Jimmy Patronis
U.S. Representative for Florida's 1st Congressional District
Miami Connection
As State Fire Marshal under the CFO role, Patronis was the first to deploy mental health teams to support first responders at the 2021 Surfside building collapse in Miami-Dade County. He advocated for statewide PTSD legislation expanding mental health benefits for first responders and secured funding for cancer decontamination supplies benefiting Florida's firefighting community, including South Florida teams. His efforts in insurance regulation and homeowner protections, highlighted in Miami-area campaign ads, aimed to strengthen policies impacting coastal regions like Miami.
About
Jimmy Patronis was born and raised in Panama City, Florida, where his family has owned the landmark Captain Anderson's seafood restaurant since 1967; he holds an associate degree in restaurant management and remains a partner in the business. He entered public service on the Florida Elections Commission from 1998 to 2003, then served eight years in the Florida House of Representatives for District 6 covering southern Bay County from 2006 to 2014. Patronis later chaired the Bay County Airport Authority, joined the Florida Public Service Commission from 2015 to 2017, and served as Florida's Chief Financial Officer from 2017 to 2025, overseeing insurance, firefighting, and economic recovery efforts. Since April 2025, he represents Florida's 1st Congressional District, encompassing the western Panhandle including Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, and Walton counties. His career emphasizes support for small businesses, reopening Florida post-COVID, and aiding first responders during disasters like the Surfside collapse.