Florida House District 1 race is rematch of 2020 race between Michelle Salzman, Mike Hill

Republican voters in Florida House District 1 may have a sense of déjà vu when they cast their ballots in the primary Aug. 23 as the race is a repeat of the 2020 contest.

This time, however, instead of being the challenger, Rep. Michelle Salzman is the incumbent as former Rep. Mike Hill is seeking to take back the seat he lost two years ago.

Salzman handily won the Republican nomination in 2020 by more than 1,000 votes, a 5-point margin of victory, and unseated Hill. Despite beating Hill two years ago, Salzman is continuing to campaign as hard as she did in 2020.

2022 primary: Former Florida Rep. Mike Hill files to run against Michelle Salzman in Republican primary

2020 primary: Michelle Salzman upsets Mike Hill in Florida House District 1 race, secures Republican nomination

"I'm close to (knocking on) 5,000 doors," Salzman told the News Journal. "I've been doing 10- to 12-hour days knocking, trying to make sure I hit at least 5,000."

Salzman said she had already knocked on 2,000 doors when Hill filed to run during the last week of qualifying in June.

"My thought was if I get out and go talk to the people that vote, I can make sure that what I'm doing is what they want or if they have any ideas," Salzman said. "Because last time when I ran, the things that I heard from knocking on doors is what really drove me when I was in Tallahassee."

Meet Mike Hill: Candidate, Florida House, District 1

Meet Michelle Salzman: Candidate, Florida House, District 1

Salzman said in her first term, she brought back more than $20 million in special projects to Escambia County, passed a bill imposing term limits on the Emerald Coast Utilities Authority board and voted for a bill that passed term limits on school boards statewide.

Salzman, a U.S. Army veteran and lifelong Escambia County resident, became involved in politics in 2020 after working in several volunteer groups and serving as president of the Escambia County Council of PTAs.

Salzman said she is running to make the Legislature work for the people of Escambia County.

"I'm not running against anybody," Salzman said. "I'm running for the people. That's what I did last time. I'm just running for you. What do you want? What can we do to represent you and actually make an impact and be effective in the Legislature?"

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Hill did not respond to the News Journal's request for an interview. Hill's campaign website states he is running to pass the "Life at Conception Act," pass a constitutional carry provision and end the requirement to obtain a concealed carry permit to carry a weapon in public.

Hill is a U.S. Air Force veteran who served five years previously in the Florida Legislature as the District 2 representative from 2013 to 2016 and the District 1 representative from 2018 to 2020.

Hill has been successful in outraising Salzman over the last few weeks, raising about $2,600 more than Salzman since the beginning of July. However, Salzman has the cash advantage as Hill only started raising money when he declared in June.

Salzman has raised a total of $201,911 with $64,273 cash left in her campaign account. Hill has raised a total of $23,198 with about $8,415 cash left in his campaign account.

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In 2019, Hill drew statewide condemnation from both sides of the political aisle when he laughed at the suggestion from an audience member that gay people should face the death penalty. Hill first refused to apologize but then issued an apology when Gov. Ron DeSantis backed House leadership in considering a possible censure of Hill.

Hill has appeared on obscure conservative social media live streams in the last few weeks and described the "Life at Conception Act" as a bill that would ban all abortions without exception in the state, even in the case of rape or incest. The bill would also ban prescription drugs that allow people to have abortions at home.

Hill said he also supports ending the practice of early voting in the state and wants to repeal Florida's "red flag" laws passed after the wake of the 2018 Parkland massacre that allow judges to issue orders to stop people from buying a gun if authorities believe they are a risk to themselves or others.

Salzman said she supports conservative values, and her voting record proves that. She said Hill is focused on divisive issues that get attention, while she is focused on infrastructure, safety and education, things she believes matter to regular Escambia County residents.

"I'm not going to Tallahassee to scream and yell and file bills to say I filed them," Salzman said. "…We have not focused enough on basics. We've spent more time screaming and yelling to get clicks and to get interviews and whatnot. We don't spend enough time on the things that really matter to Floridians."

Jim Little can be reached at jwlittle@pnj.com and 850-208-9827.

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Florida House District 1 race: Michelle Salzman, Mike Hill face again