Right-wing activists express outrage at Florida Republican Party during Sarasota County event

Key Information

• Event: Right-wing activists meeting at a Venice country club.
• Attendance: Approximately 200 activists focused on conservative strategies.
• Organization: The event was organized by the activist group “Defend Florida.”
• Focus: Strategies to oust establishment Republicans; emphasis on local political involvement.
• Key Message: Discontent with moderate Republicans and calls for more radical candidates.

In late July, a humid afternoon saw around 200 right-wing activists converge at a Venice country club, intent on strategizing their political path forward. Despite having Donald Trump in the White House for a second term, these activists voiced their beliefs that a corrupt elite still maintained control over Florida.

Over meals of catered barbecue chicken and sautéed vegetables, attendees from various far-right groups—be it Republican factions, anti-vaccine organizations, or those seeking to involve Christian clergy in conservative causes—vented frustrations primarily at their own party. Cathi Chamberlain from the Pinellas Watchdogs questioned the presence of “RINOs” (Republicans In Name Only) within their ranks, lamenting, “How’s it possible that we can have the most popular Republican president in our lifetime but still have so many RINOs in our party?”

Organized by Defend Florida, the gathering served as both a rally and strategic session aimed at grassroots conservatives. It highlighted a significant divide within the Florida GOP, pitting far-right activists against some party leaders. While the attendees focused on strategies to remove establishment Republicans from influential positions, the tension between these factions became increasingly evident.

With Trump’s presidency reaffirming their ideology, this MAGA faction is pivoting their focus from Democrats towards their own party, emphasizing the need to replace moderate Republicans with candidates that reflect far-right principles. Attendees jeered any mention of party leadership, suggesting a deep-seated discontent with those currently steering the GOP.

Speakers at the event condemned “RINOs” for betraying conservative values. Keynote speaker and State Rep. Berny Jacques delivered a speech decrying the nation’s electoral process as corrupt while urging grassroots involvement. Raj Doraisamy, leader of Defend Florida, encouraged participants to take the grassroots initiative seriously, presenting a structured agenda aimed at bolstering Republican local politics.

Political tensions within the GOP intensified after Joe Biden’s 2020 election, which created a rift amongst party members. One faction adamantly believed in election fraud claims, while the more traditional group dismissed these beliefs. This struggle became particularly prominent in counties like Manatee, where Trump-aligned activists faced off against local Republican leaders and election officials defending the integrity of the voting process.

Even as local activists aimed to push agendas further to the right, not all felt empowered. A number of candidates supporting election-related conspiracy theories faced significant defeats in seeking oversight positions in 2024. Yet, the sentiments of election security and voter registration reform remained strong among participants at the Defend Florida meeting.

Notably, influential right-wing charities also attended the meeting, presenting campaigns focused on “Biblical Citizenship” and urging the reshaping of American governance to reflect Christian values. This shift signifies a movement towards local empowerment, emphasizing that significant changes will be felt at the community level rather than the national stage.

Overall, this assembly of grassroots organizers reflects a larger narrative of discontent within the GOP, one that prioritizes radical shifts and local action over traditional party alignments. As Doraisamy stated, “This country is bottom up — that’s how I see it.”

This report was produced by Suncoast Searchlight, a nonprofit newsroom serving Sarasota, Manatee, and DeSoto counties. Explore more at suncoastsearchlight.org.