Democratic Florida Senate candidate Janelle Perez has been no stranger to controversy in her bid to replace outgoing State Senator Annette Taddeo, D-Fl. in Florida’s 38th District.
In the final days before the midterm elections, rather than hosting a milquetoast event to appeal to moderate voters, Perez hosted a get-out-the-vote rally where she headlined with drag queens at what looked like a bar or restaurant.
The result was predictable as only a few people showed up besides the drag queens and Perez’s campaign manager. Perez decided not to come to the event due to the abysmal turnout.
WATCH: Florida Senate Candidate Janelle Perez held a drag queen voters rally and NO ONE showed up 🤣
And Democrats wonder why voters are turning to the Republican party in droves pic.twitter.com/cUlNFEMSpA
— Brendon Leslie (@BrendonLeslie) November 4, 2022
Drag queen shows have become increasingly politicized as Democrats and left-wing activists have defended drag shows that allow young audiences and, in some cases, young participants.
Michigan Republicans have used Democrat Attorney General Dana Nessel’s statement that there should be a “drag queen in every school” to attack her as negative attention has been drawn to drag shows across the country.
Michigan students are far behind in math & reading after long lockdowns, but the radical Left doesn’t care about helping kids, they just want to put a Drag Queen in every school. pic.twitter.com/22A5QcLtIi
— Tori Sachs (@Tori_Sachs) October 15, 2022
Perez made headlines after she claimed that she was the victim of harassment because of text blasts that accused her of getting rich while making people sick.
“Seniors get SICK, their coverage is DENIED, and Perez gets RICH,” the text says. “Now Janelle Perez wants to be your State Senator. Say NO to Janelle Perez by calling (Perez’s phone number).”
Perez owns a managed healthcare business, Doctors Healthcare Plans Inc.
These are the kind of texts that I get now thanks to my opponent’s campaign tactics. We cannot let somebody who perpetrates hate and violence into our State Senate. VOTE! pic.twitter.com/O1Om0wPg8n
— Janelle Perez for State Senate (@janellesofia) November 2, 2022
Senate Democratic Leader Lauren Book said that the incident was ‘unacceptable’.
“This will not be tolerated. It is unacceptable for Republicans to dox Democratic women, LGBTQ women, Hispanic women … in an attempt to win at all costs,” Book said.”
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As it turns out, Senate Democrats sent a text blast attacking Perez’s Republican opponent, Alexis Calatayud, where they also published her phone number.
The Calatayud campaign showed Florida Politics a text sent on the Perez campaign’s behalf, instructing voters to call a phone number found on Calatayud’s filing documents.
Dueling accusations of doxing, death threats in Florida Senate District 38 election race https://t.co/hepFWC0BOF
— Miami Herald (@MiamiHerald) October 17, 2022
The texts were sent from a spoofed number.
“Call Alexis Calatayud today at (Calatayud’s phone number) and let her know you’ve had ENOUGH of the extremism, corruption, and lies,” the text says.
The race for Florida’s newly drawn 38th district is one of the most competitive in the state, according to CBS News.
Miami-Dade, where much of the 38th district is contained, was formerly known as a Democratic stronghold. Republicans are now within striking distance in the county as they have surpassed Democrats in early voting and absentee totals.
JUST IN: Miami-Dade Republicans expand lead over Democrats to 5,022 votes (R+1.26%)
🔴 155,466 REPs
🔵 150,444 DEMsPINELLAS:
🔴 95,745 REPs
🔵 97,162 DEMs (+.57%)HILLSBOROUGH:
🔴 108,849 REPs
🔵 111,636 DEMs (+1%)STATEWIDE:
🔴 1,918,007 REPs (+7.43%)
🔵 1,593,688 DEMs— Florida’s Voice (@FLVoiceNews) November 5, 2022
Nearly $450,000 has been fundraised in the race in total, with Perez raising the lion’s share at $369,000.
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Be sure to read: Dems in Panic Mode as Florida Offers ‘Warning’ About Hispanic Voters Nationwide
