Republicans Censure House Rep. Mike Caruso Over Democratic Endorsement

Republicans Censure House Rep. Mike Caruso Over Democratic Endorsement

“the RPOF will… vote to remove Caruso as a Republican candidate & prohibit him from running as a Republican in any future election.”

Daniel Molina
Daniel Molina
|
February 13, 2022

Bipartisanship isn’t unusual when it comes to lawmakers working together to draft legislation. However, lawmakers crossing party lines to endorse someone from the opposing political party is rare. Recently, Sens. Joe Manchin (D) and Lisa Murkowski (R) have endorsed each other, while Mike Caruso (R) has endorsed Katherine Waldron (D) for the Florida House Representative in District 89.

In turn, Republicans have voted to censure Rep. Caruso over his support of the Democratic candidate.

News of Manchin’s endorsement of Murkowski drew the ire of members of the Democratic party who were already reeling from Manchin’s opposition to President Biden’s Build Back Better Bill. In announcing his endorsement of his “dear friend Lisa Murkowski,” Manchin added that “Alaska could only be so lucky to have her continue to serve them.”

With Rep. Caruso’s endorsement of Waldron, the RP PBC Executive Committee provided a majority vote to censure the Republican lawmaker over endorsement a lawmaker the GOP deems a “Marxist.”

Caruso, a staunch supporter of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R), shocked many in the conservative world when he announced his support for Waldron’s candidacy, and the Republican Party of Florida is pursuing sharp measures to take action against Caruso.

In a message announcing the censure, it was announced that “the RPOF will… vote to remove Caruso as a Republican candidate & prohibit him from running as a Republican in any future election.”

Facing Waldron is Republican Dr. Sauilis Banionis, who is billed as “a Conservative Pro-Trump Republican,” and the endorsement comes at a time when Republicans are vying to ensure a “red wave” in the upcoming 2022 midterm election.

Caruso is now facing opposition from the GOP, who deems him “a legit dem not Republican.”

Caruso has not responded to the backlash, and Waldron is facing a contested primary race against challengers Robert Margolis and Seth Michael Densen.

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Daniel Molina

Daniel Molina

Daniel Molina is an award-winning senior reporter based in Miami. He holds a bachelor’s degree in English Literature from Florida International University. His hobbies include reading, writing, and watching films.

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