State Rep. Stan McClain on Monday endorsed Ryan Chamberlin in the crowded Republican primary for Florida’s 3rd Congressional District.
“Ryan Chamberlin is a principled conservative who shares my Christian values and morals,” said McClain, who holds the District 23 seat in the Florida House. “He’s also the only Marion County candidate in the District 3 Congressional Race so it’s an added bonus to support a hometown business owner with a large family and a huge heart for service.”
Chamberlin, an author, speaker and consultant, said he was honored to have McClain’s backing.
“Stan has done great work representing the conservative values of Marion County in the Florida Legislature and on the County Commission,” Chamberlin said. “I look forward to working closely with him on issues of vital concern to our community.
“We will be at our best when our federal, state, and local governments are in sync, and, most importantly, staying out of the way of our small businesses so they can create jobs and prosper without government interference.”
The campaign cited the new endorsement as evidence the Marion corner of the North Central Florida district is behind him. Other endorsements from within the county include Roy Abshier, Gregory Flanagan, Stan and Lisa Plappert, David Tillman, and Bishop James E. Varnum.
The campaign also recently unveiled a Veterans Coalition charged with reaching out to military veterans within the district.
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.
Most of the crowd entered the race following current U.S. Rep. Ted Yoho’s announcement that he would not seek a fifth term.
Chamberlin was one of a half-dozen candidates to break the six-figure mark in fundraising through the end of the first quarter, alongside Cammack, Chase, Rollins, St. George and Sapp.
CD 3 covers Alachua, Bradford, Clay, Putnam and Union counties as well as part of Marion. It is a safe Republican seat.
