Rick Wiles Challenges Rep. Brian Mast in Florida's House District 21
FORT PIERCE, FLORIDA
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May 13, 2024 10:30 AM Eastern Daylight Time
A competitive two-candidate race has heated up in Florida's House District 21 after Florida's Secretary of State certified the name of a Ft. Pierce businessman to appear on the Republican Party primary ballot next to Congressman Brian Mast.
Rick Wiles is a businessman, media entrepreneur, 25-year broadcasting and podcasting veteran, film producer, author, and retired pastor. He filed a certificate of candidacy in Tallahassee to unseat Congressman Brian Mast in the August 20 Republican primary election. Over 210,000 people viewed his candidacy announcement on X (formerly Twitter).
Wiles said he was motivated to challenge Rep. Mast by four issues. Wiles said he was shocked and disgusted when he saw a photograph of Rep. Mast wearing an Israeli military uniform in Congress and learning that Mr. Mast has traveled to Israel to participate in IDF activities.
Wiles blasted Mast's actions as "treasonous." He vowed to introduce the Brian Mast Foreign Military Uniform Anti-Treason Act that would make it a felony punishable by ten years in prison for any member of the U.S. Congress or congressional staff members to wear any foreign military uniform and to participate in foreign military activities in another country outside the legal jurisdiction of the Department of Defense or NATO.
"Brian Mast dishonored every member of the American Armed Forces and all our veterans by wearing an IDF uniform and volunteering to serve in Israel,” said Wiles. "He particularly insulted my good friends in the USS Liberty Veterans Association who lost 34 shipmates during a surprise IDF attack in 1967.”
Wiles said Mast's allegiance to the Israeli army makes the Florida congressman a national security risk. "Mr. Mast cannot be trusted with classified national security information that would benefit Israel."
Wiles vowed that he would never wear a foreign military uniform. "Where do we draw the line?," Wiles asked. "Should we have a National Foreign Military Uniform Costume Day? If Mast can wear an IDF uniform to Congress, why can’t others wear Chinese, Ukrainian, French, or Russian army uniforms? Mr. Mast’s traitorous behavior crossed the line and opened the door for more members to wear foreign uniforms in Congress,” warned Wiles. "I hope the voters reprimand Mr. Mast for his undignified and outrageous behavior."
Funding for foreign wars is the second reason Mr. Wiles decided to challenge Brian Mast for the Republican nomination. "Our Congress has lost its mind," said Wiles. "The Congress spends one trillion dollars every 100 days that it must borrow from foreign lenders so that Washington can give away the money to foreign governments. Brian Mast loves to finance foreign wars, especially Israel’s genocidal war against the Palestinian people," said Wiles. The challenger promised to vote against all bills that finance foreign wars and militaries. "It is time we take care of America,” said the Republican populist.
Wiles said he would wage an aggressive door-to-door campaign throughout District 21 to meet voters face-to-face. "Mr. Mast already has millions of dollars in his campaign account, most of it from pro-Israel donors. I don’t have money, but I have the time and energy to walk door-to-door between now and August 20."
Mr. Mast's support for a federal ban on semi-automatic rifles and shotguns was the third issue that motivated Mr. Wiles to challenge the incumbent. "Brian Mast has something in common with Joe Biden, Nancy Pelosi, Charles Schumer, and Adam Schiff. All five want to ban your ownership of semi-automatic rifles and shotguns,” said Wiles. “Mast is a gun-grabber. He’s got to go.”
Rep. Mast's derogatory remarks about Fort Pierce were the fourth issue that pushed Wiles to enter the House race. "Mr. Mast trash-talked about my hometown. He humiliated the citizens of Ft. Pierce by calling it a God-awful, dilapidated city. He also embarrassed our Republican Mayor Linda Hudson by demanding her resignation. I hope the people of Fort Pierce teach Brian Mast a lesson in good manners on August 20," said Wiles.
Mr. Wiles' company, Faith & Values Media Group Inc., produces and distributes faith-based media content. Mr. Wiles is a retired pastor of Flowing Streams Church. The church recently sold its 10-acre complex in Vero Beach, FL, and transitioned to a digital-only media church. Mr. Wiles teaches an online Bible study called Morning Manna that attracts thousands of students each weekday.
Mr. Wiles has long hosted TruNews, a hard-hitting and controversial weekday news analysis and commentary program. He traveled twice as a news reporter to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, with the Trump White House in 2018 and 2020. Mr. Wiles has also attended numerous technology and FINTECH conferences in Europe and Asia. Jordan’s King Abdullah II invited Mr. Wiles in December 2022 to a royal banquet in Amman where the King unveiled his ambitious plan to preserve and enhance the historic site where Jesus was baptized in Jordan.
The new Republican candidate is the author of Final Day: 10 Characteristics of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Mr. Wiles is the executive producer of Sacrificing Liberty, an epic four-part documentary film about Israel's 1967 attack on the USS Liberty. Mr. Wiles is an honorary member of the USS Liberty Veterans Association.
Mr. Wiles and his wife Suzie will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on June 1. They have a son in Palm City and a daughter in Fort Pierce. The couple has ten grandchildren. Eight of them are adopted. Mr. and Mrs. Wiles reside on Muller Road in Fort Pierce.
This press release paid for by Rick Wiles 2024 Committee.
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Rick Wiles 2024 Committee
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