Drew Dixon
Neal Dunn snagged his fifth term for Florida’s 2nd Congressional District in Northwest Florida with a win Tuesday night..
The Panama City Republican staved off challenger Yen Bailey. But it wasn’t very close, as Dunn outpaced Bailey with 61.66% of the votes to Bailey’s 38.34%.
The 71-year-old Dunn was re-elected with ease in a traditionally conservative congressional district that covers 15 counties and runs from the Big Bend area west in portions of multiple counties through the Panhandle. A U.S. Army veteran and a surgeon, Dunn has had a lock on the seat since he was first sent to the U.S. House by voters in 2016, the same year Donald Trump was ushered into the presidency.
Dunn has remained loyal to the “Make America Great Again” movement. He voted against accepting the 2020 election results on the floor of the House in January 2021. Dunn lives in Panama City and pulls the conservative line of being anti-abortion rights and holding other traditional right-leaning stances. And he’s never shy about his military roots.
“We must always take care of our military,” Dunn’s congressional website says as a billboard on the homepage.
Bailey had an uphill battle in her effort to snatch the seat from the entrenched Dunn. The 47-year-old Bailey is an experienced lawyer in Tallahassee. She also has a unique experience on her path to becoming an American.
Her father was a South Vietnamese Air Force pilot who escaped the fall of Saigon and relocated to America and eventually settled in Destin.
But Bailey has been involved in multiple political and legal causes in Tallahassee and she touted those in her bid for Congress.
“With her extensive background in public service and dedication to the community, Yen Bailey offers a fresh perspective for District 2. Her journey from the daughter of immigrants to a congressional candidate embodies the American dream and the power of perseverance,” Bailey’s campaign website says.
Bailey’s challenge was a heavy one. She was named to replace the original Democratic candidate, Meghann Hovey, after Hovey dropped out of the congressional race in late July.
