Candidate Phil "Felipe" Ehr, U.S. House District 28

Phil “Felipe” Ehr, a retired U.S. Navy commander, is the Democratic nominee for Florida’s 28th Congressional District on the November 3, 2026 general election ballot. The district covers South Miami-Dade and the Florida Keys. This is his second run against Republican U.S. Rep. Carlos A. Gimenez, who has held the seat since 2021. Eddy Rojas, a Miami businessman with no party affiliation, is also on the ballot.

At a Glance

Office: U.S. Representative, Florida’s 28th Congressional District (two-year term)
Area covered: All of Monroe County (the Florida Keys) and part of southwest Miami-Dade County, including all or part of Homestead, Florida City, South Miami and Sweetwater and unincorporated communities such as Kendall, Goulds, the Hammocks and Westchester
Party: Democrat
Incumbent: No
Opponents on the ballot: Carlos A. Gimenez (Republican, incumbent); Eddy Rojas (No Party Affiliation)
Campaign website: ehrforcongress.us

Background

Ehr was born in Colorado. He lived for many years in Pensacola before moving to West Kendall, the Key West Citizen reported in a February 2026 profile. He attended King’s College London, earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of the State of New York and holds a master’s degree in international relations from Troy State, according to that profile.

He served 26 years in the Navy and retired in 2008. His campaign biography says he rose from seaman to commander. His first mission was the Mariel boatlift in the Florida Straits, where he took part in rescuing people fleeing Cuba. Later assignments included reconnaissance flights during the Cold War, combat support in Desert Storm and Operation Allied Force. He also worked at Naval Air Station Key West as part of Joint Interagency Task Force South, according to the Key West Citizen. The campaign says that after leaving the Navy he taught chess to schoolchildren, taught British officers at their war college and made humanitarian aid deliveries in Ukraine. He and his wife, Sue, have two daughters.

Ehr was a Republican until 2017, Florida Politics reported. As a Democrat, he ran in Florida’s 1st Congressional District in the Panhandle in 2018 and 2020 and lost to Republican Matt Gaetz in 2020. In July 2023 he launched a campaign for U.S. Senate. He withdrew after former U.S. Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell entered the race, which the South Dade News Leader covered at the time, and she later endorsed him for the House seat she once held. In 2024 he lost to Gimenez, 64.6% to 35.4%, according to Ballotpedia.

In Their Own Words

Recalling the Mariel rescue missions early in his Navy career:

“Just think of all the motivation for individuals to come and risk it all to escape that brutal regime and come to freedom.”

Phil Ehr, as reported by the Key West Citizen, Feb. 26, 2026

On U.S. policy toward Cuba:

“I’m for pressure on the [Cuban] regime. I want the regime to collapse.”

Phil Ehr, as reported by the Key West Citizen, Feb. 26, 2026

Addressing the Florida State Board of Education when it met in Key West to consider changes to the Schools of Hope charter program:

“I think that the overall thrust of your work is disruptive to public education and not consistent with the State of Florida’s constitution.”

Phil Ehr, as reported by the Key West Citizen, Feb. 26, 2026

On his invitation to debate his opponents:

“This district stretches from Miami-Dade through the Florida Keys. I believe voters in both counties deserve a debate in their community.”

Phil Ehr, as reported by Florida Politics, Sept. 22, 2026

On his military service and the Constitution:

“Jamie Raskin understands something I learned during 26 years in uniform: the Constitution is not a prop, and your oath is not conditional.”

Phil Ehr, as reported by Florida Politics, September 2026

Where He Stands on the Issues

Ehr has never held elected office, so he has no voting record. The positions below come from his campaign website and interviews.

Cost of living and the economy

Ehr told the Key West Citizen he wants to focus on “housing, groceries, health care and energy” costs. He criticized the Trump administration’s trade wars for raising prices. He said he would encourage high-tech employers to locate in Miami-Dade and look for reliable energy options that could lower costs in the Keys. His campaign site also calls for enforcing anti-fraud laws in the housing and insurance markets and protecting homeowners from rising costs.

Health care

His campaign says he would work to lower premiums, expand access and reduce out-of-pocket costs through legislation it calls the Healthcare Stability & Program Choice Act (campaign site).

Veterans

Ehr’s campaign says he would push for a full VA hospital or major VA medical facility in South Dade to serve veterans in South Miami-Dade and Monroe County (campaign site). The City of Homestead has been pursuing a VA hospital of its own, the South Dade News Leader has reported.

Immigration

Ehr has called for reforms at ICE and Customs and Border Protection built on “transparency, accountability and training,” including rules on officer identification and use of force, according to the Key West Citizen. His website says he would protect law-abiding immigrant families, create a path to permanent residency for families in legal limbo, and focus enforcement on criminals and traffickers.

Cuba and foreign policy

Ehr supports pressure on the Cuban government but has criticized the administration’s approach in Venezuela and opposed U.S. military strikes on boats in the Caribbean, the Key West Citizen reported. In August 2026, CiberCuba reported that he released a six-point plan for a democratic transition in Cuba. According to CiberCuba, the plan said he would support U.S. military action to remove the Cuban government if Congress approved a lawful, defined mission with a transition plan. The report says he also criticized Gimenez for not presenting such a plan. His website says military force should be used only when lawful and necessary.

Education

Ehr opposed proposed changes to Florida’s Schools of Hope rules that would let those charter operators share underused public school buildings. He told the State Board of Education the changes would “set up operations in competition with and recruiting students from public schools in the same facility,” according to the Key West Citizen. He also said he supports parents’ ability to choose schools.

Environment, development and ethics

His website calls for protecting the Everglades and water resources and for a temporary moratorium on large AI data centers and other high-impact developments until their effects are studied. It also proposes an inter-agency public corruption task force and more accountability for public contracts (campaign site).

Endorsements

U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland endorsed Ehr in September 2026, Florida Politics reported. The same report lists support from International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 349, former Defense Secretary William J. Perry, historian Marvin Dunn and others. Mucarsel-Powell endorsed him for this seat in 2024.

About the District

The 28th District stretches from southwest Miami-Dade through all of Monroe County to Key West. It includes Homestead, Florida City and Homestead Air Reserve Base, plus three national parks: Everglades, Biscayne and Dry Tortugas. The district’s population was about 791,600 in 2024, and roughly 73% of residents are Hispanic, according to census-based figures summarized on Wikipedia.

Florida redrew its congressional map in 2026. The changes to District 28 were minimal, and it still includes the Keys and Homestead, the News Service of Florida reported via WGCU. A voting rights group has challenged the new map in Leon County circuit court. The new districts are the ones in effect for this election.

What this office does

A member of the U.S. House votes on federal laws and the federal budget, serves on committees that oversee federal agencies, and requests funding for district projects. A House member also helps constituents deal with federal agencies such as Social Security, Veterans Affairs and immigration services. Federal decisions that affect South Dade and the Keys include Everglades restoration, military missions at Homestead Air Reserve Base and Naval Air Station Key West, flood insurance, hurricane recovery aid and immigration policy.

The Race

No one contested the party primaries in this district on Aug. 18, 2026, so Ehr and Gimenez went straight to the general election. Another Democrat, Hector Mujica, left the race in June over a party-registration issue that Ehr had raised, Florida Politics reported. The South Dade News Leader’s Aug. 21 primary roundup covers the contested South Dade races that day.

In September, Ehr sent letters inviting Gimenez and Rojas to two televised or streamed debates, one in Miami-Dade and one in Monroe County. Florida Politics reported that no debate had been scheduled as of Sept. 22.

Carlos A. Gimenez (Republican, incumbent) is a former Miami fire chief, Miami city manager and Miami-Dade mayor. He was first elected to Congress in 2020 and serves on the Armed Services and Homeland Security committees (official biography). President Trump endorsed him for re-election in February 2026 (Florida Politics).
Eddy Rojas (No Party Affiliation) owns a valet parking company and ran for Miami-Dade mayor in 2024. His campaign lists the economy, education, public safety and health care as priorities (campaign site).

How to Vote

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Polls are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. According to the Miami-Dade Supervisor of Elections:

Early voting runs Monday, Oct. 19, through Sunday, Nov. 1, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily at 28 sites. South Dade sites include the Homestead Community Center, Naranja Branch Library, South Dade Government Center, Coral Reef Branch Library and West Kendall Regional Library.
The deadline to request a vote-by-mail ballot is Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026, at 5 p.m.
Completed mail ballots must be received by 7 p.m. on Election Day.

Miami-Dade voters can find their precinct and sample ballot through Miami-Dade Elections. Keys residents vote through the Monroe County Supervisor of Elections, which sets its own early voting schedule.

Community Leadership Alliance is nonpartisan and does not endorse candidates. This profile is based on public records, candidate statements and news coverage, including the South Dade News Leader. Candidates who wish to submit corrections may contact us through our Contact page.

Candidate Phil “Felipe” Ehr, U.S. House District 28