The Venue in downtown Fort Walton Beach was filled up Friday morning with a veritable Who’s Who list from across Okaloosa County, supporting Jimmy Patronis, who is running for Florida’s 1st Congressional District seat.
Retired Commissioner and former Undersheriff Graham Fountain welcomed the crowd and introduced former House District 4 Representative Mel Ponder, who was recently named President of Northwest Florida State College. Ponder provided an inspiring invocation, praying specifically for Patronis, who was joined at the event by his wife, Katie. Tax Collector Ben Anderson then led the pledge of allegiance.
First Judicial Circuit State Attorney Ginger Bowden Madden, daughter of late Florida State Football Coach Bobby Bowden, considered one of the greatest college football coaches of all time, was introduced by Fountain, her former employee. She entertained the crowd with stories about her family visiting Capt. Anderson’s Restaurant, which is owned by the Patronis family.
Graham with State Attorney Ginger Bowden Madden
Patronis took to the podium and spoke about being a fourth-generation Floridian – born & raised in Panama City. He spoke about experiences serving as Florida’s Chief Financial Officer, which includes the responsbility of being the State’s Fire Marshall and a member of the Florida Cabinet. “I am not a politician, I’m a public servant,” he said.
Okaloosa Sheriff Eric Aden with former Sheriff Larry Gilbert
Patronis earned a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Florida State University before being appointed to the Florida Elections Commission. He represented Northwest Florida in the Florida House of Representatives for eight years before being appointed to the Public Service Commission and Constitution Revision Commission.
Some of his accomplishments include playing an instrumental role in establishing the Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport, which serves nearly 1 million passengers per year. He also served on the Florida Defense Support Task Force, protecting miliary missions throughout the state and ensuring Florida remains the friendliest state in the nation for members of the military and their families.
Patronis and House District 4 Rep. Patt Maney talked about their fight to reform liability laws to protect Florida businesses that reopened during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Patronis also discussed how he helped get support for victims of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, change state law to provide benefits for firefighters diagnosed with cancer, and mental health services for first responders who often experience trauma on the job, plus reform Florida’s “assignment of benefits” laws that risked driving up home insurance premiums when contractors get homeowners to sign over their benefits in order to do repair work after storms.
He told the audience that he and his wife and sons were on a trip, celebrating their 20th Anniversary when Trump called and asked him to run. “She’s been my rock,” Patronis said of his wife. They now reside in Ft. Walton Beach with their sons, who are 14 and 16 years old. The couple looks forward to voting in Okaloosa County on Jan. 28.
Northwest Florida State College Associate Vice President Kevin Brown, a 2026 candidate for Florida House District 2, with Patronis
In addition to the coveted Trump endorsement, the following Okaloosa officials have endorsed Patronis:
- Former U.S. Attorney Larry Keefe
- Florida House District 4 Rep. Brig. Gen. (Ret) Patt Maney, a retired Okaloosa County Judge
- First Judicial Circuit State Attorney Ginger Bowden Madden
- Sheriff Eric Aden and former Sheriff Larry Gilbert
- Commissioners Paul Mixson, Trey Goodwin, Drew Palmer, Carolyn Ketchel and Graham Fountain (Retired)
- Tax Collector Ben Anderson & Chief Asst. Tax Collector John Holquin
- Former Clerk of Court J.D. Peacock
- Clerk of Court Brad Embry
- Superintendent of Schools Marcus Chambers
- Dr. Lamar White, School Board Chairman
- Col. Howard Hill, School Board member (Ret)
- Dr. Diane Kelley, School Board (Ret)
- Bobby Nabors, former City of Ft. Walton Beach councilman
- Dewey Destin, Destin City Council
- Parker Destin, Okaloosa School Board
- Shalimar Mayor Mark Franks
- Crestview Mayor JB Whitten
- Ft. Walton Beach Mayor Dick Rynerson
Nathan Boyles, co-owner of Adams Sanitation and former Okaloosa Commissioner, with aDoor Properties CEO Austin Tenpenny, Destin Councilman Dewey and his son, Parker Destin, an Okaloosa School Board member
Guests gathered at The Venue in Ft. Walton Beach to support the Patronis campaign
