James Martin, a fourth-generation Floridian and U.S. Coast Guard veteran[1], just entered the race for Florida’s 21st Congressional District, where he hopes to unseat five-term Republican incumbent Brian Mast.
And he’s making quick headway; Martin raised more than $150,000 within the first 24 hours of running, his campaign said.
Martin, who grew up in Martin County and served nearly a decade on active duty in the Coast Guard, framed his candidacy as a call for change.
He argued that Mast and others in Washington have failed to deliver on pocketbook issues while turning a blind eye to attacks on democracy at home.
“Our leaders in Washington like Brian Mast are out of touch,” Martin said in a statement.
“Florida families are working harder than ever for less and less. I deployed to combat zones, patrolled drug trafficking lanes, and protected Florida’s maritime border. I didn’t do it for a party, or one President, I did it for the country I swore an oath to serve. I’m ready to bring that same dedication to Washington to fight for a better future for Floridians.”
Martin said his priorities include lowering the cost of living, addressing the Treasure Coast’s ongoing water quality crisis and strengthening the economy “for everyone, no matter their politics.”
The son of a small-business owner and public school teacher, Martin rose to lieutenant commander in the Coast Guard, where he commanded cutters in Fort Pierce[2] and served overseas in Bahrain. His teams seized more than 200 tons of narcotics valued at $3.5 billion, his campaign said, and brought hundreds of traffickers to justice.
After leaving active duty, Martin worked as Chief of Staff for National Security Affairs and Executive Secretary[3] in the Office of the Vice President, advising on defense and homeland security issues across two administrations.
Still in the Coast Guard Reserve today, Martin said he’s committed to continuing his record of public service by representing Florida’s families in Congress.
In his first campaign video, titled “Florida Man[4],” Martin tapped into the well-worn meme to highlight the actions of two such men: Mast and President Donald Trump.
“Around here, when you hear ‘Florida man,’ you know something crazy just happened. Now imagine two Florida men wrecking our country. One tried to overthrow our democracy[5]. The other helped him,” Martin says in the video, referring to Mast joining a dozen other Florida Representatives in voting against[6] certifying Joe Biden’s 2020 win.
“Brian Mast isn’t working for you. He’s working for Trump and himself, and together, they’re making everything more expensive while gutting everything we earned. It’s all a game to them, but we’re the ones paying the price.”
Martin’s entry Wednesday makes the Democratic Primary for CD 27 a four-person contest. Others running include tech services pro Pia Dandiya, small-business owner Elizabeth Pandich and firefighter Bernard Taylor.
No-party candidate Amr Metwally has also filed for the race, which for now includes no other Republican but Mast.
CD 21 includes all of Martin and St. Lucie counties and part of northern Palm Beach County. The district leans Republican — R+7, per the Cook Political Report[7] — but has pockets of Democratic strength, particularly in suburban communities where education and health care are top concerns.
The 2026 Primary is Aug. 18, followed by the General Election on Nov. 3.
References
- ^ U.S. Coast Guard veteran (www.facebook.com)
- ^ commanded cutters in Fort Pierce (www.dvidshub.net)
- ^ Chief of Staff for National Security Affairs and Executive Secretary (www.cnas.org)
- ^ Florida Man (www.youtube.com)
- ^ tried to overthrow our democracy (www.npr.org)
- ^ voting against (floridapolitics.com)
- ^ Cook Political Report (www.cookpolitical.com)