Dr. Uloma Ekpete Kama, a former U.S. Senate write-in candidate, has officially filed for the Florida congressional seat once held by Matt Gaetz.
Records from the Florida Division of Elections reveal that Ekpete Kama submitted her candidacy on November 19, 2024, becoming one of the first to enter the race for the special election called on Friday. She is also the first to establish a Federal Election Commission account and file with the state for this special election.
Ekpete Kama has previously sought federal office as both a Republican and a Democrat. In May 2024, she ran in the Democratic primary for Georgia’s 13th Congressional District but finished last among seven candidates. She had previously run for U.S. Senate in 2022 as a write-in candidate against Florida’s incumbent Senator Marco Rubio. During her Senate campaign, Ekpete Kama, a first-generation Nigerian American and epidemiologist, focused on immigration issues, presenting herself as a conservative voice and emphasizing national security and border control.
For the upcoming special election in Florida’s 1st Congressional District, she has filed as a Republican. The seat became vacant after Gaetz resigned following his nomination by President Trump for Attorney General, although he later withdrew. Gaetz has stated he will not return to Congress for the new term in January.
The special election will feature a crowded Republican primary field, with candidates including former Green Beret John Frankman, former U.S. Senate candidate Keith Gross, Gaetz’s former Director of Military Affairs Nathan Nelson, and others. Democrats Stanley Gray and Gay Valimont, as well as no-party candidate Tevin Minus, have also entered the race.
The special election schedule includes a qualifying period from December 5-6, a Republican primary on January 28, and a general election on April 1, 2024. The 1st Congressional District is one of Florida’s most conservative, with a large Republican voter base. Gaetz, who won re-election in 2022 with 66% of the vote, previously secured more than 69% of the vote in 2016.
