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Rep. Matt Gaetz Kicks Off Reelection Campaign With Stop In Walnut Hill, Addresses FPL Rates
April 10, 2022
Incumbent Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz kicked off his reelection campaign Saturday with a stop in Walnut Hill, U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene at his side.
Gaetz and Greene spent most of their time on national issues — from President Joe Biden’s multiple shortcomings, to immigration, Hunter Biden’s laptop, Dr. Anthony Fauci to the war in Ukraine.
The event was held at the Walnut Hill Baptist Church in Walnut Hill. About 30 people gathered in a seating area that was set up in the lobby of the building, while a much larger space — big enough to have a basketball court — sat empty nearby. Many of those in attendance were not from Walnut Hill.
One person was escorted out of the event by Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputies after being told it was a private event. Greene, who did not identify the man by name, described him as someone that had followed her from Georgia and was not welcome.
Walnut Hill is a small, unincorporated rural community that is almost as far as one can go to the northwest in Gaetz’s Northwest Florida district. Its population is but a tiny speck of the 800,000 or so people in Florida’s 1st Congressional District. It was his only stop Saturday in Escambia County and came after afternoon events in Crestview and Milton.
Gaetz said he was proud to visit the far corner of the district to kick off his campaign even though, as he expected, the crowd was small.
For a photo gallery, click here.
The congressman said the biggest local issue for his constituents right now is the rates charged by Florida Power & Light.
“This is what the Green New Deal looks like, because every time you get Biden out there talking about the Green New Deal and just the craziest seizures of government power, it gaslights these electric companies to be able to say, oh well, we have to turn everything into solar. And look, if they want to turn something into solar, let them go do that. But you shouldn’t have to pay today to build a solar farm that they are going to get the benefit of for the next 50 years. They should have to put in their own money building those solar farms if that’s what they want to do.
“Florida Power & Light is a very, very profitable company, and what I don’t like about it is that we don’t have a choice. You know if the person who sells cheeseburgers jacks up the price of cheeseburgers, you could go down the street and go to a competitor. But they (FPL) have these government-authorized monopolies.
“Frankly, if the Public Service Commission is going to approve these rates, Gov. DeSantis needs to go and clean house and get rid of every last one of them.”
Gaetz said his office is gathering feedback on FPL rates, and he will personally send that to the PSC and the governor so they know how it is impacting Northwest Florida.
“This is functionally a tax increase on every person in Northwest Florida because they have no choice,” Gaetz told NorthEscambia.com after the event. “They have to pay it. And it’s my intention to continue lobbying Governor DeSantis and the Public Service Commission to roll back these rates and to not approve any rate increase.
Gaetz also told us that veteran’s issues are also important locally in his district.
“We’re always dealing with veterans issues,” Gaetz said. “In Escambia County, we have a special connection to the military mission, and I see that military mission attacked from the woke generals and from the Department of Defense leadership. And so it’s very much a kitchen table issue in Northwest Florida to get our military pointed back in the right direction.”
And, during our exclusive interview, NorthEscambia.com also asked Gaetz about the lack of high speed internet in North Escambia, including Walnut Hill, as the Escambia County Commission moves forward toward finding a partner for a broadband network.
“I am concerned about over-federalizing the way different communities are looking at connectivity,” he said. “I think that that leads to too much of a one-size-fits-all system. So I prefer that work to be done more at the state and local level, not through federal grants.”
For a photo gallery, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Comments
40 Responses to “Rep. Matt Gaetz Kicks Off Reelection Campaign With Stop In Walnut Hill, Addresses FPL Rates”
Floridas first district is woefully represented in Congress. Gaetz has no business being in Congress. He has done nothing but embarrassed NWF. Immature, suspicious,
Yo I just want my Representative to at least act like s/he cares about us. All I see from Gaetz is a ton of outside interests contributing to his campaign and very little concern for what’s happening here. Aside from voting against price caps on insulin recently, what’s he done with his power we gave him?
Would be cool to see a write-up on the primary candidates and the ballot initiatives coming in the midterms. Its so hard to find real info on any local political topics sometimes.
REGARDING:
“Some you probably support the lying juvenile ACO”
Some might. I don’t understand why any would. They probably know it’s AOC (just guessing here) that you are talking about. Comparing and contrasting him with the weirdest member of the Democratic Party may make him look slightly better but he has FAR to go to be worthy of honest admiration.
David for better people, not less worse people
Besides being very ineffective in Congress, he nor his office will return a phone call or e mail except for a robo response. I do hope another responsible republican will run against him this time.
Walnut Hill is EREC. Apparently he still thought FPL was a great topic, or maybe just regurgitated his speech from Milton?
Looks like the paid and/or unhinged opposition not only crosses state lines to do a little stalking but have showed up here in the comments as well… Yes Matt is kind of a polarizing figure, we get it, don’t be jealous… Some you probably support the lying juvenile ACO, think Biden is actually coherent and think him, his son, Fauci,ECT., have no ties or dealings in the US funded bio labs in Ukraine…
@Susie “It is true.”
Yeah, Susie, it is true. It’s right there in the Congressional Record for all who care to see (Google is your friend). There are many H.R. bills, introduced by Republicans in the current session, which have been passed, and are now law. Facts are facts.
Here’s one for you: H.R.3919 – Secure Equipment Act of 2021, introduced by Republican Steve Scalise, having to do with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
I actually agree that we should not be paying in advance for FPL to make capital investments.
I disagree that the current rates are the result of Biden and the Green New Deal, because it’s not. The rates are set by the PSC, which barely answers to the governor. Gaetz has no ability to do anything about FPL.
Matt Gaetz and Marjorie Taylor Greene are the biggest losers Congress right now. They don’t do anything for the people. Both of them are full of hot air. I don’t know which one is more stupid. They are both crazy. The good people of Northwest Florida deserve better than Dumb & Dumber.
Let’s throw the key words in there about things that don’t exist like Woke and Green New Deal to make people think we’re saying something of substance and get them scared! Can’t forget completely meaningless things like Hunter Biden’s laptop and Dr. Fauci that have zero impact on our constituents!
There has to be some kind of significant void in your life if you think these people are good representatives. They’re good performers though, I’ll give ‘em that. America loves its attention-seekers.
@JoshJones It is true. Look at the stats. McCarthy….lol, please. I won’t argue politics with you on this forum though. It’s there for all to see.
REGARDING:
“Republicans are in the minority right now ”
which was regarding:
“Gaetz has not sponsored any bills that have become laws. So basically all he does is yell to get attention”
True, but also true when Republicans held the majority and will still be true when regain majority.
He’s a mite embarrassing as a representative with his underage sex problems ratting him out and running around the country spreading false information.
David for better people
@Susie – “Republicans are in the minority right now and Pelosi doesn’t allow the legislation to be entered.”
That is not true. For instance, H. R. 5566 was introduced by Kevin McCarthy, the House Republican Minority Leader. It was introduced in the current session (117th) on 10/12/21.
This is a very fair comparison. Gaetz and Green just voted in favor of normal trade relations with Russia/Putin. A Murderer of Women and Children. This is not a political issue. This is crimes. Against Humanity. It’s Not Political
@Robert Bruner, that’s actually not a very fair comparison for Gaetz since Republicans are in the minority right now and Pelosi doesn’t allow the legislation to be entered. All in all, his heart is all in. GO MATT!
Gaetz has not sponsored any bills that have become laws. So basically all he does is yell to get attention. His fans think he actually passes policy but all he does is stroke his hugh ego as well as his huge hair-do.
Glad to see them both here. I’m sure more people would have been there if they knew about it. Two lovely people that are fighting to get America back on the right track because it’s definitely run waaay off it’s course. God bless them! GO MATT!!!
“Definitely would have been more people if it were an announced event.”
It was an announced event. On his social media. channel 3, the Pensacola newspaper. But nobody looks at those.
I love how Gaetz told Type 1 Diabetics to lose weight the other day when he voted against lower insulin prices. He is irrational and anti-science just like Democrats!
Total Disgrace. Only three politicians out of them all. Voted. NO. To suspend trade relations with Russia/ Putin. And these two are Two of the No votes. Northwest Florida should be ashamed of them with the Atrocities in Ukraine
Definitely would have been more people if it were an announced event.
@ Trisha my dear..
Congress already had copies sumitted to it.
What Gaetz did was showboat for the media.
You think it magically showed up in Gaetz pocket…and where do you think he got the “dummy flash drive”
No one has the original walking around with it.
The real FD was already in possession of Congress..and it didnt come from Gaetz.
Your eyes have to be burning from the smoke and mirrors and his PR team
Dont think one minute that little Walmart FD was the real deal.
No my dear, Mrs Green didnt give it to him either.
Please woman!!!
I live how Matt Gaetz spearheaded the effort to kill the Green New Deal but is still blaming all of our problems on it.
In case anyone is wondering, Mitch McConnel forced a vote on the Green New Deal nearly three years ago, and the bill was defeated. The Green New Deal doesn’t exist any more than unicorns, Leprechauns, or Illuminati lizard-people.
Lol, politics. I may not like Republicans, but anything is b etter than a democrat. We will soon be a third world country so waht does it matter.
Gaetz has nothing to do with the PSC!!! The governor may appoint commissioners, but that doesn’t mean that the governor controls the commission. The psc has consistently sided with these natural monopolies over the people, regardless of which party is in the governors office. It’s time that we the people demand that these monopolies be disbanded and the services provided by the state with tax payer dollars!!!
These are all about themselves.
You think they care about you or our country? They dont know you from Adam.
No the are rejects from the Jerry Springer show.
And people have been so blinded by both of these people with smoke,mirrors and deception.
I will pray for those who think these to are what America is about.
Far,very far from it.
Pure digust!
Mr. G came to our church and spoke.
He says what he thinks is popular…he dont speak from the heart.
Mrs. M…is in need of some medical extras.
Mike Honcho, if you’re calling out the left as those who “call out the things they love to do and say,” then by your reasoning, you love the left!
Wow a lot of projecting on here today. As always the left loves to call out the things they love to do and say it’s the right that does it.
So sad we missed them. They are my 2 favorite politicians other than Trump and Desantis. What Gaetz did the other day submitting the Hunter Biden laptop flash drive into Congressional record was one of the most gangster things I’ve ever seen. It had to be done since the MSM “forgot” to talk about it before the election.
These two only can run on fear of the sky is falling. Neither can relate to the everyday trials that the working person deals with. Of course the FPL issues they mentioned because it stokes emotion and hatred. Be glad when those two and they’re brand get gone. Doesn’t matter what side of the aisle you’re on. All they are good for is stoking a fire to stir up the masses. If you embrace one side only then you’ll be blind to what’s around you. You will miss slot of potential blessings in life.
Guess most people understood the irony of these 2 speaking at a church! Hopefully MTG spent some time praying and asking God for forgiveness for all of the hateful, ugly things she has said and done to people.
What this clown didn’t mention was that FPL is the Largest Republican Donor in Florida. Nothing will be done by Gaetz or Desantis to bring rates down. Just more propaganda, lies and misinformation. Why he would bring MTG to Florida is beyond me. She agreed with Alex Jones that the murder of 20 children in Sandy Hook was a fake and they were all actors. She is as disgusting as they come … and Alex Jones is evil personified.
Wow Happy to see Matt and Marjorie visit our beloved North Escambia. Being one who reads the mullet wrapper and NE and being on Matts email notification, wondering how we missed this event….
Too too sad,they are running their mouths about everyone else.what are they running on? Show me the money… Just cutting everyone else down.. I am surprised Green didn’t bring her guns… I say NO!!! Put your money where your mouth is … lip service…..
When crazy comes to town, north escambia residents know better than to show up!!
They both are a complete waste of oxygen. They are what is wrong with democracy. Attention seeking, childish, divisionist instead of working together with others, they thrive on drama and anger and chaos as it gives them the attention they crave while they provide nothing of substance. It is really sad that these types of immature attention seekers manage to get elected.
Thanks to the folks who came out to support Gaetz and Greene. We need to have more of these real Americans making our laws.
Imagine that… Some crazed individual spending their Saturday to cross state lines on a road trip to some stalking… Big government/politics is far to polarized and has been inserted into people’s daily lives trying to govern and teach on social issues… Let’s get back to the basics of academics in the classrooms and leave the parenting to the parents rightfully… Matt is for the people… He will always get my vote %100 !
So this as a “private affair” and not open to the public?
Aren’t all the lefties gonna be surprised when he is reelected.