Drew Wilson
Republican congressional candidate Ryan Chamberlin this week rolled out a Veterans Coalition backing his campaign for Florida’s 3rd Congressional District.
The coalition features a dozen current and former service members who served in the U.S. Air Force, Army, Marines or Navy. A longtime Veterans Affairs employee rounds out the list. The coalition is charged with helping the Chamberlin campaign reach out to veteran voters in the North Central Florida district.
The list of coalition members: Navy Machinist Mate Leonard Burrows II, Army Specialist Gerald Campetella, Air Force Sergeant Christopher Capozzoli, Air Force Tech Sergeant Joel Carter, Air Force Sergeant Joseph Castellanos, VA Outpatient Pharmacy Supervisor Maria Castellanos, Army Specialist Clenith Gale Henson, Navy E-6/SO1 Shawn Kevin Hughes, Army E-7 Matthew Parr, Marine Corps Corporal Travis Luke Sears, retired Army Lt. Col. Alan Sickman and Air Force Senior Airman David Skinner.
“I want to thank these friends of mine for their commitment and service, first to our country, and second to our campaign,” Chamberlin said. “Memorial Day is a tribute to those who paid the ultimate sacrifice. Too many in Congress today are willing to give away the freedoms that those veterans died for. This campaign is about recognizing their sacrifice and preserving America for future generations.”
Chamberlin is one of 10 Republicans to qualify for the August primary ballot, alongside Kat Cammack, Todd Chase, Bill Engelbrecht, Joe Dallas Millado, Gavin Rollins, James St. George, Judson Sapp, David Theus and Amy Pope Wells.
The author, speaker and consultant is in the upper half of the contest in fundraising, pulling in just over $100,000 in his first fundraising report since entering the race to replace U.S. Rep. Ted Yoho.
Cammack, Chase, Rollins, St. George and Sapp are the only other candidates to raise more than $100,000. St. George and Sapp lead, each holding more than $300,000 in the bank, most of it loans. Cammack has raised a little over $200,000, Chase has raised $164,000 and Rollins has raised $106,000.
CD 3 covers Alachua, Bradford, Clay, Putnam and Union counties as well as part of Marion. It is a safe Republican seat.
