Florida’s lone Republican state lawmaker who identifies as Jewish has switched allegiances in the presidential race from Gov. Ron DeSantis in favor of former President Donald Trump, according to a Washington Times column he penned.
Until Monday, State Rep. Randy Fine was a staunch supporter of DeSantis, championing the governor's policies and legislation.
But the politician recounted how he believes he's a target based on being the only Jew elected to the state's Legislature, culminating in claims that he was pummeled by a "Nazi" two weeks ago – and saying that's "no big deal" in "Ron DeSantis' Florida."
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He suggested that he had been a cheerleader for DeSantis' policies in Florida, and the governor in turn reportedly flattered Fine, suggesting he seek the presidency of Florida Atlantic University.
"I love his words," Fine wrote. "His actions have broken my heart.“
Since his attack at the hands of a Nazi, Fine said he has had a change of heart.
"The past two weeks have made me realize our choice as Jews is simple,” Fine wrote in the column that he also tweeted in full. “We can vote for the governor who says all the right things, or we can vote for the president who actually does them.
"When it comes to action, Donald Trump has never let us down.”
Apparently, DeSantis let Fine down when the Jewish businessman ventured into politics and was taking incoming flak from his opponent back in 2020.
He wrote, "I had an open anti-Semite run against me; she called me a “pest” who should be 'exterminated.'
"So many Republican leaders came to my defense; Governor DeSantis did not. He didn’t even endorse me. I made excuses for all of it. But I can’t anymore. Our world changed forever on October 7," referring to the attack led by Hamas against Israel that murdered 1,400 people in what the country has marked as the deadliest attack since its founding in 1948.
Fine also criticized DeSantis for his numbed posture to temper the personal attacks on him and his family.
"I wrote this while just down the street a group of my fellow Americans openly rallied for the death of my children," according to the column. "Just two miles from where Ron DeSantis lives.
He then hyped Trump as the one man he knows who "can bring this to an end".
Fine concluded: "There is no choice – we must return Donald Trump to the Oval Office. For Israel. For Jews. For America. And for the World."
