PAYBACK: Anti-Matt Gaetz women’s group growing rapidly
A newly formed group, Women Against Matt Gaetz, protested outside a rally held in Niceville, Florida for the congressman on Saturday and vowed to vote him out of office. Created by Samantha Hope Herring, the formation of the group was inspired by comments made by the Florida Republican at a Turning Point USA event that categorized abortion rights activists as “ugly and “overweight.”
“Women have had enough of him and had enough of his mouth speaking derogatory to women who are simply expressing their rights,” Herring said.
After creating the Women Against Matt Gaetz Facebook page, membership grew rapidly – reaching over 1000 followers in just 48 hours.
“It has gone from us just creating it to like 1,300 in two days,” Herring said. “By speaking up, we can organize together to vote him out. That’s the number one thing we want to see happen. And we also are going to be asking Congress to censure Matt Gaetz,” Herring told local ABC affiliate, WEAR-TV at the rally.
The president of the Okaloosa County Democratic Women’s Club, Kathy White, told ABC 3:
“Women all feel strongly about their rights being trampled on and having no respect. Even Matt has a mother. Can you imagine how embarrassed she is? All people have mothers, and all mothers are women.”
Inside the rally, Gaetz was quoted as saying, “there are people who go and fight for our freedoms– the freedom to protest, the freedom to dissent, and we have to remember that works both ways and we won’t be ugly to people who hold a different viewpoint.”
Women Against Matt Gaetz aren’t the only ones disgusted with the Florida congressman’s statements at Turning Point USA. Gaetz received criticism from Republican women as well. Anti-abortion activist and President of SBA Pro-life, Marjorie Dannenfelser, called Rep. Gaetz’s comments “hideous.”
SHAME on @mattgaetz for this hideous comment. https://t.co/1hpRrym2QC
— MarjorieDannenfelser (@marjoriesba) July 25, 2022
Earlier in the week, there was swift backlash after the congressman body-shamed 19-year-old abortion rights activist, Olivia Julianna when the Texas teen called him out for his misogynistic and shallow statements.
Gaetz tweeted the activist’s profile pic out to his 1.4 million followers with the caption, “Dander raised…”
Julianna took Gaetz’s attempted insult in stride and turned it into a positive – raising $2 million in just 72 hours for 50 abortion funds across the country.
Despite what Rep. Gaetz told the crowd at his pro-life rally on Saturday, the statement released by his campaign spokesman is closer to the Florida Man we’ve come to know.
“Hundreds of women for Matt Gaetz showed up to rallies today in real life. Woke activists sharing hate online aren’t our focus. Matt Gaetz is pro-life and wouldn’t have it any other way,” the statement said.
Congressman Gaetz is currently under federal investigation for child sex trafficking.
Original reporting by Kelsey Coffey and Al Showers at WEAR-TV.
Follow Ty Ross on Twitter @cooltxchick
