Veteran Florida GOP Rep. Neal Dunn Exits, Sparking Power Struggle in Red Stronghold

Paul Riverbank, 1/14/2026Rep. Neal Dunn’s retirement sparks a GOP battle and uncertainty in Florida’s conservative 2nd District.

Dunn’s story is stitched together by years of steady, diligent service. First elected in 2016—hard to believe it’s been nearly a decade—he built a reputation deeper than his voting record alone. Local folks remember the town halls where he’d quote the VA’s more arcane policies or launch into the mechanics of health care reform with the kind of specificity only a surgeon could muster. Veterans appreciated his directness; doctors, his respect for the messiness of practice; party activists, his adherence to the platform—fighting for lower taxes, for veterans, and for health innovation while keeping a wary eye on global rivals from China to Russia.

His congressional office, perched above a side street in Tallahassee, bore little of the Capitol Hill slickness. There was a wall of military plaques—and, according to staffers, a handwritten list of local constituents whose issues he tracked personally. In Washington, he never cut the largest figure, but that’s not to say he lacked influence. He was vice chair of Energy and Commerce—a plum spot for anyone with opinions about America’s power grid or the regulatory maze surrounding energy policy—and a member of the China Select Committee, positions he used to press the case for empowering Americans rather than expanding red tape.

Looking back, Dunn’s electoral strength was rarely in doubt. With Donald Trump’s endorsement and a district that swings decisively red, he cruised to re-election last time out, his margin topping 23 points—a reminder that, despite Florida’s occasional national drama, some corners remain firmly conservative. Still, it’s one thing to hold a seat and quite another to shape it. Dunn did both, for better or worse, in ways his successor—whoever that turns out to be—will have to reckon with.

Of course, Dunn’s departure is not isolated; it’s just one among an unusually high wave of exits from Congress this year. As of January, nearly fifty members had called it quits—27 Republicans, 22 Democrats, for those keeping score at home. A few, like Nancy Mace down in Charleston or Eric Swalwell in California, are eyeing governor’s mansions. Others, including Texas firebrand Chip Roy, have different ambitions. Dunn? He’s making for the exits on his own terms, citing family and that oft-invoked but rarely fulfilled promise of more time at home.

These departures come at a charged moment for the House. The Republican edge, slim to begin with, has gotten even skinnier thanks to recent resignations and untimely deaths. There are special elections looming, and party leaders are scrambling not just to protect their numbers but to find strong successors—especially in districts unaccustomed to open races. In Dunn’s patch of Florida, Republicans haven’t settled on a new standard-bearer, and if Democrats spot an opening, expect plenty of digital ads and door-knocking in the coming months.

Meanwhile, the legislative gears keep grinding. Republicans are touting an ambitious new plan—more than a trillion dollars in deficit reductions, health care flexibility, energy deregulation, and measures aimed at making home ownership more attainable. Sound familiar? Much of this echoes the priorities Dunn carried for years. “Affordability starts with energy and deregulation,” Rep. Stephanie Bice recently told me, a refrain I’d heard often in Dunn’s district halls. It remains to be seen if those policies will prove as durable as his reputation.

Dunn hasn’t weighed in—publicly, anyway—on who should fill his shoes, a rarity in a political world obsessed with succession planning. For now, the only thing that’s certain is uncertainty. He made a quiet exit: “I am deeply grateful for your trust, support, and prayers over these years,” his farewell read, full of gratitude but with a light touch. “America remains the greatest nation on Earth, and with God’s blessing, our best days are ahead.” Florida’s 2nd District will soon have a new face in Congress, and like every time a steady hand steps aside, the measure of their successor will not just be in votes tallied but in service delivered.

If you ask just about anyone in Panama City, they'll tell you Neal Dunn doesn’t blend in—they remember the former Army surgeon whose white coat sometimes hung beside his suit jacket, a symbol of a career rooted in medicine long before it shifted to politics. On a muggy morning not long ago, Dunn announced he was stepping away from Congress—no hints, barely any warning. “The time has come to pass the torch to new conservative leaders, return home to Panama City, and spend more precious time with my family and our beloved grandchildren,” he said. The words landed softly but the impact was immediate, rippling through Florida’s 2nd District and the halls of Capitol Hill.Dunn’s story is stitched together by years of steady, diligent service. First elected in 2016—hard to believe it’s been nearly a decade—he built a reputation deeper than his voting record alone. Local folks remember the town halls where he’d quote the VA’s more arcane policies or launch into the mechanics of health care reform with the kind of specificity only a surgeon could muster. Veterans appreciated his directness; doctors, his respect for the messiness of practice; party activists, his adherence to the platform—fighting for lower taxes, for veterans, and for health innovation while keeping a wary eye on global rivals from China to Russia.His congressional office, perched above a side street in Tallahassee, bore little of the Capitol Hill slickness. There was a wall of military plaques—and, according to staffers, a handwritten list of local constituents whose issues he tracked personally. In Washington, he never cut the largest figure, but that’s not to say he lacked influence. He was vice chair of Energy and Commerce—a plum spot for anyone with opinions about America’s power grid or the regulatory maze surrounding energy policy—and a member of the China Select Committee, positions he used to press the case for empowering Americans rather than expanding red tape.Looking back, Dunn’s electoral strength was rarely in doubt. With Donald Trump’s endorsement and a district that swings decisively red, he cruised to re-election last time out, his margin topping 23 points—a reminder that, despite Florida’s occasional national drama, some corners remain firmly conservative. Still, it’s one thing to hold a seat and quite another to shape it. Dunn did both, for better or worse, in ways his successor—whoever that turns out to be—will have to reckon with.Of course, Dunn’s departure is not isolated; it’s just one among an unusually high wave of exits from Congress this year. As of January, nearly fifty members had called it quits—27 Republicans, 22 Democrats, for those keeping score at home. A few, like Nancy Mace down in Charleston or Eric Swalwell in California, are eyeing governor’s mansions. Others, including Texas firebrand Chip Roy, have different ambitions. Dunn? He’s making for the exits on his own terms, citing family and that oft-invoked but rarely fulfilled promise of more time at home.These departures come at a charged moment for the House. The Republican edge, slim to begin with, has gotten even skinnier thanks to recent resignations and untimely deaths. There are special elections looming, and party leaders are scrambling not just to protect their numbers but to find strong successors—especially in districts unaccustomed to open races. In Dunn’s patch of Florida, Republicans haven’t settled on a new standard-bearer, and if Democrats spot an opening, expect plenty of digital ads and door-knocking in the coming months.Meanwhile, the legislative gears keep grinding. Republicans are touting an ambitious new plan—more than a trillion dollars in deficit reductions, health care flexibility, energy deregulation, and measures aimed at making home ownership more attainable. Sound familiar? Much of this echoes the priorities Dunn carried for years. “Affordability starts with energy and deregulation,” Rep. Stephanie Bice recently told me, a refrain I’d heard often in Dunn’s district halls. It remains to be seen if those policies will prove as durable as his reputation.Dunn hasn’t weighed in—publicly, anyway—on who should fill his shoes, a rarity in a political world obsessed with succession planning. For now, the only thing that’s certain is uncertainty. He made a quiet exit: “I am deeply grateful for your trust, support, and prayers over these years,” his farewell read, full of gratitude but with a light touch. “America remains the greatest nation on Earth, and with God’s blessing, our best days are ahead.” Florida’s 2nd District will soon have a new face in Congress, and like every time a steady hand steps aside, the measure of their successor will not just be in votes tallied but in service delivered.