Fate of the House Hangs in the Balance | Scott Singer

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Rubin Report — "Fate of the House Hangs in the Balance" | Scott Singer (July 26, 2026)

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Episode Overview

In this episode of The Rubin Report, host Dave Rubin sits down with Scott Singer, former mayor of Boca Raton and current Republican candidate for Florida’s 25th Congressional District. The conversation covers Singer’s campaign priorities, his views on the changing political landscape in Florida, challenges facing South Florida residents, and the broader implications for Republican control of the House of Representatives. The tone is candid, optimistic, and focused on pragmatic governance, with both men emphasizing the importance of “sanity” in politics and the realignment of voter bases in the post-COVID era.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Political Climate in Florida’s 25th District

• Shifting Demographics & Political Realignment

  • Singer highlights the “creep of socialism” into the Democratic Party, noting that even entrenched liberals are being replaced by more left-leaning candidates. He positions his campaign as a counter to this shift.
  • "I'm just devastated to see how socialism has so crept into the Democratic Party..." (Scott Singer, 00:00, 10:32)

• Redistricting and Local Identity

  • Florida’s 25th now trends Republican (R+3) and includes a diverse coastal strip from Miami Beach to Delray. Singer emphasizes his lifelong residency as a differentiator versus “parachuting” Democratic opponents.

• Jewish Community Representation

  • Singer notes the district is 25% Jewish, which shapes priorities around antisemitism and support for Israel.

2. Boca Raton’s Transformation & Local Issues

• Shattering Old Stereotypes

  • Rubin jokes about Boca’s perception as a retirement haven, referencing Seinfeld’s Del Boca Vista. Singer counters: “We’re the economic engine of Palm Beach County... our median age has gotten down to the 40s, our schools are bursting.” (Scott Singer, 02:15)

• Economic & Infrastructure Milestones

  • Singer recounts achievements as mayor: attracting corporate headquarters, youthfulness, low taxes, new schools, and a robust business environment.

• Federal vs. Local Needs

  • Infrastructure remains neglected in parts of the district. Singer pledges to push for federal investment, particularly in bridges and coastal protections.

3. Core Campaign Issues

• Insurance & Disaster Preparedness

  • Insurance, flood coverage, and disaster planning are urgent for this coastal district. Singer wants preemptive planning, not just post-event aid.

• Economy, Immigration, & National Defense

  • Singer keeps focus on economic growth, secure borders, and a strong defense, echoing state Republican priorities.

• Antisemitism & Pro-Israel Stance

  • Growing concerns among Jewish voters about the national Democratic Party’s direction. Singer says recent Congressional votes (arms to Israel) show erosion of support.

Notable Quote

• “It is beyond discouraging, if not heartbreaking to see how quickly anti-Israel and antisemitism has crept into the core of the Democratic Party.” (Scott Singer, 05:16)

4. Influx of New Residents & Red State Trends

• Impact of Migration from Blue States

  • Many newcomers from New York and California, but contrary to fears, most are voting Republican, seeking political and economic stability.

• Managing Growth and Affordability

  • "We try to address [rising costs] with more ranges of housing options for whether it's first responders or younger tech workers..." (Scott Singer, 08:18)

• Housing Crisis and Regulatory Reform

  • Singer links 30% of housing costs to regulation. As mayor, he streamlined permitting, reduced costs, and advocates deep federal deregulation and reduced bureaucratic red tape.
  • "We need a massive reduction at the federal level... it’s not just missing the grant, it's a whole army of bureaucrats pushing paper around to justify their existence." (Scott Singer, 09:22)

5. Down-Ballot and Statewide Political Dynamics

• Discussion of the Florida gubernatorial race: consensus is that Republicans are likely to retain strong footing, bolstered by demographic and policy trends.
• Property taxes are on the ballot, potentially spurring conservative turnout.

Notable Quote

• “This state has gotten so much more Republican... 1.7 million net Republican gain over where it was.” (Scott Singer, 06:30)

6. Motivation and Personal Journey

• Singer emphasizes his accidental entry into politics, initially attending city council meetings as a concerned business owner and eventually dedicating over a decade to near-volunteer public service.
• His motivation is framed as a mix of local love, national duty, and concern over the direction of the country: “I could be happy spending all the time there on the beach... but this is important for America and that’s why I’m asking for people’s help.” (Scott Singer, 11:44)

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Memorable Moments & Quotes (With Timestamps)

• On Socialism in the Democratic Party:
  • "America wasn't built on that. It was built on opportunity and free markets which have provided more wealth to everyone... than any other system."
    — Scott Singer (00:00, 10:32)
• On Boca’s Revitalization:
  • "We're the economic engine of Palm Beach County... with a thriving, diversified base of businesses."
    — Scott Singer (02:15)
• On Red State Migration:
  • "We have a tradition of this with a lot of immigrants from the Soviet Union and of course Cuba who understand what socialism meant. We're seeing the next wave where socialists are taking root in New York and all these other places, but they voted more conservatively."
    — Scott Singer (07:27)
• On Housing Costs and Regulatory Reform:
  • "First, about 30% of the cost of housing is regulatory. We dramatically cut regulation in Boca Raton. We had 21 streamlining initiatives that I led that reduced permitting time by more than 60% and cut costs."
    — Scott Singer (09:22)

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Important Timestamps

| Time | Topic / Quote | |-----------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:00 | Singer: Critique of socialism in Democratic party, why he's running | | 02:15 | Boca Raton’s demographic and economic changes | | 03:54 | Infrastructure, insurance, and local economic concerns | | 05:16 | Singer: Democratic Party, Israel, antisemitism | | 06:30 | Statewide Republican surge, importance of property tax reform | | 07:27 | Migration to Florida, voting trends among newcomers | | 09:22 | Housing costs, deregulation, regulatory burden | | 10:32 | Singer: National implications, fundraising and campaign priorities | | 11:44 | Singer: Personal motivation for public service |

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Takeaways

• Singer/Republican Platform: Pro-growth, deregulation, lower taxes, strong support for Israel, tackling insurance and disaster planning, preserving traditional American opportunities.
• Florida’s Transformation: Boom in Republican voters; in-migration is strengthening conservative politics rather than diluting it.
• Community Engagement: Singer’s identity as a lifelong local and Jewish Republican figures prominently in his pitch to voters.
• Urgency and Stakes: The race is framed as nationally significant—one of four key seats that may determine control of the U.S. House.

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This summary captures the major topics, tone, and arguments of the episode for listeners seeking a thorough yet engaging overview.

Transcript

[A]

I'm just devastated to see how socialism is so crept into the Democratic Party that, you know, even liberal Democrats who were entrenched in Congress are being ousted by socialists. It's not good enough. And America wasn't built on that. It was built on opportunity and free markets which have provided more wealth to everyone, anyone else in the world than any other system. And we need to preserve that. So it's not just this district. It's what we have for this country. That's why I'm running so hard. We raised more than $2 million, gotten support from across the country and nearly 10,000 individual donors because they know that this is one of the four key seats that may determine the control of the House of Representatives.

[B]

I'm Dave Rubin. This is the Rubin Report. And joining me today is the former mayor of Boca Raton and current Republican candidate running for Florida's 25th district. Yes, as a Republican, Scott Singer. Scott, welcome to the show.

[A]

Thanks so much, Dave. Thrilled to be here, Scott.

[B]

I'm glad to have you. Listen, everyone knows I want to keep Florida red. I want to keep this place sane. I want to keep the commies out. Things are going well here, but you can never be too careful. So before we dive into everything, I want to ask you, former mayor of Boca Raton, now Del Boca Vista. There was a guy named Cosmo Kramer about 20 years ago, was a short lived president over there. Do you know anything about that? How did that work out? Any updates?

[A]

I only know what we saw on the fictional TV show Seinfeld because it was a fictional place.

[B]

All right.

[A]

He got it even in the show. You show a map elsewhere. I'm pleased to say that Boca Raton is a thriving community, a lot younger than people think, with a huge business base, low taxes, and we did a lot to really improve that when I was mayor.

[B]

Is that a challenge? We'll move on to the wider district in a sec. But Boca had this. There was an optics around Boca that, that was sort of, I mean, even from Seinfeld it was like, oh, that's where all old New Yorkers go. But I know a ton of people, particularly post Covid, that have moved to Boca specifically. And it's young and vibrant and there's a gajillion restaurants popping up left and right in stores and everything else. I mean, it's flourishing and it's happening. As the kids say.

[A]

We always were. It only got more. So we're the corporate, we're the economic engine of Palm beach county, the president's home county. We have more than half the corporate headquarters there. Our median age has gotten down to the 40s. Our schools are bursting. I was proud to work to get new public schools for our city and add 1200 student seats. But yes, we're a young vibrant community with a thriving, diversified base of businesses.

[B]

All right, so three term mayor over there. It's obviously going well there in Florida overall. Doing quite well. Tell me a little bit about this congressional district 25 and what you're up against. And this has a little something to do with Debbie Wasserman Shoals if I'm not mistaken.

[A]

Well, she represented part of the district, as does one of the Democratic members of Congress who's trying to parachute into the district where he's never lived. I'm a lifelong native of this district. With redistricting, it's now Republican leaning. It's an R+3. It will probably vote a little bit higher than that. It runs along the coast from Miami beach through Hollywood, Fort Lauderdale, Pompano Beach, Deerfield Beach, Boca Raton, Delray Beach. 55 beautiful miles of coastline. As the kids say, it's a little bougie, but we're also one of the most Jewish districts in America, 25% Jewish. And as a lifelong Jewish Republican, a lifelong resident of the district, I was born in Miami beach, grew up in Lauderdale and served Boca Raton. Those things resonate with me and they do a lot of voters who are thrilled that we finally will have some opportunity for some Republican representation here.

[B]

So what are the major issues in the district right now? Again, Florida largely seems to be doing well. We're doing a lot on the infrastructure side. Everyone knows where we're at, sort of on the education side, law enforcement, etc. Is there anything kind of unique in the district that sets you apart?

[A]

Well, there are a lot of things that set apart this beautiful district. You mentioned infrastructure. I was proud in Boca Raton to make sure we continue to invest in infrastructure. There were four members of Congress, all Democrats who used to represent what is now combined in this current district, different parts of it. And a lot of the people I've been talking to from the small communities along Miami Dades coastline, Miami beach and all the way up felt neglected by lack of federal investment in infrastructure there. There's the Army Corps of Engineers which oversees the bridges that, that traveled the Intracoastal Waterway. So I'd work at doing that, making sure we have a more comprehensive plan, especially with coastlines. Insurance is always a concern in South Florida. I think we can expand the national flood insurance program and also get some more disaster insurance planning ahead of time rather than after the fact. Again, you've got a lot of oceanfront condos there. But yes, you know, generally concerned about the economy, immigration, safe borders and making sure that we have strong national defense. And of course, with the 25% Jewish district, concerns about antisemitism in Israel are top of mind for many voters.

[B]

So, so in that because things are going so well here in Florida, what does a Democrat run on? I mean, the things that you just mentioned, there largely are extensions of what DeSantis has done and what Republicans have been doing all over the state. I mean, what are your opponents running on actually?

[A]

Well, it can't be the record of it can't be the record of the Democratic Party standing with Israel because we've seen increasingly so and even in the last week where that party is, it is beyond discouraging, if not heartbreaking to see how quickly anti Israel and anti Semitism has crept into the core of the Democratic Party. When last week you had a vote for a majority of Democratic House members refused to continue arms sales to Israel and at the same time they were voting to keep the aid package to Jordan exactly the same. It shows you how far that party has gone and lost its way. And I think for a lot of voters who historically voted Democrat, but you know, Israel and anti Semitism and Jewish issues are top of mind, they're not going to be there anymore. So I think we're going to have a better opportunity as a pro Israel, lifelong Jewish Republican who's credible and has a record of results of swaying those voters over

[B]

what do you think or where do you think it will fall? Sort of on the, on the gubernatorial election as well, because that's obviously the big fish for Florida right now. DeSantis hasn't endorsed anybody. Looks like Byron is way up. I like Byron. I like Jay Collins a ton. Who's our lieutenant governor, do you think? Whichever way that goes, does that affect any of the downstream stuff?

[A]

Yes, and I think we have a whole range of strong, charismatic Republican candidates, most of whom are already in office and served, who are going to do very well. This state has gotten so much more Republican over the last seven and a half years. It's 1.7 million net Republican gain over where it was a 1.5 advantage over the Democrats. And the people who fled the high taxes, high crime and came to Boca Raton, to Miami beach, to places up and down this district in this state are voting more conservatively. So I think we're going to see energized turnout. We're also going to see a property tax proposal on the ballot which should bring more voters understanding that we should be taxing less. I was proud Boca Raton had the lowest property tax rate of any full service city in Florida.

[B]

Were you worried at first when all the New Yorkers in Cali, people like myself were coming to Florida and again a ton of them came to Boca. I don't know if you have the exact numbers on that. Were you worried that they were not going to end up voting red in which they have done in crazy, crazy numbers.

[A]

No. And first welcomed you, so never worry about you. But so many people understood they were fleeing high taxes. It's not like other places where people voting what they fled from. We have a tradition of this with a lot of immigrants from the Soviet Union and of course Cuba who understand what socialism meant. We're seeing the next wave where socialists are taking root in New York and all these other places, but they voted more conservatively. I wasn't worried. In fact, we had targeted outreach to businesses. We couldn't attract everyone who wanted to leave. But we definitely welcomed thousands of high paying jobs in more corporate headquarters here. And the district has grown accordingly. We've managed that growth well at Boca Raton. That's not a federal issue. But I think the goal for me in Congress is to make sure that our nation is something that no one has to leave from.

[B]

Now I've mentioned to Governor DeSantis a couple of times at some point, entry tax or just stop letting people in. What do you think?

[A]

Not constitutional, but I think, you know, the, the mark, the fair market does solve a lot of those issues. It has become a work expensive district. We try to address that with more ranges of housing options for whether it's first responders or younger tech workers or younger workers to fulfill the needs of the corporations who are moving here.

[B]

Yeah. Well, give me something else that we can do on the housing side because just this week you probably saw this big article came out that Miami is now the number one most expensive city in the country. I've seen that here. I'm very, I'm always very sympathetic to the OG Floridians who did it right were kind of mocked. Florida used to be sort of mocked for reasons that we mentioned up top. Oh, it's where old people go to retire. Then they don't fund education and blah blah, blah. Meanwhile, now we're number one in education. So I'm very sympathetic to the person quite literally like My next door neighbor, who's in a very humble house, has been here for, you know, 40, 50 years and then has seen all these costs go up. What else can we do for them on that? I know, I know they're working on the property tax, but what else?

[A]

Well, a number of things. First, about 30% of the cost of housing is regulatory. We dramatically cut regulation in Boca raton. We had 21 streamlining initiatives that I led that reduced permitting time by more than 60% and cut costs. We need a massive reduction at the federal level. I can just tell you there were grants that we would get the opportunity to apply for as a city that where the stack would be 600 pages, we're talking of tens of thousands. And it's not just that we didn't miss out on the grant, it's that you have a whole army of bureaucrats who are just pushing paper around to justify their existence. The Doge efforts under President Trump are a good start. We need to continue those. And when you bring down costs, you make things more affordable for everyone as a community and as a region, we continue to raise the standard of living by creating more high paying jobs, and that helps everything. So if you contain the costs, cut government waste, lower insurance costs through some federal intervention, and then continue to elevate jobs, you solve that issue.

[B]

I think that people get it. You're a sane Republican running in a sane place. It's like sort of not the sexiest thing, but it works like, let's just keep this thing working. If people want to help, we'll post a link below. Where do you want to send them?

[A]

Well, it's a scottsingerusa.com and I appreciate your comments on the sanity. We need more of it. I'm just devastated to see how socialism is so crept into the Democratic Party that, you know, even liberal Democrats who were entrenched in Congress are being ousted by socialists. It's not good enough. And America wasn't built on that. It was built on opportunity and free markets, which have provided more wealth to everyone, anyone else in the world than any other system. And we need to preserve that. So it's not just this district, it's what we have for this country. That's why I'm running so hard. We raised more than $2 million. We've gotten support from across the country and nearly 10,000 individual donors because they know that this is one of the four key seats that may determine the control of the House of Representatives. And I'm working like mad every day, as is our team and a whole bunch of volunteers because we want to make sure on November 4th that we have Republican leadership to get President Trump the final two years, which we voted for.

[B]

And watching even a small portion of Debbie Wasserman Schultz's district go red would be just personally very enjoyable for me. Although the idea, I mean, you seem like you could probably retire the idea that you're going to spend some time in D.C. when you could just be hanging out on the beach all the time. Personally, it makes me wonder. But I like that you're going to fight for America pretty good.

[A]

Well, I think public service has become a passion. I didn't plan this. I went over to city council meeting 13 years ago to see what we were doing to attract jobs. I was a small business owner and worried about that myself and for the next generation, thought I could do more. It led me to talk to a few more people, to go to a few more meetings run. And 12 years later, I completed, you know, near volunteer service on the city council and as mayor. But when the opportunity came to try to continue the right path we are on for our country and fix some of the things that have gone wrong under President Biden, porous borders, the infiltration, so many bad ideas into our schools, I stepped up and that's why I'm passionate about this race. Yes, I, I don't really. I love Boca Raton. I love this district. I love going back to my hometown of Miami beach every day. And I could be happy spending all the time there on the beach, near the beach. But this is important for America and that's why I'm asking for people's help and grateful to talk to as many as I can.

[B]

Scott, I thank you for your time. I will wish you luck, although I have a feeling you're not going to need that much luck. And let's go, Florida.

[A]

Thank you, Dave. Appreciate it.

[B]

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