Miami
Jamie Raskin backs Phil Ehr as veterans bike across Florida’s 28th District
The Maryland Democrat endorsed Phil Ehr in his race against Carlos Giménez. The announcement came as a group of veterans began a five-day ride through South Florida to boost turnout for Ehr.
Phil Ehr, a retired Navy commander and Democratic candidate, has won the endorsement of U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, Florida Politics reported.
According to the outlet, Raskin described Ehr as a candidate with military leadership, national security experience and a commitment to defending the Constitution, the rule of law and democratic institutions. Ehr said he was deeply honored by the endorsement and argued that integrity, character and the courage to do what is right are essential to public service.
Florida Politics said the two connected earlier this year through Democracy Summer, a six-week youth organizing fellowship founded by Raskin. Ehr’s campaign hosted fellows in South Florida and added the program’s first Spanish-language track.
The endorsement was announced as a team of veterans began a five-day bicycle ride across Florida’s 28th Congressional District to encourage turnout for Ehr, timed with the arrival of vote-by-mail ballots. The tour started Sunday and is being led by Craig McDonnell, a 76-year-old disabled Air Force veteran who served with the 9th Special Operations Squadron from 1969 to 1975.
Florida Politics reported that the route runs from Homestead to the Southernmost Point in Key West, with overnight stops in Key Largo, Islamorada, Marathon and Summerland Key. McDonnell said he joined the ride because he still believes the country is worth fighting for and because Ehr understands service, sacrifice and the responsibility tied to an oath.
Among Ehr’s other supporters this cycle, Florida Politics listed Orlando City Commissioner Tom Keen, Community Council Member Johnny Farias, historian and activist Marvin Dunn, Pastor Alphonso Jackson Sr., former U.S. Ambassador to Jamaica Luis Moreno, former Defense Secretary William J. Perry and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 349.
District 28 includes part of southwestern Miami-Dade, including all or parts of Florida City, Homestead, South Miami and Sweetwater, as well as unincorporated areas such as Kendall, Goulds, the Hammocks and Westchester, along with all of the Florida Keys in Monroe County.
This will be Ehr’s second race against incumbent Rep. Carlos Giménez. Florida Politics noted that Giménez defeated him by 30 percentage points in 2024 and that independent Eddy Rojas is also on the ballot. Both Ehr and Giménez advanced unopposed from the primary after Democrat Hector Mujica left the race in June over a party registration issue that, according to the outlet, Ehr had flagged.
The general election is scheduled for Nov. 3.
Sources
About this piece. Written by El Notero with AI assistance, from reporting published by the outlet cited above. El Notero did no original reporting on this story.
