Interview: Bryan Leib on His Candidacy for Congress in FL-25

Bryan Leib is a 38-year-old Republican primary candidate for Florida’s 25th Congressional District endorsed by five members of Congress, Florida Speaker of the House Paul Renner, and former Ambassadors Richard Grenell and David Friedman.

He is CEO at Henry Public Relations, a conservative PR firm. Formerly, he was a Senior Fellow at the Hungarian Think Tank Alapjogokért Központ (Center for Fundamental Rights). He can be found on X @BryanLeibFL. This interview was edited for clarity.

Ari: What got you into the race, and what is your race about?

Bryan: I got into this race because Judeo-Christian values are under attack in America, in the halls of Congress, and throughout the country. I've always fought for those values. I saw an opportunity to step onto the national stage — the lion's den — to fight for the principles that Americans embrace.

Up is down, and down is up. Biological men compete in women's sports, and biological men are inside women's locker rooms. As a 38-year-old man who loves this country, I refuse to be silent and sit on the sidelines. I'm in the fight to save the fabric of this country.

Ari: Tell me about the district you're running in and why voters are disillusioned with the incumbent.

Bryan: I am running for Florida’s 25th Congressional District which represents Hollywood, Dania Beach, Hallandale Beach, Davie, Pembroke Pines, Cooper City, Weston, Pine Island, and Southwest Ranches. Seventy-five percent of the district is white or Hispanic — over 40 percent Hispanic. The two biggest demographics are Hispanic voters and Jewish voters.

The incumbent was elected to Congress when I was graduating high school in 2004 and has held office for twenty years. Her primary focus is on how MAGA Republicans are a threat to democracy — unproductive rhetoric that creates division. Voters want new blood, someone who isn’t a career politician. I want to shake things up and go in a different direction.

For decades, seven thousand veterans have committed suicide every year. Why aren’t we expending every available resource to cut that number in half? It doesn’t make sense. Brave men and women who fight for our country end their lives because they don’t get help they need. An abject failure of our government is not prioritizing veterans while it sends billions around the world to support other countries.

The problem with career politicians is that they sit at the same table with the same people, year after year, decade after decade, doing nothing — nothing to help small businesses, nothing to help veterans, nothing to shrink government — and they keep spending money we don’t have. We are borrowing from the future of our grandchildren.

It's time for a different approach. The only way to accomplish that is with new blood, disruptors, and change agents like myself in Congress. We need representatives who will serve the American people instead of special interests.

Ari: What is a concern of both Hispanics and Jews specific to your district, compared with the national level?

Bryan: One of the most significant issues is school choice and quality education. Allowing parents to send children to the best school, regardless of cost is important to Hispanic families, Jewish families, all American families. Florida’s school choice program has expanded significantly, but we can do more. For starters, we can revise federal tax credits so families can claim bigger deductions.

Further, everyone is concerned about the flow of hundreds of thousands of illegal migrants into the country. I often hear that border security is national security.

The third issue cuts across every sector. Whether you’re a billionaire or have nothing, regardless of race, everything is more expensive. Inflation is out of control. Putting food on the table and filling the gas tank costs more than ever. A dozen eggs should not cost $9.00. In the district, concerns are safety, immigration reform, better schools, and making life affordable.

Ari: Have you noticed Hispanics moving right in your district the past year?

Bryan: Our Hispanic voters are Venezuelan-Americans and Colombian-Americans, with a small percentage of Cuban-Americans. The vast majority are Republicans, or registered Democrats who vote Republican but haven’t switched parties yet. A large percentage of the Hispanic demographic across the U.S. will vote for Trump and Republicans in November.

The Jewish community will probably vote red, too. October 7 awakened a lot of Jewish Democrats and Jewish moderates. It was such a high price to pay, but they understand now that the Democrat Party is no friend to the State of Israel.

Democrats have done nothing to quell anti-Israel protests on college campuses and Main Streets throughout America. Jewish and Hispanic votes will factor greatly in the November elections.

Ari: Do you think the switch to Kamala Harris as the Democrat nominee will make it harder for Democrats to sway Jewish voters?

Bryan: Many Jewish Democrats have already made up their minds; they're voting for Trump, regardless of the Democrat nominee. They may not like Trump as a person, but they love his policies concerning Israel.

Many Jewish Democrats and Jewish independents tell me they will be single-issue voters in November. The only issue is Israel. Whether they like Trump or not, they understand that the State of Israel and the Jewish people have no better friend than President Trump and his administration.

In terms of Israel, Kamala is far worse than then Joe. However, at this point, the candidate doesn’t matter; Democrats dug themselves into too deep a hole when it comes to Jewish voters. They will vote for Trump because they know he’ll never withhold aid packages to Israel.

To connect the dots, many Jewish Democrats and Jewish independents understand that Biden sends billions of dollars to the Islamic Republic of Iran. Thus, Iran has more money to send Hamas, and Hamas executed the Oct. 7 attack. Given that truth, at least 50 percent of the Jewish vote nationally will be for Trump.

In fact, large numbers of Jews — regardless of political party — inform me that if Trump doesn't win, they may not want to continue to live in America. In what world are we allowing guests in our country on student visas to terrorize Jewish students?

Ari: What are the biggest campaign challenges you face?

Bryan: Raising money is difficult running against Debbie Wasserman Schultz — a career politician. She snaps her fingers and raises $5 million. Our political institutions are designed to keep young people and new blood out, and fundraising is probably our biggest obstacle.

Aside from fundraising, we're in good shape going into the Aug. 20 primary. We've pulled a lot of support from all areas of the district, including Jewish, Latino, and white voters. They love and support our America First campaign.

Ari: Are Republicans paying enough attention to down-ballot races?

Bryan: With President Trump on the ballot, candidates who support him will have tremendous success. In Congress, Trump will have no greater friend and ally than me. I’ll work with him on the America First agenda, which we all love and care about. I will also cooperate with President Trump on his foreign policy agenda. His “peace through strength” policy is truly remarkable.

If Trump were still in office, the world would not be on fire, Israel would never have been attacked, and Russia would never have invaded Ukraine. Next year, he needs strong allies in Congress who are committed to America First.

I'm deeply committed to that agenda, to supporting President Trump, and to doing everything we can to put America first and stand with our friends around the world.