Donald Trump used Sunday evening to encourage “nice MAGA Republicans” to “PLEASE STEP FORWARD!” to problem freshman Rep. Laurel Lee in Florida’s Aug. 20 major, and one acquainted identify was fast to volunteer.
Former state Rep. Jackie Toledo, who took a distant third place towards Lee within the 2022 GOP major for Florida’s fifteenth District, made her emotions recognized in a reply to a tweet from far-right troll Laura Loomer screenshotting Trump’s Fact Social message.
“Nice MAGA Republican answering the decision and able to serve… #MAGA.” (Sure, would-be Republican candidates break information today within the replies of tweets with screenshots of messages from different platforms.) Toledo additionally connected a photograph from her final marketing campaign of her sporting a cowboy hat bearing the slogan, “TRUMP 2020 NO MORE BULLSHIT!!”
Whereas Trump did not specify why he wished Lee ousted, observers have been fast to notice that Lee was the lone member of Florida’s congressional delegation to help Gov. Ron DeSantis’ presidential bid. Lee, whom DeSantis beforehand appointed secretary of state in 2019, endorsed Trump the day after her previous boss suspended his White Home marketing campaign, however that evidently wasn’t fast sufficient for the GOP’s grasp.
Trump can also have unresolved grievances from the final presidential election. Politico notes that Lee refused calls from election deniers to “audit” the state’s 2020 presidential election regardless that Trump received Florida’s electoral votes. An excellent PAC supporting state Sen. Kelli Stargel even ran advertisements throughout the 2022 congressional major attacking Lee for her refusal, however that did not cease Lee from successful by a 41-28 margin; Toledo completed far behind with simply 12%.
In December, Trump equally inspired a major bid towards one other DeSantis ally, Texas Rep. Chip Roy—however he solely managed to take action after the candidate submitting deadline. This time, he might need really glanced at a calendar earlier than firing off his anti-Lee missive: Qualifying for Florida congressional candidates closes on April 26, and notable names have a historical past of leaping in on or simply earlier than the deadline.
That additionally means there’s nonetheless time for a Democrat to enter the race—and GOP infighting might present an added inducement. Trump carried the fifteenth District, which features a portion of Tampa and its northeastern suburbs, by the identical 51-48 margin that he carried the state as a complete. Republicans in Florida’s main contests in 2022 additionally carefully matched their statewide marks, in accordance with analyst Matthew Isbell: DeSantis received Lee’s district 59-40, whereas GOP Sen. Marco Rubio prevailed 57-41.
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