U.S. Senate hopeful and former House Representative Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (D-FL) poked fun at her political opponent Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) for his distrust of Chinese garlic.
Since late 2023, Sen. Scott has been adamant in warning the American people about “sewage garlic” being sent to the United States from China that has been grown using “raw human sewage” instead of industry-standard fertilizer and has been processed through slave labor.
Regardless, Rep. Mucarsel-Powell chastised Sen. Scott on social media for his concern over the garlic and even likened him to a vampire.
Rick Scott thinks garlic is a national security threat? What?! 🧛♂️👀 https://t.co/6GfccktEOa
— Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (@DebbieforFL) December 8, 2023
“Rick Scott thinks garlic is a national security threat? What?! 🧛♂️👀” said Rep. Mucarsel-Powell.
However, Republicans have been handed an opportunity hit back at the Senate hopeful after she congratulated former ultra-Progressive State Representative Carlos Guillermo Smith (D-FL) after winning his State Senator race last Friday. He was the only candidate to officially qualify.
Congratulations, Senator-elect 👏💙 I know my friend @CarlosGSmith will be a voice for hope, and will fight for meaningful change in the Florida Senate! https://t.co/PJLd5CpX8C
— Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (@DebbieforFL) June 14, 2024
“Congratulations, Senator-elect. I know my friend Carlos G. Smith will be a voice for hope, and will fight for meaningful change in the Florida Senate!” said Mucarsel-Powell.
Why could Republicans scoff at this public endorsement?
Well, that "voice of hope" and "meaningful change" Mucarsel-Powell speaks of includes Guillermo Smith's past denial of the lethality of socialism while on the floor of the State House in Tallahassee. Then-Rep. Smith took issue with the CS/HR 145, Individual Liberty, Private Property, and Democracy, cosponsored by Miami Rep. Tom Fabricio that condemned Socialism as a whole in the state and nation.
During the debate on the House floor surrounding the bill, Smith denounced the notion of condemning socialism as a whole.
“With all due respect, adopting possibly a resolution to condemn an entire political party and movement, so I'm trying to understand the justification and I’m hoping that this sponsor can answer for me whether or not this movement has resulted in any physical harm or death because there are political movements that have resulted in that. I'd like an answer on that question,” said Smith.
Rep. Fabrico responded with the notion that, yes, socialism has killed many people as well as those attempting to flee it.
Smith responded, “Again, Wow! These are stunning allegations that Socialism has killed people around the world. My question is, are you at all concerned that by focusing on Democratic Socialism, which has actually resulted in no deaths, no one is physically harmed, and not addressing the very real problem of neo-Nazism, white supremacy, and Fascism in the last four years, that we are sending a bad message.”
Smith also was one of the loudest voice to condemn Gov. Ron DeSantis's "Parental Rights in Education" law that would prevent schools from teaching children K-3 about all forms of sexuality. Smith has also been accused of bulling parents on the issue because according to him, he knows "what's best for our children."
However, Mucarsel-Powell has denounced some of the ideas of Democratic-Socialism in the past. For instance, she disagreed with Senator Bernie Sanders’ romanticization of Fidel Castro’s Cuba. Mucarsel-Powell stated”
“As the first South American immigrant member of Congress who proudly represents thousands of Cuban Americans, I find Senator Bernie Sanders’ comments on Castro’s Cuba absolutely unacceptable … The Castro regime murdered and jailed dissidents, and caused unspeakable harm to too many South Florida families. To this day, it remains an authoritarian regime that oppresses its people, subverts the free press, and stifles a free society," she said.
Sen. Scott has repeatedly described Mucarsel-Powell as a radical. It will be interesting to see how Mucarsel-Powell attempts to navigate the rest of the campaign cycle after showing support for someone who supports Democratic Socialism.
