Clearwater man accused of altercation with Anna Paulina Luna’s campaign manager at early voting site
CLEARWATER, Fla. - A Clearwater man was arrested on a simple battery charge after striking Anna Paulina Luna's campaign manager with his shoulder on Saturday outside an early voting site in Pinellas County.
The Clearwater Police Department said Andrew Francis faces the misdemeanor charge after the incident, which took place outside the courthouse, located at 315 Court Street. It was one of Pinellas County's early voting sites ahead of Election Day.
Officers said before noon, Francis made "numerous aggressive actions and used verbal obscenities toward an opposing political group" while approaching the crosswalk on Court Street.
After he crossed the street, he came in contact with two people from an opposing political group. According to his arrest affidavit, Francis "intentionally struck the victim with his shoulder, causing the victim to lose her balance."
Representative Anna Paulina Luna posted on Facebook , saying her campaign manager was the victim in this case. She went on to call out her opponent, Whitney Fox, saying it was her "irresponsible and desperate rhetoric" that caused the incident.
"Whitney Fox has yet to publicly condemn the assault on my female campaign manager by one of her male supporters," Luna said in a statement to FOX 13. "Thank you to the Clearwater Police Department for your swift arrest of this violent individual. Political violence should never be tolerated. Fox will never be elected to office and should be embarrassed and ashamed of her behavior."
FOX 13 also reached out to Whitney Fox's campaign. Since Luna made her statement, Fox called the incident disheartening. Here's her full statement:
"Learning about the incident with Luna's staffer was disheartening, and I expressed my concern for her well-being to her personally. It is reckless of Anna Paulina Luna to falsely claim that this has anything to do with me or my campaign. It's important that we find ways to turn down the temperature in American politics. My own father was recently threatened with an axe while canvassing. The chaos and division must end, as situations like this have become all too common."
Francis was being booked into the Pinellas County Jail as of Monday evening.
