A Clearwater man was found guilty by a jury Wednesday on two counts of simple battery for assaulting U.S. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna's (R-FL) campaign manager outside the Clearwater courthouse in Pinellas County.
The guilty verdict follows an assault by Andrew Francis, then 32, on Olivia Carson in November 2024. Carson filed a police report with the Clearwater Police Department after the incident.
According to the arrest affidavit, Francis was charged afterward with simple battery for making "numerous aggressive actions and us[ing] verbal obscenities toward an opposing political group" outside of the courthouse. He then crossed the street, where he "intentionally struck the victim [Carson] with his shoulder, causing the victim to lose her balance."
Rep. Luna, at the time, was in a campaign battle with Democrat Whitney Fox for Florida's 13th Congressional District. Francis was supposedly a Fox supporter.
"My campaign manager was assaulted earlier today at the Clearwater courthouse by my opponent's supporter," Luna said on Facebook after. "Any man who physically attacks a woman belongs in jail. There is footage and she is pressing charges. I look forward to this Low T beta male getting arrested."
An account supposedly belonging to Francis didn't exactly deny guilt following the incident after the congresswoman posted a similar response to her X account, where a user asked, "Tell me what liberal did it?" to which "Andy Francis" replied, "Me, bitch."
According to Luna's campaign staff, Francis also called the congresswoman a liar in other posts, stating the assault never occurred.
During the aftermath of the assault, Luna also accused Fox of not publicly condemning the assault by Francis on her female staffer. She went on to beat Fox in CD 13 by 10 points.
"She will never be elected to office and should be embarrassed and ashamed of her behavior," Luna said on Fox.
