Jacob Ogles
A new ad from The Lincoln Project highlighting frantic opposition to mask mandates prominently features a Sarasota candidate for Congress.
The video, titled “Our Kids Are Watching,” kicks off with Republican Martin Hyde making clear he will defy a Sarasota County Schools mask mandate. Hyde made his comments at a Sarasota County School Board meeting.
“The choice here is not whether my son is going to wear a mask,” Hyde said, “because he is 100% not going to.”
The Sarasota school district is notably one of 10 in Florida with a mask mandate in place that only allows students to opt out with a documented medical excuse.
The advertisement from there goes into some more colorful testimony at local government meetings across the country. A San Diego man tells officials there they will “open a pit of hell” if they require vaccine passports. That same man, who screamed his entire testimony, later asked how many vaccination board members received and whether they’ve been a “good little Nazi.” He followed that up with “heil Fauci.” A woman at a Palm Beach County School Board meeting asserts vaccinated people’s veins will glow in black light and they will be magnetized so spoons stick to the spot where they received their shot.
While Hyde’s comments may not be so conspiratorial, it’s a hyperbolic exchange between the candidate and board members that inspires the video’s name.
“This is America, not North Korea,” Hyde says.
“Could you please lower the tone? It seems like you are yelling,” interrupts School Board member Shirley Brown. “Children are listening.”
The ad went live on the Lincoln Project’s social media page Wednesday evening.
Hyde announced earlier this year he’s challenging U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan in a Republican Primary for Florida’s 16th Congressional District. Thus far, he’s largely self-financing. The candidate noticed his inclusion in the video by the national group.
“Fully paid up crazy redneck deplorable now according to them,” Hyde said.
The Lincoln Project was formed by former Republican political consultants who campaigned last year against former President Donald Trump. Since then, the group has gone more broadly against Republicans following Trump’s authoritarian template, including Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Hyde said he doesn’t mind his inclusion in the video.
“Why would I be upset?” he said. “I talk about free speech all the time. They’re exercising their right just as I do.”
Our kids are watching. pic.twitter.com/ovNrgSLOcG
— The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) August 25, 2021
13 comments
Alex
August 26, 2021 at 10:28 am
Insane Republicans ranging from “the vaccine will make you glow green” to the vet threatening civil war, and the idiot who claims Trump won.
Welcome to Trumpistan.
Jay Adams
August 26, 2021 at 10:47 am
Hyde said he doesn’t mind his inclusion in the video.
Actually he is probably thrilled with the shout out. The Lincoln Project coming out against him in the Republican primary gives him a lot of free publicity and makes him the enemy of an enemy.
Bad publicity is better than no publicity and The Lincoln Project has no influence among anyone who doesn’t vote straight party line Democrat so how could their shout out do anything other than help him?
Alex
August 26, 2021 at 11:09 am
Besides being a far right nutcase, Hyde is also an atrocious parent.
I feel sorry for his kid.
Mike
August 26, 2021 at 1:56 pm
Regardless of what side of politics you’re on, you have to respect a local parent that is willing to stand up to an authoritarian school board that thinks it will make medical decisions for children, in spite of their parents wishes. This is a parental choice and freedom issue, not a political one. Good for Martin Hyde.
Alex
August 26, 2021 at 2:07 pm
I don’t respect anyone who is trying to endanger the health and lives of not only their own child, but other children as well.
Jay Adams
August 26, 2021 at 3:02 pm
Alex,
It doesn’t speak well of you when all your comments are little more than mocking straw man arguments,
The Lincoln Project must be very proud of you. No one else is impressed.
Alex
August 26, 2021 at 3:29 pm
Kids ARE getting sick in schools, and not wearing masks increases the odds more will get sick.
It’s called willful negligence.
Conservative always
August 27, 2021 at 3:25 pm
Please cite the study that shows kids wearing masks will cause them NOT to get the China virus?
ScienceBLVR
August 27, 2021 at 9:58 am
Sorry, Mike you are wrong- that premise is exactly the problem. Masks in schools is not a parental choice, freedom, or a political issue. It is a health and protection of lives issue. As someone who is in a classroom, I can attest that sick students don’t learn well. Until children can be vaccinated against COVID like they are mandated to be against mumps, measles, chickenpox, polio, etc, masks are the best tool we have to keep infection down- just basic science.
JAMIE GROOM
August 27, 2021 at 12:36 pm
Please tell me you know about Hyde’s racist behavior @ Bath and Racket in Sarasota. He was running for Sarasota city commission in 2016. https://www.heraldtribune.com/news/20191202/martin-hyde-may-not-quit-sarasota-campaign-after-allegation-of-racist-comment
Dick
August 27, 2021 at 4:15 pm
https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/politics/2021/02/11/lincoln-project-complaints-against-ex-kasich-advisor-john-weaver-anti-trump/6718306002/
Jen
August 27, 2021 at 11:36 pm
As I read these comments, I see two choices. Freedom or fear. I choose freedom. Men who act tough be bashing others, but wear a paper mask out of fear of a flu like virus, absolutely disgust me.
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