Rory Diamond considers run to replace Mike Waltz in CD 6

With U.S. Rep. Mike Waltz headed to the Donald Trump administration as National Security Adviser, a scramble to fill his seat in Congress is already beginning.

Among the names linked to a potential run is a current member of the Jacksonville City Council.

Sources familiar with the thinking of Republican Rory Diamond tell Florida Politics that Diamond, who represents the Jacksonville beaches, is exploring a candidacy. He has been linked with a run for Congress for some time now, and Waltz’s exit provides that opportunity potentially.

Diamond is a Judge Advocate General (JAG) Officer with the Florida National Guard and the U.S. Army. He was previously the CEO of K9s For Warriors. He was selected in 2019 as a member of the Maverick PAC’s Future 40, which was a designation former CD 6 Congressman and current Gov. Ron DeSantis also earned before running for the same seat in 2012.

Diamond has been one of the most outspoken conservatives on the Jacksonville City Council since he took office in 2019, and was the sole vote against the current city budget from Mayor Donna Deegan, a Democrat elected in 2023.

The CD 6 seat last opened up in 2018, when DeSantis ran for Governor, setting off a spirited Primary competition that left Waltz as the last person standing on the Right. The former Green Beret faced a tough opponent in the General Election in former Ambassador Nancy Soderberg, but with Trump’s endorsement down the stretch, Waltz prevailed and hasn’t had a tough re-election contest since.

Diamond or any other candidate would likely have to emerge from a competitive Primary against a deep bench of potential opponents.

These could include former House Speaker Paul Renner of Palm Coast, current state Rep. Webster Barnaby of Deltona, former St. Johns County Sheriff David Shoar, and current state Rep. Chase Tramont of Port Orange.

Diamond may be the best connected to President-elect Trump out of the group, though, as he was in attendance in West Palm Beach for the victory party last week.

Trump issued a statement Tuesday afternoon confirming the selection.

“I am honored to announce that Congressman Mike Waltz (R-FL) is hereby appointed to serve in my Cabinet as my National Security Advisor. Mike is the first Green Beret to have been elected to Congress, and previously served in the White House and Pentagon. Mike served in the Army Special Forces for 27 years where he was deployed multiple times in combat for which he was awarded four Bronze Stars, including two with Valor,” Trump said.

“Mike retired as a Colonel, and is a nationally recognized leader in National Security, a bestselling author, and an expert on the threats posed by China, Russia, Iran, and global terrorism. He serves as a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Mike is a distinguished graduate with honors of the Virginia Military Institute. Mike has been a strong champion of my America First Foreign Policy agenda, and will be a tremendous champion of our pursuit of Peace through Strength!”