Florida campaign: Trump rallies for Donalds and Moody in Fort Myers

U.S. President Donald Trump campaigned for his party in Florida eleven days before the congressional and gubernatorial elections. At a rally at Florida Gulf Coast University’s Alico Arena in Fort Myers on Friday, he backed Rep. Byron Donalds, who is running for governor, and Sen. Ashley Moody, who is defending her seat. “This is the free state of Florida, where people come to escape communists and not to elect them,” Trump said, according to PolitiFact. Gov. Ron DeSantis greeted him at the airport. Florida Republican Party Chairman Evan Power said: “Every election counts. It is all about turnout now.” Early voting is already underway in Florida.

Donalds faces Democrat David Jolly, and Moody faces Democrat Angie Nixon. The fact-checking site PolitiFact examined the speakers’ claims. It rated as accurate Donalds’ charge that Jolly once wanted to end the Roe v. Wade abortion ruling and now wants to restore it; Jolly has acknowledged the change. PolitiFact called misleading Moody’s statement that Nixon wants, among other things, to defund the police and let noncitizens vote. Moody was referring to Nixon’s membership in the Democratic Socialists of America; Nixon says she does not share all of the group’s positions and does not call for noncitizen voting.

PolitiFact assessed without a final rating Trump’s claim that Jolly wants to turn Florida into a “sanctuary state” for migrants: Jolly would not require such cooperation agreements with immigration enforcement statewide but would leave them open to local officials. DeSantis told the rally that Republicans now hold a lead of 1.5 million among registered voters. The speech is part of a campaign swing: Trump previously visited Texas, Oklahoma, Iowa and South Carolina and plans to appear in Georgia on Saturday and Michigan on Sunday. On Nov. 3, voters will elect the entire House of Representatives, a third of the Senate and numerous governors.