Jim Rosica
Matt Gaetz released his latest ad, called “Veterans,” on Monday.
He’s aiming to win Florida’s conservative-leaning 1st Congressional District in the Panhandle, home to Hurlburt Field, Eglin AFB and the Pensacola Naval Air Station, home of the Blue Angels.
The district “is home to some of our nation’s most important military installations and thousands of brave men and women who serve and who have served in uniform,” Gaetz said in a statement.
The Republican state Representative from Fort Walton Beach, and Greg Evers, a GOP state Senator from Baker, are the leading contenders in a field of eight Republicans and one Democrat.
Gaetz’s ad features four veterans from the district:
— Col. Howard Hill, USAF, Retired. He is a former prisoner of war (POW) who was imprisoned and tortured at the Hanoi Hilton, the nickname for the prison North Vietnam used to hold U.S. prisoners during the Vietnam War.
— Col. Ron Webb, USAF, Retired. Another former POW who was imprisoned and tortured at the Hanoi Hilton.
— Msgt. Joe Deslauriers, USAF, Retired. He was seriously wounded by an improvised explosive device (IED) in Afghanistan.
— Capt. Nathan Nelson, USAF, Retired. He was seriously wounded by a rocket blast in Afghanistan.
“In Congress, I will fight every day to keep our military strong and care for our veterans, who sacrificed their lives to protect our freedoms,” Gaetz said.
The ad can be viewed here.
