Florida Republican switches sides to oppose Trump and causes MAGA meltdown

US President Donald Trump during the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), in New York City, US, September 22, 2026. REUTERS/Kylie Cooper

On Tuesday, a lifelong Florida Republican declared that he will vote for Democratic midterm candidates in protest against President Donald Trump, and MAGA is not happy about it. While Republican Robbie Smither said his reasoning involved practical considerations, many disappointed MAGA supporters attempted to woo him back by appealing to culture war conspiracy theories.

“When I vote for a Democrat, [former Rep. David Jolly (D-FL)], for the first time in my 41 years of life this November, it will not be because my values have changed, but because my party has abandoned our values for the sycophancy of a transactional leader who has none,” posted Smither. Jolly is running a neck-and-neck race for Florida governor against Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL), a staunch Trump supporter. “I made a personal commitment to vote for [former Rep. Mike Beltran (R-FL)],” Smither continued, referring to the toss-up race for Florida’s 14th District, “and I want to keep my word, but I’m a few more red hats, Trump mailers and fill-ups away from taking a mulligan and voting for [Rep. Castro (D-FL)]. Why? Because Mike, for whatever reason, has made [Trump] his identity in this race instead of the principled conservative independence that set him apart in Tallahassee.”

MAGA commenters chimed in with a variety of conspiratorial responses, with the most high-profile coming from disgraced former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), who replied, “Bro we need your vote. I hate the war too. But the Democrats want to trans your kids.”

Smither rejected this appeal on no uncertain terms, responding at length, “With all due respect, stop p—— on people and telling them it’s raining. There is absolutely no logical evidence that [Jolly], [former Rep. Gwen Graham (D-FL)] or [Castro] want to ‘trans’ my two sons. None. Here’s the hard truth for you, and for everyone who reaches for the political boogeyman every time somebody on our side tries to have a real conversation: My wife and I don’t sit around stressing over whether some politician is going to ‘trans’ our boys. Our ten-year-old son is on the spectrum, and we know firsthand the challenges of managing an atypical life where crisis can become routine. What we worry about is feeding him and his brother. Paying the mortgage and homeowners insurance on the house we’re raising them in. Giving both boys a quality education that meets their individual needs. Having enough money left over for the therapies our son needs, or even the hygiene and laundry products it takes to keep him and his clothes clean.”

He went on to detail the financial struggles his family has faced since Trump took office, concluding, “So no, Matt, ‘transing my kids’ isn’t what we’re worried about. We’re worried about raising them, providing for them, keeping a roof over their heads, meeting their individual needs and somehow staying ahead of the next bill. And here’s the hardest truth for candidates on the ballot this year: Those are the things I expect any leader who wants my vote to be worried about too.”

A number of MAGA accounts responded to his concerns by asserting that the president’s $5,000 “dividend” check would help pay for his bills, hypothesizing that Iran would have closed the Hormuz Strait with nuclear weapons were it not for Trump's war, and emphasizing that voting Democrat was a vote for “trans illegals.”

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