Charlie Crist’s running mate, Lieutenant Governor candidate Karla Hernandez-Mats, came under fire this Thursday for making derogatory comments about Republicans in the Florida legislature where she compared them to mentally handicapped people.
The comment came as Hernandez addressed what appeared to be a friendly crowd in someone’s private home.
“I’m a sp-ed (special education) teacher, so my major is emotionally handicapped education, okay?” Hernández says in the clip. “That by itself qualifies me to deal with a dysfunctional Legislature.” She said in the now-viral video.
The crowd could be heard laughing and cheering in response to her comments.
Calling the FL state leg dysfunctional & then comparing it to special needs students is disgraceful & a new low for @KarlaforFlorida. Hernandez-Mats' out-of-touch rhetoric proves she's unfit to represent Floridians, & she owes FL special needs students an apology. #FlaPol pic.twitter.com/bM8okry1TE
— RSLC Rapid Response (@RSLC_Rapid) September 14, 2022
Ron DeSantis’ wife, Casey DeSantis, said that she was ‘sickened’ by Hernandez’s ‘callous words’ and would make it her mission to let parents know about her hateful views.
Sickened by callous words from someone who claims to be an advocate for children.
Karla, saying children w/ unique abilities are “dysfunctional” & equating them to political opponents is a new low.
I will make it my mission to let all parents know of the “hate in your heart.”
— Casey DeSantis (@CaseyDeSantis) September 14, 2022
Democratic Gubernatorial nominee Charlie Crist refused to comment on Hernandez’s remarks.
For her part, Hernandez refused to apologize for her comments comparing Republican legislators to children with special needs.
Instead, in response to Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis, she called Ron DeSantis a ‘wannabee dictator’ and attacked his support of President Trump. She also called Representative Matt Gaetz, R-Fl. a ‘sex predator.’
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Wannabe Dictator DeSantis supports Trump who mocks the disabled, fines the Special Olympics & wants to bus Cubans to DE.
As an advocate for students, parents, & teachers, I’m exceptionally qualified to deal w/ GOP legislators, except Matt Gaetz, the sex predator you all embrace. pic.twitter.com/VRGU5hTklP
— Karla Hernández (@KarlaforFlorida) September 14, 2022
Gaetz was extorted by Florida real estate developer Stephen Alford who attempted to get money from Matt Gaetz’ father, Don Gaetz, in exchange for a Presidential pardon. It is not known if Rep. Gaetz is currently under investigation for a crime.
DeSantis’ Rapid Response Director and former Communications Director Christina Pushaw attacked Crist for refusing to disavow Hernandez’s comments, referring to her as ‘Karla Marx’ due to accusations that she mourned Cuban dictator Fidel Castro’s death.
Charlie Crist declines to defend controversial comments from his running mate, @KarlaforFlorida a.k.a. Karla Marx. https://t.co/rMsGml0RfR
— Christina Pushaw 🐊 🇺🇸 (@ChristinaPushaw) September 15, 2022
The DeSantis War Room Twitter responded to Hernandez’s comments, saying that special needs children are ‘human’ and not a ‘punchline to mock your political opponents.’
Charlie Crist's running mate, @KarlaforFlorida, really thinks this "joke" at the expense of her special education students is hilarious. So funny she's told it in public at least 3 times
Karla, kids with disabilities are humans…not a punchline to mock your political opponents pic.twitter.com/pOeeIxUtbN
— DeSantis War Room (@DeSantisWarRoom) September 14, 2022
Hernandez has come under fire for using harsh wording to attack conservatives in the past.
In one instance, she shared a political comic that mocked conservative parents, comparing them to villains from scary movies, saying that the ‘craziness’ at school board meetings is real, and ending her post with ‘antivaxx’ and ‘disinformation’ hashtags.
Recent polls show Crist and Hernandez trailing DeSantis by 3-5 percentage points. The RealClearPolitics average currently shows DeSantis with a 4-point lead over Crist.
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