Navy veteran and former congressional candidate Phil Ehr, a Democrat, announced Wednesday that he's leaving his party's primary race for the U.S. Senate and will challenge incumbent Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., in Florida's race for the 28th Congressional District seat.
Ehr, who also ran against Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., in northwest Florida in the past, said he decided to run for the House seat because of the "chaos in the nation's Capitol," including the Republican infighting over the election for a new House speaker, Politico reported.
"We have in the House of Representatives chaos that is damaging America, chaos that is preventing us from being able to respond overseas," Ehr said.
Ehr initially remained in the Senate race after Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, D-Fla., had decided to challenge Sen. Rick Scott in 2024.
Senate Democrats, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, encouraged Mucarsel-Powell to run for the Florida seat.
Ehr's decision also came in part because he believes Gimenez, who is opposed to the speakership bid mounted by Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, is vulnerable.
Ehr also noted that he's been a resident of Florida, and said that while he was in the military, he did several missions in the area, including the rescue of Cuban exiles during the Mariel boatlift.
He said he plans to announce his candidacy against Gimenz in Miami along with Mucarsel-Powell, who is endorsing him. She lost her congressional seat to Gimenez in 2020.