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North-Central Florida GOP Congressman Ted Yoho Announces Retirement

Susan Walsh
/
Associated Press
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., poses during a ceremonial swearing-in with Rep. Ted Yoho, R-Fla., on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019, during the opening session of the 116th Congress.

Congressman Ted Yoho (R-FL 3) has announced he will retire at the end of his current term, which will conclude when the 116th Congress closes in January 2021. His seat will be on the ballot during next year's presidential election.

Yoho represents North-Central Florida including parts of Orange Park, Palatka, Gainesville and Ocala.

“I believed when I ran in term limits. I ran on a pledge to serve four terms – eight years and come home,” Yoho said in an emailed letter to WJCT News.

So far, six candidates – two Democrats and four Republicans - have filed to run for his seat. They are:

  • Philip Benjamin Dodds (DEM)
  • Joseph Dallas Millado (REP)
  • Matthew William Raines (REP)
  • Judson Sapp  (REP)
  • Amy Pope Wells (REP)
  • Tom Beckwith Wells (DEM)

In announcing his retirement, Yoho cited some of his accomplishments.
“We have been able to direct foreign policy, improve our tax code creating the greatest economy we've ever had, reform major programs like foreign aid, travel the world improving the nation's relationships with foreign countries, and be part of preserving the future posterity of this country for the next generation,” Yoho wrote.

The primary election will be on August 18, 2020, followed by the general election on November 3, 2020, according to the Clay County Supervisor of Elections.

Map Of Florida's 3rd Congressional District

Congressman Yoho is scheduled to appear on First Coast Connect with Melissa Ross Wednesday morning at 9 on 89.9 FM, and streamed in the audio player at the top of WJCT.org.

Bill Bortzfield can be reached at bbortzfield@wjct.org, 904-358-6349 or on Twitter at @BortzInJax.

Bill joined WJCT News in September of 2017 from The Florida Times-Union, where he served in a variety of multimedia journalism positions.