[1] In 1998, Kilmer announced that she would run against incumbent Democratic State Representative Jamey Westbrook in the 7th District, which stretched from Miramar Beach to Marianna and Tallahassee.

A contentious general election ensued in the ancestrally Democratic district, with Westbrook emphasizing his humble roots, and his innocence of the charges brought against him, by airing television advertisements showing him riding his tractor through his peanut fields—which inadvertently reminded voters of his looming indictment.

[8] However, Kilmer ended up expanding her margin of victory over Westbrook, defeating him 53–47% as the Florida Panhandle overwhelmingly backed George W. Bush over Al Gore in the presidential election.

[1] She joined the race with significant support from the Republican establishment, with First Lady Laura Bush, House Speaker Dennis Hastert and NRCC Chair Tom Reynolds coming to the district to host fundraisers on Kilmer's behalf.

[16] After losing her 2004 congressional campaign and leaving the State House, Kilmer took a job as a grants administrator for the Florida Department of Education.

Kilmer had, ostensibly, moved to Texas, where she had registered to vote and cast ballots in several elections, which would have made her ineligible to run for the legislature until the following year.

"[20] In the end, however, Kilmer lost her comeback bid by an overwhelming margin, receiving only 26% of the vote to Drake's 76%, and winning none of the counties in her former district.