According to Punchbowl News founder Jake Sherman, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) told GOP donors that Rep. Neal Dunn (R-FL) may have a “terminal diagnosis.”
“@SpeakerJohnson told a room of GOP donors at a party retreat in Florida that Rep. NEAL DUNN (R-Fla.) may have a terminal diagnosis, according to multiple sources present,” Sherman said.
“DUNN, 73, has said he will not resign before the end of his term. He is not running for reelection to his strong GOP seat in the Florida panhandle,” he added.
NEWS: @SpeakerJohnson told a room of GOP donors at a party retreat in Florida that Rep. NEAL DUNN (R-Fla.) may have a terminal diagnosis, according to multiple sources present.
DUNN, 73, has said he will not resign before the end of his term. He is not running for reelection to…
— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) February 27, 2026
Dunn announced last month that he would not seek re-election after serving five terms in Congress.
“After much prayerful consideration and discussion with my family, I have decided not to seek re-election to the United States House of Representatives. This will conclude my service after five meaningful terms representing the people of Florida’s Second Congressional District,” Dunn said in a statement.
“The time has come to pass the torch to new conservative leaders, return home to Panama City, and spend more precious time with my family and our beloved grandchildren,” he added.
Please see my statement on my decision not to seek re-election. pic.twitter.com/sogoXQTJZD
— Dr. Neal Dunn (@DrNealDunnFL2) January 13, 2026
There have been rumors that Dunn is considering early retirement.
However, a spokesperson for Dunn said the rumor about his potential early retirement did not come from his office.
“@DrNealDunnFL2 missed the SOTU on Tuesday, and held an all-staff meeting in Florida that day. That came just a day after his office confirmed to @Fla_Pol that he intended to serve out his term. Rumors have been swirling about his health,” Florida Politics journalist Jacob Ogles said.
.@DrNealDunnFL2 missed the SOTU on Tuesday, and held an all-staff meeting in Florida that day.
That came just a day after his office confirmed to @Fla_Pol that he intended to serve out his term.
Rumors have been swirling about his health. https://t.co/aso0gu52W4 https://t.co/OJwKNMhMka— Jacob Ogles (@jacobogles) February 27, 2026
Florida Politics shared further:
The Panama City Republican announced in January he would not seek another term in office, but rumors persisted more recently about whether he would leave much sooner.
That news earlier this month created shockwaves, particularly among Republican leadership when the GOP holds a narrow 218 to 214 seat majority in the U.S. House.
Speaker Mike Johnson has publicly said he would prefer Dunn stay in office until a new Congress is sworn in next year.
“I’ve encouraged him to stay and be part of this, and I think he wants to do that. And so you have to ask him all the circumstances,” Johnson told reporters on Feb. 11.
Much of the speculation swirled in both Washington and in Tallahassee — the state Capitol and a major community within Florida’s 2nd Congressional District — around the 73-year-old’s health and desire to spend more time with family.
A senior Republican strategist told Florida Politics that Dunn would announce an early retirement next week for a “time certain” that will be before the Midterm.
The race to replace Dunn has already drawn a significant list of candidates, including some political heavy hitters who might benefit from running in a Special Election earlier in the year. But such circumstances might involve Dunn leaving his seat vacant — and Republicans a vote short on key issues — for weeks or months heading into a challenging Midterm political environment.