Former Rick Scott staffer jumps into crowded Florida primary for open House seat

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FIRST ON FOX: A former staffer for Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., is launching his own congressional bid on Thursday, Fox News Digital has learned.

Republican Austin Rogers is formally jumping into the race for Florida's 2nd Congressional District, a solidly Republican seat encompassing part of the Sunshine State's panhandle. It's currently being represented by Rep. Neal Dunn, R-Fla., who is retiring at the end of this year.

Rogers invoked both President Donald Trump and Scott in a statement announcing his candidacy in a testament to the district's conservative lean.

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Sen. Rick Scott, a Republican from Florida, in the Senate Subway during a vote at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, March 14, 2025. (Allison Robbert/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

"As President Trump and Senator Scott have shown, strong leadership matters," Rogers said. "I was raised right here in the 2nd District, fishing these bays, hunting these woods, and competing on these fields. I was taught to love this country, respect hard work, and stand up for what’s right. I’ve seen firsthand how broken Washington is. Our nation needs more fighters who will fearlessly root out waste, fraud, and abuse in government."

Rogers previously worked as general counsel for Scott's Senate office, which he argued helped him learn "how Congress actually works."

"I have drafted legislation, conducted congressional hearings, and led investigations holding the left accountable," Rogers said.

Scott's campaign team told Fox News Digital that he has no current plans to make an endorsement in the race, however.

Austin Rogers, a former staffer for Sen. Rick Scott, is running for a Florida House seat. (Austin Rogers)

Rogers' statement notably did not mention Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, another central Republican figure in the Sunshine State, despite the district including the capital city of Tallahassee.

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Rogers, a father of two with a third child on the way, was born and raised in his district and moved back there with his wife after a brief stint in Washington, D.C.

Meanwhile, a crowded field is forming to replace Dunn, a surgeon and retired Army major who first won his seat in 2016. 

Rep. Neal Dunn, R-Fla., arrives at the Rayburn House Office Building on Nov. 2, 2023. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call, Inc. via Getty Images)

Three Republicans and three Democrats have already filed to run for the district, with Rogers becoming the fourth GOP hopeful in the race.

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Among the GOP candidates in the race is Evan Power, Florida's Republican Party state chairman, and Keith Gross, a businessman who previously mounted a long-shot bid against Scott in 2024.

Dunn is part of a record number of House lawmakers announcing their departures from the lower chamber in the 119th Congress. Twenty-eight Republicans and 21 Democrats have announced retirements between this year and last year, more than during any other congressional term.