Florida’s primary election is here and candidates for elective office can soon rest easy knowing that their respective races will soon be over, especially the contentious and downright nasty races like the Republican primary race in District 7.
Combat veteran Cory Mills is considered the frontrunner and favorite to win his primary race, but that hasn’t stopped State Rep. Anthony Sabatini and his crew of colorful volunteers and paid staff, from ramping up their ill-advised campaign tactics.
The Mills and Sabatini clans have had several dust-ups at early voting sites, hog nobs in the district, and at a recent Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green event in New Smyrna Beach, where a handful of Mills supporters camped outside of the 90 people or so rally, Sabatini had this past weekend with the firebrand member of Congress.
No fists have been thrown, even though the altercations almost came down to blows on a few occasions.
Last week, Sabatini and a Super PAC, American Liberty Action PAC, attacked Mills’ wife, both calling her “anti-Christian” and “radical.”
Neither the PAC’s attack mailing nor the email and text Sabatini sent out gave a reference as to why they targeted Mills’ wife.
Considering that Mills’ wife Rana is originally from Iraq, is it fair to assume that the attack against her is based on the assumption that she is a practice Muslim?
The apparent bigotry being conducted by the Sabatini campaign and its supporting Super PAC we are learning is old news.
Several voters in Seminole County have accused the Sabatini team of questioning Mills’ wife’s faith at their very doorsteps.
One of the voters said that she and her husband decided to early vote for Mills after two young door walkers wearing white “Sabatini for Congress” t-shirts started badmouthing Mills and his wife’s faith.
Are Sabatini’s supporters and campaign workers engaging in racist and bigoted campaigning?
Sabatini, who lied about voting in favor of Governor Ron DeSantis's "Freedom First" budget, and who has controversially dressed in “Black Face” and as Pancho Villa and been called a racist for doing so, has hired and brought on several individuals with very interesting pasts.
Staffers and Supporters
Logan Wakefield, who is on the Sabatini for Congress payroll and picture with Rep. Taylor Greene and Sabatini, recently took part in an Instagram Live feed where he was seen throwing up a White Power or Qanon “OK” sign shortly before one individual (not affiliated with Sabatini) spouted off the N-word.
In the video, Wakefield doesn't appear to be agreeing with use of the racial slur, but rather appears to just be content with throwing up the hand sign.
Wakefield is also said to have verbally assaulted a 70-year-old woman at a polling location and had to be removed by election officials.
One of these crazies works for Anthony Sabatini. These guys are spooky. Dropping N-Word and more... These are the guys who are an embarrassment to Republicans#FlPol#Florida pic.twitter.com/XO0wZIW6TP
— Javier Manjarres (@JavManjarres) August 22, 2022
Mark-Christian Anthony Aubin is also paid by Sabatini for “Field operation” work. Aubin doesn’t appear to be controversial in any way but did run for President of the United States in 2016.
Yes, according to Ballotpedia, Aubin was registered to run for President as a Republican in 2016.
Then there is Andy Hopson, who is arguably one of the vilest trolls in Central Florida. Like many individuals like him, Hopson has propagated untruths, including stating that Mills “verbally” assaulted “#J6 protesters, calling them terrorists.”
In an interview with Newsmax for “The Chris Salcedo Show,” Mills called the behavior of those who broke into the Capitol “terroristic,” he did not call the protestors terrorists.
Sabatini has stepped up his attacks against Mills and his wife over the past couple of weeks since a pro-Trump Super PAC tied to former President Donald Trump’s current campaign committee spent $1.2 million, so far, against Sabatini.
The latest polls show Sabatini losing to Mills by double digits, with Navy Seal Brady Duke coming in third.
Polls are polls, so it’s safe to say that this race is still a toss up.
Election Day is Tuesday August 23.
