Lenny Curry, John Rutherford hosting fundraiser for Mike Waltz

Lt. Col. Michael Waltz is the latest entry in the CD 6 scrum.

U.S. Rep. John Rutherford and Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry are honorary hosts for a fundraiser Wednesday for Republican Mike Waltz’s run in Florida’s 6th Congressional District.

The host committee for the reception, to be held at the home of JEA Board member Husein Cumber and City Council hopeful LeAnna Cumber, features a number of interesting names.

Among the luminaries: Jeb Bush, Jr; former Duval GOP Chair John Falconetti; local power broker Michael Munz; and Total Military Management’s Kent Stermon.

For donors on a budget, the $500 supporter level will gain entry through the door. More ambitious spenders will find a home with the $2,700 “gold” threshold or the $5,400 “platinum” bracket.

Those seeking to RSVP for this event can do so via email: [email protected].

Waltz is one of three Republicans vying to replace DeSantis in CD 6, a south-of-Jacksonville sinecure hugging the Atlantic coast in St. Johns, Flagler, and Volusia Counties.

The GOP race in CD 6, where candidates vie to replace outgoing DeSantis, has been an interesting one, with Waltz and John Ward both raising serious money for what will be an expensive primary straddling three media markets (Jacksonville, Daytona and Orlando).

Despite his ability to bring in money, Ward had a catastrophic news cycle last week, with comments he made at an April forum drawing scrutiny and condemnation from Republicans and Democrats alike.

According to Fox News, Ward asserted that displaced Puerto Ricans shouldn’t be allowed to vote in Florida.

“I don’t think they should be allowed to register to vote,” Ward said, given that “the Democrat Party is really hoping that they can change the voting registers in a lot of counties and districts, and I don’t think they should be allowed to do that,” Ward said at an April forum.

Instead, Ward added that Puerto Ricans “belong” in Puerto Rico.

Per the Orlando Sentinel, likely Democratic nominee Nancy Soderberg blasted the comments:

“Puerto Ricans are citizens of the United States, plain and simple, and every bit as American as John Ward,” Soderberg said in a statement. “Every American citizen, regardless of where they come from, deserve a vote.”

DeSantis — who took issue with Ward filing for the seat before he was officially running for Governor — blasted his would-be replacement via POLITICO, saying the comments were “beyond the pale.”