Florida Republican Sabatini says GOP future depends on following Trump’s platform

Anthony Sabatini Sure Anthony Sabatini. I’m actually a state representative down in Florida, but I’m running for United States Congress district seven central Florida. Annie Andersen And so I’m on your website. The very first page says that you are an America First candidate, and you’re running for Congress, because the spineless and corrupt Republican establishment turned its back on President Trump and refuses to fight for our America, America first agenda. So talk to me Why do you feel like you don’t agree with the Republican establishment? Anthony Sabatini Well, I’m in the State House currently in the Florida House. I love the way Florida is run. I think we do a good job. There’s room for improvement but we’re on the right track and things are going really good. I think the opposite is true. The federal government and I think one of the reasons why the federal government is so dysfunctional, is because the Republicans when they do get power are rarely ever. They rarely ever really offer a different set of ideas. They’re just like Democrat light and so nothing really ever changes in DC because they’re always growing government and spending and they’re not doing what I think they shouldn’t be doing. So that’s what kind of made me want to get involved with and the Federal scene and decide to run for Congress because I just didn’t think that the Republicans, majority of Republicans elected were true to the principles of the party like they should be. So that’s what prompted me to get involved and maybe want to run. Annie Andersen So in your head, would you say that President Trump is still the head of the Republican Party then? Anthony Sabatini Oh, yeah, no, I don’t think anybody could disagree. I mean, I’d be shocked if somebody said right now there’s a leader in the Republican Party more influential than Donald Trump, and I think it’s good that he’s in charge. I like his policies that he ran on. Annie Andersen How do you think that the GOP might change if they do continue the platform and agenda that he had set forth in 2016 to 2020? Anthony Sabatini Well, I mean that the principles and the issues that got Donald Trump elected are the ones we still need to pass. Unfortunately, we haven’t really passed many of them. You know, a lot, you know, obviously, the first and biggest issue is immigration, stopping illegal immigration, completely and totally and building the wall but also passing a bunch of other policies that would fix the normal immigration system, which doesn’t work for the Americans doesn’t work for the working class, and middle classes of our country. But also other things he said, you know, like, draining the swamp, which for me, is, is the equivalent of shutting down federal agencies increasing our oversight and just reducing the amount of government and the permanent bureaucracy what I call permanent, permanent DC, out of DC and that those things still need to happen. And there’s a host of other things so that the principles and issues of 2016 still need to be implemented and they need it needs to happen now before we lose the country. Annie Andersen And I know you mentioned the Republican establishment. If, if the Republican establishment does keep in control and you see yourself pulling farther further away from the values that you want to see the GOP have, would you consider starting a third party or is it just a faction of the GOP or how how do you see keeping to your values? Anthony Sabatini There’s no talk about a third party. There’s no series talk about that. Doesn’t seem like a good idea. It’s clear what we have to do. We have to just take over the Republican Party. The Republican Party needs to be the party of the middle class and the working class people the country the American labor needs to be you know about America first stopping the bleeding, stopping the policies that we have now, which have done almost nothing for the working class and middle class over the last 40 years. If we can do that the Republican Party will win again. But what we need to do is focus on winning primary elections. To make sure the Republican Party’s oriented in a positive direction, but there’s nobody I’ve never really met anyone seriously talk about that third party just doesn’t make sense. Annie Andersen Um, and then, how we’re hearing now a lot of Republicans in Congress and even some in state houses saying we need to work across the aisle to get things done. Should they do that or should they kind of stick to their guns and follow the the policy and the agenda? Anthony Sabatini Well, it depends on the issues, majority of the issues that the Democrats believe in would seriously destroy the country. But there are a few issues that they espouse belief in that I think we should be working across the aisle on. One of them is the decriminalization of marijuana. Another one is ending the wars overseas complete withdrawal from the Middle East. And there are some other issues too, obviously breaking up or limiting the influence of big tax seems to be a merging bipartisan issue. So there’s so there are issues that you can do that on, but the fundamental core of the Democrat party’s base, what they’re pushing for, which basically is socialism, there should be no compromise on and there should be no compromise on amnesty or anything related to immigration. whatsoever. Annie Andersen And you guys down in Florida, always all eyes on you. I feel like every two years. Now you have your race. We’re going to have a you know, four years of presidential race. Just what are your thoughts on how is Florida kind of the bellwether state? Anthony Sabatini Yeah, we are the bellwether. State, I guess you could say although maybe some would dispute that because we Donald Trump won overwhelmingly in Florida this last cycle but could have done a little bit better in some states. I do believe there was some voter fraud but in the Midwest he could have performed better should have been blowout margins. Really if you look at the voters that are realigning to the Republican Party. So that’s yeah, I mean, we’re the bellwether state and Florida is doing the best job we could be doing better but you know we’re doing good so Annie Andersen well, that is and your election is still quite aways way. But tell me how are you feeling so far? What’s been the response are you because you are a very polarizing candidate and what what has been the public response to you so far? Uh, Anthony Sabatini you know, I mean, I guess that’s true if you polar if what you mean by polarize is it’s it’s very easy to understand my issues. It’s very easy to identify with them or be opposed to them. I’m not a typical politician that makes you kind of guess at what he believes or what he’s gonna do or vote. I mean, I’ll tell you, way out in front way beforehand, exactly where I stand on every single issue. So that way, I’m not wasting your time or mine. And I think that also helps a persuading people to understand the issues with the way I understand them. So what was your question? Annie Andersen Sorry, I do these long questions about just how are you feeling what has been the response then? So far, Anthony Sabatini the response has been overwhelmingly positive. Even Democrats always say to me, I respect the fact that you don’t apologize for what it is you believe, and you’re not willing to back down on what you what it is you believe and, of course, Republicans are overwhelmingly in support with a majority of the issues I believe in because they’re all I think, common sense issues. You know, it’s about protecting American sovereignty, protecting the family, protecting the middle class, and just increasing freedom and liberty, you know, the principles of the declaration, the principles of the Constitution. So it’s going really good um, I’m sure I’ll win my primary overwhelmingly, and I think that we’re gonna have a really, really strong victory. In the general election based on early response. Annie Andersen You are a fairly young guy, and we do know that in Congress, especially a lot of the establishment Republicans are a bit older. Do you see the changing mindset as a, you know, young and old like the way of the future is your way Anthony Sabatini you know, there are some, you know, there’s definitely definitely generational characteristics as a very strong conservative, hard conservative, you know, I think that I actually agree with a lot of some of the other generations more on on some things like you know, Gen X or whatever, but there are definitely characteristics I think what makes my generation different and maybe makes me similar to true conservatives who I consider true conservative, my generation is we understand the threat of the left threat of what the Democrat Party is talking about. A lot more significantly in a much more significant sense than maybe other generations of Republicans did, because we grew up with it. You know, people were just now talking about critical race theory. You know, I live critical race theory University of flirting for college and law school twice. I mean, I watched those insane racist ideas be thrown around the classroom Cultural Marxism. On a daily basis, it wasn’t fringe, it was normal on the campus. So, you know, I think I represent someone who’s willing to fight harder because I know the stakes are higher. And I care about fundamental issues that if we lose on we’ll lose the country more than I just do. You know, I think a basic you know, if you take your normal Reaganite in the issues they cared about in the 1980s it’s it’s the severity in which we care about the issues are, are is much more serious, but also the issues are much more existential than I think they were then So yeah, that’s true.