Randy Fine faces test to keep Brevard House seat

Rep. Randy Fine is not shy when it comes to headlines, controversy or legislative or digital brawls.

The southern Brevard County Republican state House member has drawn the ire of Democrats for his pugnacious, in-your-face style while pushing measures through the chamber. That style has given Democrat Anthony Yantz, who is seeking to remove Fine from the Legislature in the House District 33 race, hope of victory despite running in deep-red Brevard.

Fine’s move to punish school districts that tried to impose mask mandates on students during the pandemic by withholding a pot of funding drew the most heat from Democrats. Gov. Ron DeSantis later opened the funding up to all schools. But Fine’s sharp rhetorical elbows have often extended beyond policy disagreements into personal attacks.

He has a penchant for getting involved in online spats with constituents, including a 2019 incident in which Fine, a Jew and staunch supporter of Israel, called a fellow Jew a “Judenrat,” a term referring to councils of Jews set up by Nazis in Jewish ghettos during the Holocaust.

The latest tussle came in September, when Fine criticized Melbourne officials for granting a permit for a local LGBT Pride event because it included a “Drag Queen Story Hour” he believed “targeted” children.

“Republicans are just fed up with Randy & his constant attacks,” Yantz posted on Twitter in response. “A vote for Yantz this (November) gives Brevard the representation it needs & deserves.”

But Yantz faces long odds of defeating Fine, who is seeking his fourth term in the House.

The district now includes part of Melbourne, Melbourne Beach and Palm Bay, but has lost the Grant-Valkaria area at the southern tip of Brevard County through the redistricting process. The new district voted for Donald Trump over Joe Biden in the 2020 election by nearly 6 points.

Fine also has a 10-to-1 spending advantage over Yantz as of Oct. 21, and that’s before Fine’s political committee spending is taken into account. Yantz’s campaign has spent $10,500, an amount dwarfed by Fine’s $100,000. Fine’s political committee has splashed another $135,000 this cycle.