In the Republican primary race in Florida’s 22nd congressional district, Trump-endorsed Dan Franzese has been pummeling former anti-Trumper Andrew Gutman over his past statement that former President Donald Trump was a bigot and a racist.
“As much as we must fight the bigotry, racism and exclusionary tendencies of Trump,” stated Gutmann in a now-deleted opinion post.
Franzese, who recently landed the coveted Trump endorsement, has been sending campaign mailings depicting Gutman as a Trump hater, who was once “disappointed and dismayed by the election of such a simple-minded, volatile, and enormously unqualified man as president.”
Ironically enough, Gutmann’s opinion piece, which can be recovered from the Wayback Machine, questions and denounces President Trump’s past statements about the need for a border security “Wall,” about the type of Mexican immigrants that are crossing the southern border illegally, and about Islam and Muslims.
Dan Franzese is a tremendous America First candidate running to represent the Great People of Florida’s 22nd Congressional District! As a very successful businessman, Dan knows how to Fight Inflation, Grow the Economy, Lower Taxes, and Eliminate Government Waste. In Congress, Dan will fight tirelessly to Secure our Border, Stop Migrant Crime, Advance Election Integrity, Strengthen our Incredible Military/Vets, and Defend our always under siege Second Amendment. Dan Franzese has my Complete and Total Endorsement- HE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!—President Donald Trump
Turns out that Trump appears to have proven detractors like Gutmann wrong, especially when it comes to illegal immigration and the radical Islamic threat that the Western world faces.
Gutmann’s words against the most powerful and influential Republican in American history have come back to haunt him.
Franzese, who lost to incumbent Rep. Lois Frankel (D) in the 2022 midterm elections, told The Floridian that he wasn’t some “Trumper-come-lately” candidate like Gutmann, who has recently expressed his support for the former President.
“I have been an avid and unwavering supporter of Donald J. Trump since 2016 and I endorsed him for President more than a year ago, in May 2023. I'm not some Trumper-come-lately who jumped on the bandwagon after President Trump became the presumptive Republican nominee and after he decimated Joe Biden in the debate in June,” stated Franzese in a written response for comment.
President Trump is the 2024 Republican presidential nominee. After the recent assassination attempt against his life, Republican voters have galvanized behind the former president who is only backing the so-called “America First” candidates for elected office.
Gutmann appears to have ‘gut-ed’ his campaign before it even started.
Advantage: Franzese
