Overview
- Rep. Neal Dunn announced in January he would not seek re-election and indicated he intended to finish his current term.
- Florida Politics publisher Peter Schorsch reports a top source says Dunn will announce a health-related early retirement next week with a set departure date before the midterms, which would trigger a summer special election.
- Dunn’s spokesperson, Eleanor Allison, rejects the reports and says the congressman has no plans to resign early, pointing to his prior statement about serving through the end of the term.
- Asked on the House floor if he would serve out his term, Dunn told a POLITICO reporter, “No comment,” sustaining uncertainty over his plans.
- Florida officials say a special election typically requires roughly 120–130 days and must accommodate a 45-day absentee and military ballot window, while Gov. Ron DeSantis has discretion on timing and has reportedly shown little interest in calling an early contest as Republicans hold a 218–214 edge.