‘Montavon Marathon’ turns Tamiami into a campaign trail – without sidewalks.
By Ramon Lopez
Original Air Date: October 1, 2026
Host: It’s campaign season, and one candidate is walking his entire district. Ramon Lopez brings us a report from the Montavon Marathon.
Ramon Lopez: It was pepperoni pizza and politics Tuesday night at Pioneers Pizza restaurant in Port Charlotte. The dinner stop completed Day 3 of Matthew Montavon’s Marathon walk. The nine-day trek along the Tamiami Trail began in Fort Myers. It will end at New College on October 5 in Sarasota, his home turf.
Matthew Montavon | Photo: Lopez
Montavon, a life-long Democrat, is challenging Republican Greg Steube for control of the District 17 U.S. House seat. He previously ran for the seat in 2024. Steube easily sailed through re-election three times since 2019. Also on the ballot is Michael Quirk. He’s running without party affiliation.
The congressional district covers most of Sarasota County, all of Charlotte County and parts of Lee County. And the 71-year-old retiree is hitting the pavement to meet voters along the 80-mile walkathon.
Montavon worked 27 years with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization in Rome before settling in Sarasota full-time in 2018.
Montavon said his third day on the campaign trail was tiring but worth the effort. That day he narrowly escaped a downpour that threatened his small campaign entourage and those he approached along the busy highway.
Matt Montavon: I’m doing this to introduce myself to people across the district; to bring attention to my campaign; to say that I’m there in your district—that I’m talking to you—that I’m out in the public—that I’m ready to meet you. There are too many circumstances that we see with the current representative where he’s not meeting the people; he’s not listening to the people; he’s not talking to the people; he’s not having public meetings. I’m going to show that I’m different. I’m listening to people. I want to have a dialogue with them. I want to be a true representative and represent their interests in Congress, so I’m out meeting any type of person who wants to talk to me.
I don’t have a lot of money for TV advertisements or radio advertisements. It’s a grassroots campaign.
RL: Montavon’s extended walk is reminiscent of Lawton Chiles’ grueling 1,000 mile walk from Pensacola to Key West in 1970. This, as part of his bid for the U.S. Senate. Chiles won that race. Aware of “Walkin’ Lawton’s” exploits, Montavon says his walkathon was instead inspired by senior strollers he knows in Sarasota.
MM: It was a little arduous today, I’ve got to admit. There are no sidewalks on a good part of 41. In that area from north Fort Myers to Charlotte County coming up to Punta Gorda, there are a lot of areas that don’t have sidewalks. It was really tough walking because I was walking on the side of the road. It was a long day—made for a long day and a very slow day. I’m pretty tired, pretty tired.
RL: Talking about Steube, Montavon said the longtime legislator has ignored the needs of his constituents.
MM: I think he’s doing a horrible job. I don’t think he’s paying any attention to the people in this district. He’s not responsive to the needs of this community. The guy’s a joke. He hasn’t done hardly anything. He hasn’t been responsive. He hasn’t answered people’s concerns at all. I would love to debate him. I have not offered, myself. I think I will do that. I will go to his office and ask him to debate me.
RL: Before bedding down for the night at the home of a constituent, Montavon dined on pizza and met with local supporters, including Port Charlotte resident Joan Powell. She said Montavon must maul Steube on November 3 for the good of District 17.
Joan Powell: He gets out to see the people. He wants the people to ask him things, and he is there for them. He’s been to a lot of different gatherings. He certainly puts himself out there. One thing I like about him is he says what he’s going to do, and he does what he says he’s going to do. He’s worked in a lot of different areas, he knows the people, and I definitely think he’s going to be a good congressman. He cares for the people.
There are a lot of people that are for what he wants to do. If they only would vote for him, they would find out that he would be a much better representative than the do-nothing Steube.
RL: On the campaign trail, this is Ramon Lopez for WSLR News.
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