‘Beacon of freedom’ or ‘Loudocracy’? How Florida became culture war central.
Like many Floridians, Anna Paulina Luna is from somewhere else – in her case, California. The Air Force vet and sometime swimsuit model turned politician used to be, in her words, an “avid” Obama supporter.
But now she’s a staunch, vocal conservative. So conservative, in fact, that she’s been endorsed by former President Donald Trump for her run at a congressional seat in the Tampa Bay area. She appears to be the frontrunner to win the Republican primary and face off against a Democrat for a seat that could go to either party in the fall. Florida is “setting the standard for what conservatism is,” says Ms. Luna, who changed her last name from Mayerhofer to a Hispanic family name to broaden her appeal and reflect her roots.
“This is a place where I can speak up for what I believe in,” she adds. “People here aren’t afraid to be punished and canceled.”
Is Anna Paulina Luna a symbol of where Florida politics is headed? Her personal transformations in many ways mirror what’s happened in the Sunshine State, as it’s moved in recent years from hotly contested national battleground to a possible model of modern Trumpist conservatism.
