LAS VEGAS —
Scott Singer has a warning for voters in Florida’s 25th District in November: while Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D., Fla.) presents as a “normal” Democrat, he is a reliable vote not only for Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D., N.Y.), but also for some of the most radical Democrats in Congress, who are unpopular in his newly-drawn GOP-leaning District.
“While Moskowitz looks like one of the normal Democrats compared to some of his far-left opponents, or far-left colleagues, who I think are opponents in this sense,” Singer, the former multi-term Mayor of Boca Raton, spoke with the Washington Reporter from the Republican Jewish Coalition’s (RJC) annual convention. “But,” he cautioned, Moskowitz “voted for Ilhan Omar on Foreign Affairs. He didn’t, unlike other Democratic members, cross over to approve the NDAA, which had important provisions about cooperation on security for Israel and for the United States. He voted to invoke the War Powers Act in a partisan vote. He votes with the Squad 90 percent of the time. He voted for the biggest tax hike in American history. He voted for taxes on tips, taxes on overtime. These are not mainstream issues. They’re increasingly far left issues.
“Since he’s been in Congress,” Singer continued, “he’s been beholden to that caucus. He’s going to be a vote for Hakeem Jeffries as Speaker. He’s going to vote for Rashida Tlaib or AOC as committee chairs. Is that mainstream? Is that moderate? It’s not. I, on the other hand, as Mayor of Boca Raton, crossed the aisle to work with Democrats who were on my council to get lower taxes, to get better business regulations, to cut regulations, and to bring better businesses to Boca Raton. That’s common sense. That’s what we’re looking for. That’s what this district needs.”
Singer said that he’s been a member of the RJC for years, and he’s been coming to conferences like the RJC’s annual confab in Vegas for “nearly 20 years.” But, he said, 2026 is different. “Now is a more critical time than ever. We understand what the Democratic Party has done in embracing anti-Israelism and, unfortunately, increasingly in embracing anti-Semitism.”
“It’s important for all Americans, but particularly me and people of my district, which is 25 percent Jewish — it’s the second most Jewish district in America — to understand that voters who were Democratic or NPA have seen what this party has become, and they’re flocking over the Republican side,” he explained.
For Singer, his years serving as the Mayor of Boca Raton give him a track record that helped him narrowly win his contentious GOP primary and that he believes voters will turn to in November. “As mayor of Boca Raton, I cut taxes, red tape, and crime. We had high-paying jobs come in; we had a lot of investment, and more opportunity, and that’s the solution,” he said. “Washington has been broken, and both parties owe a debt for the national debt that we have. We need dramatic cuts in Washington. We saw the efforts last year to cut some of the waste, fraud, and abuse, but there’s a lot more there that we have to tackle. We need people with a record of running businesses like I have, and understanding what it takes to balance a budget and improve people’s lives, and beyond that, we need to ensure that we’re not spending things that we can’t afford, on programs like USAID, which send tens of billions of dollars overseas with no national interest. We need to stop that immediately.”
Singer also spent his years directly addressing the cost of housing, which remains a top issue for Floridians in particular. “As mayor, I was proud to lead 21 streamlining initiatives that cut permitting times 60 percent, and cut costs,” he explained. “We also introduced affordable housing to help workers who were coming in to help our high-paying jobs grow with companies relocating. We need to get regulation out of the way. 30 percent of the cost of housing is regulatory, largely from failed Biden regulations, largely from Washington bureaucracy. We need to get that out of the way. That helps the economy there. We also need to tackle the insurance issue. I have plans for that. We were not as proactive as we could be, especially nationally. Whether it’s Commerce exercising more commerce powers, or also mitigating risk nationally in high-profile areas, we have 55 miles of coastline, so that’s something we know about.”
As Singer turns his eyes to the general election, he feels confident that Republicans “are already together and united. My closest competitor was quick even that night to send out a blast to his followers, encouraging them to support me. We all see what’s at stake. It’s a battle for the soul of our nation. Are we going to continue on a path toward free markets, secure borders, tax relief, affordability, and better improvements for Americans? Or are we going to go the way of socialism and communism, which has brought death, destruction, and despair to so many people across the world?”
On the other hand, he sees an opening both because of Moskowitz facing a spirited but failed challenge from a candidate aligned with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) and what is happening more broadly in the Democratic Party.
“Broadly, we’re seeing that socialism and communism are taking root in the Democratic Party,” he said. “Jared withstood his challenger, but three long-term members of the Democratic Caucus who were relatively progressive all lost, largely because of the issue of Israel. And Jared Moskowitz in the Congress is going to be shouted out by the increasingly large Squad. He voted to keep Ilhan Omar on the Foreign Affairs Committee. He couldn’t vote to do anything else. It doesn’t matter what he may see. We’re seeing where this caucus is going. That’s why Jewish voters particularly, and people who are fearing what the far left is, with socialism, with communism, with anti-Israelism, are flocking more to the median side and more to the Republican side.”
While Oliver Larkin, Moskowitz’s socialist opponent, was easily bested by Moskowitz, state Representative Angie Nixon, who openly aligns with the DSA, upset the Democratic Party’s establishment pick, Alexander Vindman, in the race to take on Sen. Ashley Moody (R., Fla.), and Singer is eager to capitalize on tying her closely to Moskowitz.
“We’re spreading our message as hard as we can. It’s already started, but we’ve got nine weeks to convince everyone we can,” he said. “That’s why I’m optimistic that a Republican plus-five district is going to perform actually better than that? We’re seeing a socialist at the top of the ticket in Florida. Angie Nixon is Jared Moskowitz’s running mate for Congress and Senate, and people have to look at that ballot and understand what she stands for and what this Democratic Party increasingly stands for. Especially in my district, where you have so many refugees from communism, from Cuba or the Soviet Union, they understand what’s at stake here. They want someone with a clear sense of solutions and a record of results.”
Singer was eager to contrast the record of Florida Republicans up and down the ballot over the years to the DSA-aligned candidates that are increasingly winning Democratic primaries in Florida and around the country.
“It’s also a record of local leaders,” he explained. “Yes, we’ve had great governors and I’ve been proud to work with them both. In Boca Raton, we stood up to anti-Semitism, adopting the IHRA definition of anti-Semitism, standing strong, supporting Israel through investments with Israel bonds, and I will always be a strong voice against anti-Semitism, against hate, and for the Jewish people. It’s so important, not just for who I am, but for who our district is, and for who our nation is. We have these leaders who have courage in Florida, and unfortunately, increasingly, they’re more in the Republican Party now. I don’t like to say that. I don’t like to see it, but it’s a reality, and that’s what the problem is. There are still your friendly neighborhood Democrats, but ultimately they’re voting for policies determined by leadership, and you’ve seen that with Jared Moskowitz.”
Finally, Singer singled out Acting Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling for praise. Newsmax’s Ed Henry previously called Sonderling the “pride of Boca Raton,” which is something that Singer seconded.
“Keith Sonderling is the pride of Boca Raton,” Singer said. “I’ve been proud that I’ve been his friend for a long time. I fill with pride when I see how well he’s doing, and he’s just one of many people in the administration who understand what Florida is. Starting with a president who’s just up the coast in Palm Beach, we have a strong Florida presence. For people thinking of flocking here, bring your business to Florida, bring your business to District 25, and we’ll make it easier, and we’re going to spread our quality of life throughout this nation, hopefully by electing me in November.”
Below is a transcript of our interview with Scott Singer, lightly edited for clarity.
Washington Reporter:
Scott, you are coming off the heels of a contentious primary in Florida’s 25th district. What brings you here to the Republican Jewish Coalition in Las Vegas?
Scott Singer:
I’ve been a longtime member of the Republican Jewish Coalition; I’ve been coming to these conferences for nearly 20 years, and now is a more critical time than ever. We understand what the Democratic Party has done in embracing anti-Israelism and, unfortunately, increasingly in embracing anti-Semitism. It’s important for all Americans, but particularly me and people of my district, which is 25 percent Jewish — it’s the second most Jewish district in America — to understand that voters who were Democratic or NPA have seen what this party has become, and they’re flocking over the Republican side.
Washington Reporter:
How do you want to make sure the GOP stays together to flip this district? You won your primary by about 1,000 votes. How do you get everyone on the bandwagon for November?
Scott Singer:
Luckily, we won by 1,500, but who’s counting? We are already together and united. My closest competitor was quick even that night to send out a blast to his followers, encouraging them to support me. We all see what’s at stake. It’s a battle for the soul of our nation. Are we going to continue on a path toward free markets, secure borders, tax relief, affordability, and better improvements for Americans? Or are we going to go the way of socialism and communism, which has brought death, destruction, and despair to so many people across the world?
Washington Reporter:
You were mayor of Boca Raton for several terms. What lessons from your time running that city do you want to bring to Congress?
Scott Singer:
As mayor of Boca Raton, I cut taxes, red tape, and crime. We had high-paying jobs come in; we had a lot of investment, and more opportunity, and that’s the solution. Washington has been broken, and both parties owe a debt for the national debt that we have. We need dramatic cuts in Washington. We saw the efforts last year to cut some of the waste, fraud, and abuse, but there’s a lot more there that we have to tackle. We need people with a record of running businesses like I have, and understanding what it takes to balance a budget and improve people’s lives, and beyond that, we need to ensure that we’re not spending things that we can’t afford, on foreign programs like USAID, which send tens of billions of dollars overseas with no national interest. We need to stop that immediately.
Washington Reporter:
Let’s look at the Democratic side. When you were watching your election night victory, Jared Moskowitz had a very contentious, but not that close, primary, beating the DSA-aligned candidate. What’s going on with the Democratic Party more broadly? And then let’s zoom in on your district.
Scott Singer:
Broadly, we’re seeing that socialism and communism are taking root in the Democratic Party. Jared withstood his challenger, but three long-term members of the Democratic Caucus who were relatively progressive all lost, largely because of the issue of Israel. And Jared Moskowitz in the Congress is going to be shouted out by the increasingly large Squad. He voted to keep Ilhan Omar on the Foreign Affairs Committee. He couldn’t vote to do anything else. It doesn’t matter what he may see. We’re seeing where this caucus is going. That’s why Jewish voters particularly, and people who are fearing what the far left is, with socialism, with communism, with anti-Israelism, are flocking more to the median side and more to the Republican side.
Washington Reporter:
Within Florida’s 25th District, how is this playing out? What is your case to voters between now and November?
Scott Singer:
While Moskowitz looks like one of the normal Democrats compared to some of his far-left opponents, or far-left colleagues, who I think are opponents in this sense, but he voted for Ilhan Omar on Foreign Affairs. He didn’t, unlike other Democratic members, cross over to approve the NDAA, which had important provisions about cooperation on security for Israel and for the United States. He voted to invoke the War Powers Act in a partisan vote. He votes with the Squad 90 percent of the time. He voted for the biggest tax hike in American history. He voted for taxes on tips, taxes on overtime. These are not mainstream issues. They’re increasingly far left issues. And since he’s been in Congress, he’s been beholden to that caucus. He’s going to be a vote for Hakeem Jeffries as Speaker. He’s going to vote for Rashida Tlaib or AOC as committee chairs. Is that mainstream? Is that moderate? It’s not. I, on the other hand, as Mayor of Boca Raton, crossed the aisle to work with Democrats who were on my council to get lower taxes, to get better business regulations, to cut regulations, and to bring better businesses to Boca Raton. That’s common sense. That’s what we’re looking for. That’s what this district needs.
Washington Reporter:
Since your primary win has that started to reach the general electorate in Florida, or do you still need more time for that to sink in as you’ve been talking with voters?
Scott Singer:
We’re spreading our message as hard as we can. It’s already started, but we’ve got nine weeks to convince everyone we can. That’s why I’m optimistic that a Republican plus-five district is going to perform actually better than that. We’re seeing a socialist at the top of the ticket in Florida. Angie Nixon is Jared Moskowitz’s running mate for Congress and Senate, and people have to look at that ballot and understand what she stands for and what this Democratic Party increasingly stands for. Especially in my district, where you have so many refugees from communism, from Cuba or the Soviet Union, they understand what’s at stake here. They want someone with a clear sense of solutions and a record of results.
Washington Reporter:
What is your message to Jewish voters in New York and in Maryland, who look at what’s been going on in Florida and the successes under Governor Ron DeSantis, Governor Rick Scott, and who might be looking to relocate permanently there?
Scott Singer:
It’s also a record of local leaders. Yes, we’ve had great governors and I’ve been proud to work with them both. In Boca Raton, we stood up to anti-Semitism, adopting the IHRA definition of anti-Semitism, standing strong, supporting Israel through investments with Israel bonds, and I will always be a strong voice against anti-Semitism, against hate, and for the Jewish people. It’s so important, not just for who I am, but for who our district is, and for who our nation is. We have these leaders who have courage in Florida, and unfortunately, increasingly, they’re more in the Republican Party now. I don’t like to say that. I don’t like to see it, but it’s a reality, and that’s what the problem is. There are still your friendly neighborhood Democrats, but ultimately they’re voting for policies determined by leadership, and you’ve seen that with Jared Moskowitz.
Washington Reporter:
For Jews and non-Jews alike who are looking to relocate to Florida, they’ve seen the cost of housing go up a lot. What is there that Congress can do, and what did you do as mayor to address that rising cost of housing?
Scott Singer:
As mayor, I was proud to lead 21 streamlining initiatives that cut permitting times 60 percent, and cut costs. We also introduced affordable housing to help workers who were coming in to help our high-paying jobs grow with companies relocating. We need to get regulation out of the way. 30 percent of the cost of housing is regulatory, largely from failed Biden regulations, largely from Washington bureaucracy. We need to get that out of the way. That helps the economy there. We also need to tackle the insurance issue. I have plans for that. We were not as proactive as we could be, especially nationally. Whether it’s Commerce exercising more commerce powers, or also mitigating risk nationally in high-profile areas, we have 55 miles of coastline, so that’s something we know about.
Washington Reporter:
Ed Henry on Newsmax described Keith Sonderling as the pride of Boca Raton. I think you might vie for that title. How’s he doing as Acting Labor Secretary?
Scott Singer:
Actually, Keith Sonderling is the pride of Boca Raton. I’ve been proud that I’ve been his friend for a long time. I fill with pride when I see how well he’s doing, and he’s just one of many people in the administration who understand what Florida is. Starting with a president who’s just up the coast in Palm Beach, we have a strong Florida presence. For people thinking of flocking here, bring your business to Florida, bring your business to District 25, and we’ll make it easier, and we’re going to spread our quality of life throughout this nation, hopefully by electing me in November.
