Challenger Will Furry blasts incumbent U.S Rep. Randy Fine for comments about Gaza famine

Yahoo

2 days ago

Will Furry, who announced a run for Congress in Florida's 6th District on Aug. 12, is the latest Republican challenger to incumbent U.S. Rep. Randy Fine.
Even though Fine won an April 1 special election and was sworn into Congress as President Donald Trump's hand-picked candidate, Furry doesn't see Fine as an incumbent.
"I see him as a placeholder, who kind of parachuted in here just a few months ago during the special election," Furry said in an interview. "You know, he doesn't really understand our district. He doesn't live in our district."
Special elections draw reduced turnout. Furry claimed Fine "hasn't been vetted by the electorate," adding: "I feel that once he goes through a full election cycle, the people of Congressional District 6 will see that I'm the best option."
Who is Will Furry?
Furry, 50, is a Realtor and real-estate investor who has served on the Flagler County School Board since his 2022 election. He has been chair of the board since 2023. He wears his faith on his sleeve, proudly sharing his membership at Epic Church of Palm Coast and involvement in mission work that has focused on helping children both locally in Flagler County and in Guatemala.
Furry and wife Jamie celebrated their 20-year wedding anniversary earlier this year. They have two children, ages 14 and 13, and the family has lived in Palm Coast for about 12 years.
He was born and raised in Orange County, California, and moved to the Miami area early in his career before landing in Palm Coast.
"We left there to leave the hustle and bustle of the big city," Furry said. "This is a paradise up here in this region of Florida, and it's just a great place to raise children."
Furry eschewed college for the workforce and said he climbed the business ladder, becoming executive vice president of a home-loan company. Furry has held his Realtor's license for more than 20 years and said he has founded "several entrepreneurial ventures."
His state financial disclosure form estimates his net worth at $1.95 million, with an annual income in 2024 of just over $200,000. That combines his compensation at Realty Atlantic LLC, his Flagler County School Board post pay, and rental income for a property valued at $1.2 million.
'I am an American success story," Furry said. "... I've accomplished more than many of my peers, and I did it all without a woke degree from Harvard.'
That last line was a dig at Fine, a Harvard graduate.
Attacking Fine from Day 1
Furry said he takes issue not just with Fine's residence in Melbourne Beach, about 100 miles south of the 6th District, but also with his controversial comments on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Fine, on Fox, made comments that were widely interpreted as supporting a nuclear strike on Gaza: "We nuked the Japanese twice in order to get unconditional surrender. That needs to be the same here."
He called Muslim Democrats Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib and New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani "terrorists." But what raised Furry's ire was a post on X, where Fine responded to reports of a famine in Gaza with the words "Starve away."
Furry said Fine's comments struck a chord, particularly because of his missionary work.
"I support Israel and I support an America First agenda, but as a nation, we always took care of the innocent people that were involved in these conflicts," Furry said. "I've dedicated my life in helping children, feeding children, and 'starve away' is just not, does not reflect America."
Furry said Fine's priorities are: "Randy first," then "Israel, followed by Israel, and then America."
He described Fine's "inflammatory comments" as "political theater and showmanship. That's not leadership. What we need to get back to is statesmanship."
What is Randy Fine's response to being 'primaried'?
Fine, through a campaign spokesman, responded to Furry's announcement by pivoting to Trump's Nov. 23, 2024, Truth Social post ("RUN, RANDY RUN!") endorsing the then-state senator in the special election to replace Michael Waltz.
'President Trump asked Randy Fine to run for Congress because he needed a steadfast ally in the House who would never compromise his values, never back down from a fight, and always put America First," said Bryan Piligra, a campaign spokesman. "Since the day he was sworn into office, Congressman Fine has delivered every step of the way — casting the tie-breaking vote for the President's One Big Beautiful Bill, passing historic investments into border security, and securing millions of dollars to support projects across the Sixth District.
"Congressman Fine looks forward to matching his record against the all-talk, no-action Never Trumpers who want to give our country back to radical Democrats,' Piligra said.
Who else is running in Florida's 6th District?
Thus far, two other Republicans are in the race to challenge Fine in the Aug. 18, 2026, primary: Palm Coast City Councilman Charles Gambaro, Jr., and Aaron Baker, a general contractor from Sorrento, in Lake County.
Gambaro suggested Fine's being "primaried" is an indication that his constituents are dissatisfied.
"The entry of another candidate into the congressional race is a clear indicator that our current representative in Congress is not meeting the needs of the residents of District 6. I look forward to a spirited campaign," he said.
Baker, who earned 14% of the vote against Fine's 83% in the Jan. 28 GOP special election primary, believes he can perform better with more time to campaign.
"None of them will outwork me," Baker said.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Flagler school board chair Will Furry running against Randy Fine