A.G. Gancarski
Ehsan Joarder, age 35, is running for Congress for the second time in less than a year, this time in a district across the state from the 14th Congressional District where he eked out 13% of the vote in a four-way GOP primary.
He’s one of three Republicans in the Special Election in the 6th Congressional District, and he’s likely the only one who is diametrically opposed to President-elect Donald Trump.
He told Florida Politics that he’s “even more concerned” about the next four years under Trump than he was about the term of Joe Biden, given the people “Trump’s putting in his Cabinet.”
“I think the Republican Party has been no longer Republican, but I think that the Republican Party has lost its way,” Joarder said, claiming that Trump seeks to “drain the swamp of patriots and put in warmongers.”
“So I think the Republican party is not what it was 10 years ago. Trump was a Democrat 10 years ago. Elon Musk wasn’t Republican until four months ago and those people are dictating the future of our country,” Joarder added. “I’m very concerned about that.”
There are few current Republicans he likes, but that number includes Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, and former Congressman Matt Gaetz.
Joarder, a rare Republican touting the endorsement of at least one left-leaning Muslim group, takes issue with one opponent in the primary in particular, state Sen. Randy Fine, who he calls a “genocidal Jew” on X in reference to the Brevard County Republican’s staunch defense of Israel and American Jews facing anti-semitism.
During his interview with Florida Politics, Joarder claimed the four-time state legislator and current state Senator “does not represent anyone other than himself and Israel” and that Fine’s “running scared” from debating him. (For his part, Fine says he’s “out talking to voters” every day about his “proven track record spearheading conservative policies to fight illegal immigration and Make America Great Again).
Despite being endorsed by a Muslim group, Joarder was cagey about his own religion. He said his family was of the Islamic faith, but didn’t know if they were Sunni or Shi’ite. He described himself as a “Christian,” with children in a “Christian school” because public schools teach “transgender stuff” and “the homosexuality,” but couldn’t be pinned down about denomination in either case.
“I lean more towards Christianity because it’s in English and I can understand it when I read something that makes sense, but I’m not a religious person,” he said, claiming he wasn’t Muslim because he didn’t “know Arabic.”
Joarder is running the proverbial “grassroots” campaign, claiming he may buy television ads at some point to introduce himself to voters. But he recognizes that Fine has the cash advantage in the race.
Chances of victory seem remote at best.
