A Florida man, Andrew Francis, 32, was arrested on Monday for simple battery following a physical altercation at an early voting site in Pinellas County over the weekend. The incident involved the campaign manager of U.S. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla.
The altercation took place outside the county courthouse in Clearwater on Saturday, where Francis allegedly struck the woman with his shoulder. Clearwater police reported that Francis exhibited aggressive behavior and used verbal obscenities towards an opposing political group before the incident occurred.
According to an arrest affidavit, Francis intentionally struck the victim with his shoulder, causing her to lose her balance. While the victim was not identified by law enforcement, Luna confirmed on her campaign social media accounts that the victim was her campaign manager.
Luna attributed the attack on her campaign manager to the 'irresponsible and desperate rhetoric' of her opponent, Whitney Fox. She claimed that Francis had shaken hands with Fox's father before assaulting her campaign manager.
Responding to Luna's accusations, Fox expressed her concern for the well-being of Luna's staffer and criticized Luna for falsely implicating her campaign in the incident. Fox emphasized the need to reduce the political tensions in the country, citing a recent incident where her own father was threatened while canvassing.
Francis was released from jail after posting a $500 bond early Tuesday morning. The incident underscores the escalating tensions in American politics and the need for civility and respect in political discourse.
