Trump Pressures Palm Beach Commissioner to Abandon Congressional Bid

Sara Baxter had been a congressional candidate for less than 24 hours when the most powerful Republican in the country told her to quit.

President Donald Trump took to Truth Social Thursday night to publicly urge Palm Beach County Commissioner and County Mayor Sara Baxter to abandon her days-old campaign for the redrawn Congressional District 22 and finish the term she holds on the county commission. He delivered the nudge with hours to spare before a noon qualifying deadline Friday.

"Sara Baxter is a fantastic person, and highly qualified for many top political jobs but, on a somewhat selfish basis, I would rather have her stay on the Palm Beach County Commission (where so many important things are happening!), than run for Congress. Thank you Sara!" Trump wrote.

Baxter, who represents District 6 on the Palm Beach County Commission, announced June 8 — the first day of qualifying — that she would skip a re-election bid and instead file with the Federal Election Commission to run for CD 22. The seat is currently held by Democrat Lois Frankel.

A new congressional map signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in May reshaped the district dramatically, stretching it from western Palm Beach and Broward counties across rural Hendry and Collier counties and out to Marco Island. Trump carried the newly drawn district with just under 55 percent in 2024; President Joe Biden won the old version in 2020.

Baxter enters a crowded Republican primary with no financial runway. She must clear a roughly $10,000 qualifying threshold with no funds carrying over from her commission campaign account. Her most formidable early rival, Belinda Keiser — vice chancellor of Keiser University — has pledged $1 million of her own money and collected endorsements from U.S. Reps. Aaron Bean, Neal Dunn, Randy Fine and Jimmy Patronis, as well as Reps. Vern Buchanan and Gus Bilirakis. The field also includes Casey Askar, Deborah Adeimy, Michael Carbonara, Terri Hasdorff, David Burck, Anna Medvedeva and Herbert Wertheim.

Baxter flipped a Democratic-held commission seat in 2022 on DeSantis' coattails and has described the congressional run as a now-or-never opportunity created by the new map.

Whether she heeds Trump's public request or files for Congress before the deadline closes will be known by midday Friday. The Republican primary is set for Aug. 18, with the general election on Nov. 3.

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