Republican leaders in Florida's Palm Beach County are leaving nothing to chance: They're backing Adam Frankel, a tough-on-crime Democrat in the race for public defender.
The county is the home of former President Donald Trump — and GOPers are opposing Daniel Eisinger, a Democrat Frankel alleges backs liberal policies and no cash bond and $1,000 bonds for felonies.
With no Republican candidate, the winner of the state's Aug. 20 open primary will capture the office.
Frankel is no relation to Rep. Lois Frankel, the congresswoman from the area.
But the 52-year-old former five-term Delray Beach city commissioner has been endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police and the Police Benevolent Association, as well as State Attorney Dave Aronberg and Palm Beach Comptroller Joe Abruzzo.
Surprisingly, Republicans have been signing on to Frankel's candidacy.
Close Trump ally Robin Bernstein, who was appointed by Trump to serve as U.S. ambassador to the Dominican Republic, has publicly endorsed Frankel.
"Adam Frankel has the legal background having worked as a criminal defense attorney ... to guide an effective public defender's office," Bernstein said.
Former Republican state House Leader Adam Hasner has also weighed in, saying Frankel was the "commonsense choice" for Palm Beach voters who wanted a candidate with the "right temperament" for the job.
"Adam's opponent is for cashless bail and social engineering, and if the residents, Republicans and Democrats, don't want Palm Beach County to end up being, in all probability if his opponent gets in, a Seattle, Chicago, a Portland, or like many cities in the state of California," said Ali Thomas, a former adviser to Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., who lives in Palm Beach.
The Palm Beach County public defender's office has a staff of more than 200 people and a budget of more than $18 million per year.
There are more than 50,000 cases annually where someone cannot afford a private attorney, so the county provides one for them.
Frankel, a Toledo, Ohio, native, moved to Florida after finishing law school.
He began working in the Palm Beach County public defender's office in 1999 but in recent years moved into private practice.
Frankel expressed concern over Eisinger's no cash bond proposal and other differences between the two attorneys.
"I've seen what has been attempted similarly in New York City, in Portland, and Seattle, just to name a few cities; and I just don't think it works," Frankel told Newsmax.
"He kind of was critical of my stance on working with law enforcement and the state attorney's office to get out in the community and try to stop any criminal activity before it actually gets to the courthouse.
"I think the role of the public defender can be valuable both inside and courtroom outside the courtroom."
Eisenger responded to Frankel's claims, telling Newsmax, "Mr. Frankel's grasp on basic operational aspects of our criminal justice system is alarmingly weak for a lawyer ..."
Eisenger denied he has called for changes in bond amounts, and claimed bonds were lowered as a temporary measure due to COVID-19 and have been restored since then.
"Bond is not set by the public defender's office," he said. "It is set by the court."
Eisinger has been endorsed by the Palm Beach Post and Sun-Sentinel.
But Frankel said he is not bothered by the snub to him.
"I haven't been endorsed by either newspaper since 2009, and I've won four other times," he said.
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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