Photo: SDI Productions / E+ / Getty Images
The August primary is just over two weeks away and early voting starts on Saturday.
In this entry, we focus on the Republican primary in Congressional District 21. Incumbent Congressman Brian Mast, a wounded war veteran, was first elected to the U.S. House in 2016. He counts among his priorities, 'draining the swamp.'
"This place is a swamp. I also sit on the Foreign Affairs Committee, and daily I'm forced to watch the administration send dollars out the door to foreign countries in ways that in now way whatsoever benefit the American people."
Mast gives as an example of one thing we've paid for without his support, drag shows in Ecuador.
The congressman is a proponent of term limits, even as he runs for a fifth term.
"Even if that means that I have to move on because there's a term limit there, I'm fine with that if it overall helps reform this system."
Mast's challenger in the GOP Primary is retired pastor-turned-podcaster Rick Wiles, who also owns a media company and an emergency food preparedness business.
When it comes to term limits, Wiles pledges to serve no more than three terms if elected.
Like Mast, he feels taxpayers' money is often used on things that don't benefit Americans. For Wiles, that means all the money that's been going to Israel and Ukraine.
"I'm opposed to funding any foreign war. If I went to Congress, I would cut off money for all foreign wars. If another country wants to have a war, let them pay for it themselves, let their soldiers fight it. Don't get America involved in your fights."
Wiles attacks Mast over his support for Israel, but says he is not anti-Israel or antisemitic.
"Criticizing the state of Israel is the third rail in American politics. You are not allowed to criticize the state of Israel. And I have criticized Israel. That does not make me anti-Jewish, it just makes me critical of a country called Israel."
Wiles vows to introduce a bill named after his opponent if he gets into the U.S. House. His idea for the “Brian Mast Foreign Military Uniform Anti-Treason Act” stems from Mast wearing his IDF uniform to Capitol Hill to show his support for Israel.
"I was so stunned. I just couldn't believe that a member of the U.S. Congress would join a foreign army and dare to wear a foreign army uniform inside Congress."
Mast says he chose to volunteer for the Israeli Defense Forces after his time in the U.S. Army because our countries share the "ideals of freedom, democracy and mutual respect for all people." And he answers to Wiles' claims that he wore the uniform to Congress.
"I didn't wear it to Congress, I wore it to some meetings on a day that was determined to be by the pro-Hamas, pro-Palestinian supporters the 'International Day of Rage.' If the guy has a problem with it, that's certainly his right to have a problem with it but I don't think his policies are ever going to see the light of day."
Wiles has other complaints about Mast. He claims to have been a supporter of the incumbent in previous elections.