The MeidasTouch Podcast

Episode: Jennifer Jenkins Challenges MAGA Rep. Randy Fine in Florida

Date: February 18, 2026

Episode Overview

In this episode, the Meiselas brothers interview Jennifer Jenkins, a former Brevard County School Board member and founder of Educated We Stand, who has announced her candidacy for Congress in Florida’s 6th district. Jenkins discusses her history of confronting extremism, particularly her personal battles with incumbent MAGA Republican Rep. Randy Fine, and outlines her vision for restoring decency and effective representation to the district. The conversation delves into Fine's incendiary rhetoric, harassment tactics, and internal GOP conflicts, while highlighting Jenkins’s commitment to public service and grassroots organizing.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Extremism of Randy Fine (02:04 – 07:31)

• The hosts describe a political atmosphere in Florida marked by a shift away from MAGA and growing discontent with extremist politicians like Randy Fine.
• Fine’s public statements were called out as bigoted and inflammatory, including his recent social media post:
  • Quote from Randy Fine: “If they force us to choose, the choice between dogs and Muslims is not a difficult one.” (Approx. 02:40)
  • This drew widespread condemnation, including calls for resignation from Gov. Newsom and Rep. Ro Khanna.
• Fine’s pattern of behavior is further highlighted:
  • He has posted fake lyrics to attack Bad Bunny, pushed anti-immigrant rhetoric, and supported punitive measures against perceived political enemies.
  • The host characterizes Fine as someone who “wakes up in the morning, goes on social media and starts posting heinous, racist post after heinous, racist post.” (03:00)

2. Jennifer Jenkins's Candidacy and History with Fine (07:31 – 12:02)

• Jenkins details her adversarial relationship with Randy Fine, tracing it back to her 2020 school board campaign, in which she unseated a Republican incumbent (who then founded Moms for Liberty).
• Fine previously supported Jenkins for being pro-masking during COVID but turned on her when she publicized his support as his stance shifted for political gain.
• Jenkins recounts the harassment she endured from Fine:
  • False DCF claims of child abuse.
  • Private investigators hired to follow her.
  • Protesters sent to her home.
  • Defamatory websites and social media posts accusing her of infidelity.
  • Verbal attacks and threats relayed to other officials, including derogatory remarks and funding threats to local causes.
  • Quote from Jennifer Jenkins: “Randy Fine is a piece of shit... These quotes that you’ve read and these interviews that you show, these aren’t isolated incidents. It’s a pattern of his behavior. And patterns don’t correct themselves. They just continue to escalate.” (07:31)
• Despite these attacks, Jenkins emphasizes the importance of accountability and her determination to bring normalcy and decency back to public office.

3. Community Reaction & Jenkins’s Perspective (12:02 – 14:32)

• Jenkins notes a bipartisan backlash against Fine, stating that the district’s residents are “sick and tired of fabricated outrage... They want a representative who’s going to show up in their district, do the work, and [treat] people with dignity.” (13:00)
• She frames the race as “not between left and right,” but “about decency versus extremism.”
• Jenkins underscores her relatability:
  • She and her husband are both educators in Florida, struggling with low pay and rising costs.
  • Quote: “I know what it feels like to stretch my paycheck. I know what it feels like to see the rising cost of groceries and utilities and homeowners insurance eating away at my monthly budget.” (14:32)
• Jenkins contrasts her lived experience with Fine’s privileged circumstances:
  • “Randy Fine lives in a multimillion dollar home on the ocean. He has absolutely no idea what it feels like to live this every single day.” (14:47)

4. Campaign Strategy and Intraparty GOP Conflict (15:30 – 17:18)

• Jenkins encourages listeners to visit her campaign site and support her grassroots campaign.
• Reveals Fine is actively trying to prevent a GOP-led redistricting plan favored by Trump—demonstrating his fraught relationship even with MAGA loyalists:
  • “He is currently calling Tallahassee every single day, trying to stop them from redistricting the congressional map because he knows it’s going to impact him negatively and he’s really, really scared he’s going to lose this race.” (15:54)
• Notes Fine’s lack of support within the party:
  • “Desantis has said he repels people. He called him a squish... He’s not a loyalist in their eyes. He’s far right extreme. But he does it to benefit himself, not the party overall.” (16:48)

5. Final Appeal and Closing (17:18 – 17:23)

• Jenkins thanks the hosts and listeners, reiterating the need for “all hands on deck” and restating her belief in grassroots power to defeat Fine.

Notable Quotes

• Jennifer Jenkins on Fine’s Pattern of Abuse:
  “He emboldened people to make false DCF claims against me, to have private investigators follow me around and make a website saying I was having an affair. And now that he's on this national level, he has been given permission through silence to spew hate and radicalism. And I refuse to give permission for hate to be normalized from a seat in Congress.” (07:45)

• On Bipartisan Dissatisfaction:
  “I’ve had conversations with many people on the right in this district already who are ecstatic that I’m jumping into this race because it’s about decency versus extremism.” (13:06)

• On Personal Motivation:
  “I felt like it was my duty to ensure not only for Congressional District 6 to have proper representation, but for the state of Florida to no longer be embarrassed by this man.” (10:35)

• On the Cost of Living and Representation:
  “I know what it feels like to stretch my paycheck... Congressional District 6 deserves a leader who works for the people in that district, not for the donors that are funding their campaigns.” (14:32)

• On Fine’s Place in the GOP:
  “He knows that the legislature and the governor are going to be working against him because they don’t support him. He’s not a loyalist in their eyes. He’s far right extreme. But he does it to benefit himself, not the party overall.” (16:48)

Important Segments & Timestamps

• 02:04 – 07:31: Background on Randy Fine’s extremism and public controversies
• 07:31 – 12:02: Jenkins details her history with Fine, harassment campaigns, and the toxic environment in local and state politics
• 12:02 – 14:32: Community reaction to Fine’s rhetoric; Jenkins’s relatable background and call for decency
• 15:30 – 16:48: Jenkins discusses Fine’s opposition to Trump’s redistricting plans and his lack of GOP support
• 17:18 – 17:23: Closing remarks and campaign appeal

Key Takeaways

• Randy Fine exemplifies the kind of MAGA extremism increasingly rejected in his district, with Jenkins presenting both a personal and political alternative grounded in decency, accountability, and everyday experience.
• Jenkins has survived and pushed back against Fine’s extensive harassment, leveraging her own experiences and grassroots record to mobilize support.
• There is evident bipartisan frustration with Fine’s tactics, creating a unique opportunity for Jenkins’s campaign, especially as intra-party divides threaten his incumbency.
• Jenkins’s message resonates with voters frustrated by both national dysfunction and the local impact of rising costs, underfunded schools, and performative politics.
• The episode positions this congressional race as a microcosm of the broader fight against extremism and for practical, compassionate representation in American democracy.