when at least 8 of 15 criteria have evidence.
A sitting officeholder has a longer public record than a first-time candidate, so the two totals rest on different amounts of evidence. Read the count of criteria beside each score. Low marks require an official finding or a primary record. Allegations and opinion are not used.
No policy position is scored. Evidence checked October 9, 2026. Campaigns and readers can send a correction with a public source to tpg@thepoliticalgroup.com.
Questions
Who should I vote for in Florida's 1st Congressional District?
Jimmy Patronis has the strongest record in Florida's 1st Congressional District. Jimmy Patronis scores 63 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 9, 2026. Jimmy Patronis's highest marks are relevant experience and showing up. Tyler L. Davis (4 of 15 criteria) and Gay Valimont (6 of 15 criteria) have too little public record to score. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Who is running in Florida's 1st Congressional District in 2026?
Tyler L. Davis (No Party Affiliation), Jimmy Patronis (Republican, incumbent), Gay Valimont (Democratic). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Tyler L. Davis a good candidate for Congress?
Tyler L. Davis has public evidence on 4 of the 15 Ballot Standard criteria, short of the 8 needed for a score. The evidence that exists is shown on the scorecard. No record never counts against a candidate.
Is Jimmy Patronis a good candidate for Congress?
Jimmy Patronis scores 63 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 10 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 69 of 100, performance 75 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Gay Valimont a good candidate for Congress?
Gay Valimont has public evidence on 6 of the 15 Ballot Standard criteria, short of the 8 needed for a score. The evidence that exists is shown on the scorecard. No record never counts against a candidate.
How is the strongest record decided?
The candidate with the highest Ballot Standard score has the strongest record. Each of 15 criteria on character, qualifications and performance is scored 0 to 4 from public records and established reporting, the same way for every party. No policy position is scored, and unresolved accusations never move a score.
More on this race: every Florida race scored, the trailing candidate's path to victory, and the Florida 2026 election guide. Independent scorecard by The Political Group, not affiliated with any candidate or party.