WASHINGTON—Newly-elected Congressman Randy Fine (R) has fueled his ongoing political intraparty fight with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis by insinuating that Gov. DeSantis could be targeting him and former Democrat-turned-Republican State Rep. Hillary Cassel because they are Jewish.
During an exclusive interview with The Floridian, Rep. Fine did not mince his words, calling Gov. DeSantis’ political beef with Rep. Cassel “dumb.”
“It's dumb. Rep, Cassle switched from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party, and so obviously she’s not going to be as conservative as everyone else, but do we want to be a niche party, or do we want to a big tent party,” questioned Rep. Fine. “She switched because she’s Jewish, and she didn’t like the way Democrats look at Israel, maybe that bothered Ron DeSantis?”
Fine, who said that he would not back down to DeSantis or anyone, insinuating that DeSantis’ war of words against him and Rep. Cassel was because they were of the Jewish faith.
“I do find it troubling that two politicians in Florida that he has chosen to take issue with in a very vitriolic way the last few weeks are both Jewish,” said Fine.
Fine continued, taking yet another shot at DeSantis by bringing up the known fact that President Donald Trump “bailed” DeSantis out during the 2028 Republican Gubernatorial primary race.
“I won his congressional seat by the same margin he won it when he ran. Maybe he is feeling guilty that Donald Trump bailed him out when he ran for Governor, he wouldn’t be governor if it wasn’t for Donald Trump. Maybe there is a lot of unhappiness with how way his political future as sort of sputtering out,” Fine concluded.
During the recent special election in Florida’s 6th Congressional District, DeSantis asserted that Fine was a terrible candidate who would and did underperform.
“So, I do I would not read into the underperformance that this is somehow a referendum on on MAGA or Trump. I think it was a unique issue with this particular candidate…So I just view it as it's an underperformance I think it's speak to the candidate and the president really had to bail him out at the end,” said DeSantis.
During his first run for the U.S. House of Representatives in 2012, then-Rep. DeSantis won his congressional race by vote margin 14.2%.
Fine won his first House race by 13%.
