ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (WFLA) – Rep. Anna Paulina Luna and Home GOP management are at odds.
The Pinellas County Republican is pushing to permit new mother and father the flexibility to vote by proxy, or remotely, for as much as 12 weeks after having a child.
It’s a push that some Republicans within the chamber don’t wish to see occur. GOP critics concern it’ll open “Pandora’s field” and a few consider it’s unconstitutional. Luna denies these claims since proxy voting has been used earlier than, like throughout COVID.
“There have been some members threatening to close down the Home flooring, utterly, even when he allowed the vote to come back to the ground,” Luna stated.
The congresswoman has since left the Home Freedom Caucus. That is a bunch of among the most conservative members, like Sarasota Rep. Greg Steube and gubernatorial hopeful Byron Donalds. Luna maintains her conservative values haven’t modified.
“You do not have to be part of a bunch to nonetheless preserve your convictions,” Luna stated.
When Luna felt the distant voting Home Decision for members was stalled, she then bought most members of the Home to signal a so-called discharge petition. That is the way you get laws on to the ground, bypassing committees and management.
“Inside 24 hours of me being profitable, they tried to say they wish to put ahead laws they campaigned on,” Luna stated.
Speaker Mike Johnson then canceled different votes for the remainder of the week within the GOP’s razor skinny majority. Meaning lawmakers will wait to listen to payments, just like the one regarding offering proof of citizenship to be eligible to vote.
“The convention is having a bit heartburn as a result of you have got a bunch of people who find themselves now not respecting the institutional pointers on the way you conduct laws,” Luna stated.
Luna can also be responding to critics on different points in her district. Democrats have held, not less than, two city halls in her district. It was connected to a nationwide effort to host city halls in purple districts as pushback grows over President Trump’s agenda. Opponents have been vital of the workforce cuts and the rising variety of tariffs. One was hosted by Luna’s earlier Democratic opponent, Whitney Fox and one other included former Republican Rep. David Jolly.
“I am nonetheless assembly with residents after I’m in Washington and after I cannot take the assembly in-person after I’m again residence, I take the assembly on Zoom,” Luna stated.
Luna can also be planning a bigger occasion to talk and listen to from residents that will occur as early as subsequent month.
“I’ll do a tele-town corridor the place I can communicate to over 60,000 individuals. I feel that is vital. We will nonetheless open it up for questions,” Luna stated.
Some in Tampa Bay have been involved about rising price due to the general tariffs issued by President Trump. Luna stated she trusts the president’s dealing with of the economic system and agrees with the lately introduced reciprocal tariffs.
“When you have a rustic like China that places a 100% tariff on an American import, it makes it more durable for our enterprise to promote abroad,” Luna stated. “In the long term, from our perspective, it might truly make items cheaper as a result of then these nations will drop the tariffs and assist bolster the economic system.”
The congresswoman additionally stated she continues to be engaged on serving to the no tax on suggestions motion, together with ending FEMA’s 50% rule.
