By Danielle Lachance
Republican congressional candidate Anna Paulina Luna believes the stakes are especially high in the coming election. So high, in fact, that her would-be rival, William Braddock, allegedly has plans to kill her.
Luna is running for Florida's 13th Congressional District, a battle she lost to Charlie Crist in 2020.
"I received information yesterday (at midnight) regarding a plan (with a timeline) to murder me made by William Braddock in an effort to prevent me from winning the election for FL-13," Luna reveals in an official statement. Specifically, Luna alleges Braddock is stalking her as well as lobbying death threats against her. Following up on her claims, Luna filed a temporary motion to institute a restraining order.
Unfortunately, in the U.S., Luna's actions are far from unprecedented. Between 2 and 3 million people obtain temporary restraining orders every year. The requested restraining orders go into effect for a multitude of different reasons. Luna's restraining order against Braddock may become permanent after a more detailed review by the Pinellas County Circuit.
Even more alarming, Luna believes that he is not in it alone. She believes Braddock is working in conjunction with Matt Tito and Amanda Makki to execute their plans. In 2020, Tito ran for the Florida House of Representatives. Makki ran directly against Luna for a congressional seat in 2020, but, like Luna, lost to Crist.
Braddock denied the allegations in an early morning court appearance on June 22. During the hearing, Braddock stated he would like to "obtain, review and validate any evidence against him" and describes the charges as "politically motivated," according to NBC News.
As it stands, the evidence is still under review. Investigations are ongoing until at least July 9, when there will be a second hearing.
At that time, Luna says she will present text messages substantiating her claims in court, among other evidence. Braddock alleges that he does not have Luna's contact information and, up until now, has only met her once in person.
Luna remains adamant that she "fears for her life," while Braddock insists his opponent filed a fake police report and will face the legal consequences of her actions in the near future.
Either outcome has the potential to be very serious. It appears one of the candidates may spend time in Florida's legal system. Should either candidate be officially charged, there may be an option for them to post bail, depending on the severity of their charges. At that point, the accused will have to pay bail upfront or work with a third party, like a bail bond agency. Bail bond agencies secure release for their patrons by guaranteeing their clients' appearance in court in exchange for funds or property.
What does the future hold for Luna? That depends on the evidence presented and reviewed in court. Luna asserts that Braddock stated he will "take her out" as in he is plotting to murder her. Braddock clarifies that any statements along those lines allude to him winning the political race.
If Luna's allegations turn out to be true, she will have the freedom to campaign without further threats to her well-being. If not, making that claim has the potential to hurt her campaign and her political career.
Pinellas County says that the situation is a first for them and that "they've never seen anything like this in politics before," Fox 13 reports.
That level of excitement in Pinellas is just about unheard of. It is generally a laid-back community that many people permanently call home. While 60% of Americans leave their hometown during their lives, 37% remain in the same community they grew up in. Pinellas is a popular community to call home as a child and as an adult.
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