A.G. Gancarski
A Republican long shot seeking to succeed U.S. Rep. Mike Waltz in Congress is throwing barbs at President-elect Donald Trump’s preferred choice in the contest.
Trump is backing state Sen. Randy Fine in the race, but Fine will have to clear a contested Primary first. In addition to repeat candidate Ehsan Joarder, Fine will have to defeat Aaron Baker of Sorrento in the Jan. 28 Primary.
Baker, who bills himself as a Trump-loyal Christian conservative running a “grassroots” campaign in Florida’s 6th Congressional District, says Trump didn’t know what he was doing when he endorsed Fine, blaming the President-elect’s Chief of Staff for steering the endorsement wrong.
Baker recalls seeing reporting saying Susie Wiles would be “handling all Trump endorsements” as his proof that Trump is “getting some really bad advice behind the scenes.” Baker added that in the wake of the short-lived nomination of Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister to be Drug Enforcement Administration head, Trump World didn’t want “egg on its face” by having to walk back another endorsement.
“I don’t know why the people that are giving him advice are giving him advice that I disagree with, but I can tell you it’s advice that a lot of people on the ground in the Sixth District disagree with as well,” Baker argued.
Wiles strongly disputes Baker’s spin, meanwhile.
“Who is Aaron Baker? President Trump knows Randy Fine and believes he is well qualified to be a Member of Congress,” Wiles told Florida Politics on Monday.
Fine was one of the few members of the Legislature to buck Gov. Ron DeSantis and endorse Trump for President while DeSantis was still an active candidate, and the President-elect long ago emphatically endorsed the “America First Patriot.”
“A Harvard Educated, Successful Businessman, and Highly Respected State Legislator, Randy has been an incredible Voice for MAGA and the Great People of Florida. In Congress, Randy will be an INCREDIBLE Fighter who will work tirelessly with me to Stop Inflation, Grow our Economy, Secure the Border, Champion our Military/Vets, Restore American Energy DOMINANCE, Protect our always-under-siege Second Amendment, and Restore PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH,” Trump added.
The Primary winner likely will win the General Election in the seat that includes Daytona and extends northward toward St. Augustine and west toward Ocala and Gainesville.
Nearly 46% of the electorate is registered to the Republican Party. Meanwhile, less than 27% of voters are Democrats, according to the most recent L2 voter data.
One comment
MH/Duuuval
January 13, 2025 at 5:22 pm
Fine supplicated early to DJT. Guess those years he spent ripping off suckers in Las Vegas gave him a sense of who can win — not Dee.