A congressional candidate in Florida is suspending his campaign activity to keep supply lines of essential products open during the coronavirus pandemic.
Judson Sapp, a Republican candidate for Florida’s 3rd Congressional District, announced that he will be indefinitely suspending campaign activity to focus on his company W.J. Sapp Railroad Contractor, which allows transportation of essential products, such as toilet paper. The company is based in North Florida, but it operates throughout the Southeastern United States.
Though he is not suspending his campaign altogether, Sapp told the Washington Examiner he does not feel it’s appropriate leadership to ask for political contributions during the pandemic and urged others to donate to “good charities who need it.”
“I think right now, we’re at a special time in America. People need to look to help other people before they help a person get elected to political office right now,” he said, adding that he hopes the effort will help keep grocery stores stocked and facilitate transportation of crucial things such as generators and coal for power plants.
Sapp first announced he would be focusing less on campaigning on March 25 in an online statement to social media followers. “During this time of uncertainty, I’ve decided to stop soliciting funds for my campaign until this crisis is over. I’ll also focus more on my railroad business, helping to keep the supply chain running,” the statement reads. “We may be facing a crisis, but America will return stronger than ever!”
Florida’s 3rd Congressional District, an area won by President Trump during the 2016 election covering a northern swath of the state including Gainesville, has a crowded Republican primary of candidates seeking to take the seat being vacated by retiring Rep. Ted Yoho. Other challengers include Clay County Commissioner Gavin Rollins and former Yoho deputy chief of staff Kat Cammack.
All the candidates have marketed themselves as supporters of the president, but Sapp has been the favored person among some of Trump’s closest allies, including Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk and former White House press secretary Sean Spicer. Sapp, raised in Clay County and a father of two, worked on the 2020 Trump Victory Finance Committee, appearing with Donald Trump Jr., the president’s eldest son, and Trump campaign surrogate Kimberly Guilfoyle to raise funds for Trump’s reelection campaign.
Guilfoyle has lauded Sapp for his support of Trump on social media while Trump Jr. has shared opinion articles written by the Republican candidate.
SAPP: Rep. Garamendi’s Threat Against Donald Trump Jr. Exposes The Violence Of The Left | The Daily Caller https://t.co/BlPMRDr235
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) March 2, 2020
Sapp told the Washington Examiner that he is supportive of the president’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, adding that people in his rural community are particularly vulnerable to the current economic situation as some estimate unemployment will increase to nearly 13%.
“We’ve got the right president to recover once this is over,” Sapp said, noting the executive steps taken by Trump will assist Florida’s economy and maximize supply chains. Sapp said he intends to prioritize his business rather than his congressional campaign indefinitely.
“I think we take our lead from the president and the governor,” he said. “We don’t need to be out there being gross about asking for money.”
Should Sapp win the nomination for his district in August, he would take on one of four Democrats presently vying for the seat.
