FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. (WKRG) — Northwest Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz launched his re-election campaign Thursday for the District One seat.

Supporters packed The Venue at Beach Weekend in Fort Walton Beach Thursday for Gaetz’s kickoff rally.

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Gaetz said he wants to focus on traffic and the local economy in Northwest Florida.

“We’ve got to solve the traffic problem on Highway 98,” Gaetz said. “I’m working very closely with our state and local leaders to get bypasses to connect the connectors particularly, in south Santa Rosa County so that we can have more commerce, flow of people, and so that we can grow the military mission more.”

Gaetz will face off against Aaron Dimmock in the Republican primary on Aug. 20.

Dimmock is a former naval aviator.

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Gaetz told News 5 what he believes sets him apart from his challenger.

“I’ve been doing this job,” Gaetz said. “I’ve been growing our military mission. I’ve been fighting the swamp in Washington D.C.; I’ve been delivering for our people, and I’ve got a lot of fight ahead.”

The primary winner will face off against Democratic candidate Gay Valimont in November.

“My Democratic opponent is for open borders, for radical gender ideology, for a lot of the things we reject in Northwest Florida,” Gaetz said. “She’s been against a lot of the spending cuts that I want to see particularly to the Medicaid program.”

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