Democrat · Florida's 28th District · 2026
Phil Ehr
Ehr spent 26 years in the Navy, rising from seaman to commander.
Biography
Phil Ehr and his wife, Sue, have two daughters, and his life after the Navy has included teaching children to play chess.1 He rose from seaman to commander during twenty six years of active duty.1 His first Navy mission was the Mariel boatlift, helping rescue Cuban exiles crossing the Florida Straits.1
His service included Cold War reconnaissance, combat support during Desert Storm and work on U.S. operations in NATO's Allied Force campaign.1 He also helped civilian agencies use declassified space technology for border security, firefighting and earth science research, and advised senior military leaders.1
His civilian work has included teaching British military officers and founding a nonprofit aimed at countering political disinformation.1 He has also undertaken humanitarian aid deliveries in Ukraine.1 His congressional platform calls for a VA hospital or major veterans' medical facility in South Dade.2
Ehr proposes broadening health insurance access, lowering premiums and household medical costs, and stabilizing property insurance, alongside protecting immigrant families while targeting criminals and preserving the Everglades and local water resources.2 He also backs stronger training and accountability standards for border personnel.2 He also supports a temporary pause on large AI data centers while their infrastructure and environmental effects are evaluated.2 He is the Democratic nominee against Republican Carlos Giménez.3
Record and controversies
Campaign vendor contract judgment
On May 27, 2026, a federal judge entered judgment for Grassroots Analytics against Ehr's Congress campaign over unpaid text fundraising fees after the committee conceded the vendor's motion.4 The judge declined to hold Ehr personally liable at that stage, citing disputed facts about his control of the committee and his denial that he mixed personal and campaign funds; the order left that separate liability question for further proceedings.4 No later decision on his personal liability could be found.