Republican entrepreneur Michael Carbonara is running for the U.S. House of Representatives to unseat current Florida District 25 Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D).
Florida’s 25th Congressional District had historically combined Broward and Miami-Dade counties.
However, in 2022, lawmakers redrew the district to include only Broward County, where Rep.Wasserman Schultz has served since then.
Carbonara says that he plans to bring Republican representation back to Broward County, with his campaign announcing a campaign fundraising haul of nearly $1 million in a bid to oust Rep. Wasserman Schultz, a fixture in Florida state and national politics.
Rep. Wasserman Schultz is sitting on $1,621,254.23 in campaign cash.
In an exclusive interview with The Floridian, Carbonara said his platform centers on his desire to restore the U.S. and its freedoms, which he believes have been “eroded.”
“I never actually wanted to run," Carbonara said. "I really felt compelled to go. And I really do want to run to restore the freedoms in America that have been eroding. As we all know, the country's changed a lot."
With the government shutdown going into its third week, both Republicans and Democrats continue to point fingers at one another as to who is at fault for the shutdown.
The Republican criticized Wasserman Schultz, accusing her of refusing “to reopen our government” and warning that career politicians need to step down and let the innovators take the lead.
“Floridians are struggling to make ends meet with the high cost of groceries, essentials, property taxes, and insurance," he expressed. When the government should be working to make life better, Debbie Wasserman Schultz is keeping the government shut down.”
Carbonara took another jab at Wasserman Schultz, calling on voters to “retire career politicians and let hard work and innovation make the government work for you," adding, "I’m running to restore our freedoms and give every American the chance to prosper.”
Wasserman Schultz is considered a career politician because of her 30-plus-year career as an elected official.
With President Donald Trump striking a historic peace deal between Israel and the terrorist group Hamas, which led to the release of the remaining hostages held captive after the October 7, 2023, terror attack, there has been bipartisan praise of the president.
Carbonara took notice that Wasserman Schultz acknowledged the accomplishment but did not credit Trump, like Rep. Jared Moskowitz, former President Bill Clinton, and other Democratic lawmakers did, asserting that Wasserman Schultz is “against Israel” and only does what is beneficial to keep herself in power without holding any strong values, and saying that she was booted from her very own synagogue in Weston, Florida.
“I don’t think she’s really pro-Israel at all," he opined. "You know, she came out against Israel on October 7th, and last year she was actually kicked out of her synagogue, so the Jewish community here is fed up with her...I don’t think she really has any strong positions or values. It’s whatever keeps her in office.”
Carbonara's campaign has already caught the attention of national Republicans and the White House.
Before Carbonara can face off with Wasserman Schultz in the 2026 General election that will be held on November 3rd, he must first get through his August 18th primary election.
