Running in the crowded Republican primary to replace retiring U.S. Rep. Ted Yoho, R-Fla., businesswoman Amy Pope Wells reeled in the support of Value in Electing Women Political Action Committee (VIEW PAC), a group which works to have more Republican women in Congress.
Julie Conway, the executive director of VIEW PAC, weighed in last week on why her group was backing Wells.
“Amy Pope Wells has a long history of working on behalf of the people and small businesses of Florida’s Third Congressional District,” said Conway. “Wells is also a proven conservative political leader, being appointed to work on behalf of women by the Trump administration and serving as co-chair of the statewide Women for DeSantis coalition that helped to elect Florida’s popular conservative governor.”
“I am absolutely thrilled to receive an endorsement from ViewPAC. I fully support their mission of electing more strong conservative Republican women to the U.S. House,” said Wells. “It means a lot that they have recognized the years of hard work I’ve dedicated to the people of the third district, to conservative issues and to women’s issues and I look forward to living up to the trust they’ve placed in me.
“In this time of political gridlock with members of Congress looking more toward their collective political futures instead of the well-being of their districts, I believe that it is time for a change. It is time to ‘Drain the Swamp’ by sending a proven leader with a different perspective to Washington to truly benefit the people of the Third District,” Wells added.
Wells has ties to the White House, being named to a group helping the United States-Canada Council for the Advancement of Women Entrepreneurs and Business Leaders. According to the new candidate’s campaign “in this role, she met with the President, the Vice President, Ivanka Trump and Small Business Administrator Linda McMahon to further opportunities for women business owners and operators.” In addition to her career in the private sector, she has also served as the chairwoman of the Clay County Chamber of Commerce and chaired the Clay County Sheriff’s Office Quality Task Force. Back in 2017, then Gov. Rick Scott named her to the board of the Clay County Development Authority. In 2018, Wells cochaired the Women’s Coalition in support of Ron DeSantis’ gubernatorial campaign.
Wells faces a crowded Republican primary field which includes longtime Yoho aide Kat Cammack, former congressional aide Joe Millado, Clay County Commissioner Gavin Rollins, businessman Judson Sapp and physician James St. George in the Republican primary. With Yoho sticking to his promise to serve only four terms in Congress, other possible Republican candidates include former Gainesville City Commissioner Todd Chase and Ocala Mayor Kent Guinn.
Four Democrats–Adam Christensen, Phil Dodds, Richard Rowe and Tom Wells–are running in this solidly red district which stretches from Clay County to parts of Gainesville and Ocala.
Reach Kevin Derby at kevin.derby@floridadaily.com.
