Crist Running Mate Says Lt. Gov. Nuñez’s ‘Latina Card Should Be Revoked’

MIAMI-DADE (FLV) – Charlie Crist’s running mate Karla Hernandez-Mats says Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez’s ‘Latina card should be revoked’ in a video from Politico.

“I’ll tell you this – I know technically she’s considered a Latina but I think that her Latina card should be revoked,” said Hernandez-Mats.

“The moment that she said and she was ok as a Cuban-American saying she was ok with putting cubans on a bus and sending them to Delaware which is where President Biden lives – by the way, the compassionate President that came over here and saved us – because he’s the one that provided us all the resources that we have right now,” Hernandez-Mats continued.

Hernandez-Mats is referring to an August interview where Nuñez talked about busing illegal immigrants to other states.

“The governor isn’t going to stand there with his arms crossed. He’s thinking what he’s going to do. He’s going to send them, frankly to the state of Delaware, the President’s state,” said Nuñez through translation.

Democrats criticized the Lt. Governor’s comments for being “insensitive.”

“She said that before I was launched as Lt. Governor […] She is completely out of touch with her community. I like to think I am the only Latina running for this seat,” said Hernandez-Mats.

However, Nuñez has previously said Democrats misrepresented the border crisis.

“Entering the country illegally and fleeing a dictatorship to seek asylum are two different things, and misrepresenting that is offensive,” Nuñez said.

“The crisis at our border is something affecting the entire nation, including the Sunshine State. And although states do not have jurisdiction over immigration, we do have jurisdiction over the well-being of our residents.”

Nuñez responded on Twitter saying, “These are my parents at our inauguration in 2019. As the daughter of Cuban exiles, I proudly carry their legacy and no one can take that away from me. Hispanic by heritage, American by the grace of God.”

DeSantis previously criticized Hernandez-Mats for a 2016 Tweet that said “many in Cuba mourn” after communist dictator Fidel Castro died.

“A political figure dies at 90. Most in Miami rejoice, many in Cuba mourn #FidelCastro,” she said on Nov. 26, 2016.

“When you’re putting out tweets saying about Castro’s death, he’s just a political leader that people in Cuba are mourning, that’s a disgrace,” DeSantis said. “That’s an insult to the people in this community.”

She deleted the tweet on Sep. 5 earlier in the day, more than a week after initial reports. Just hours later, Crist’s running mate compared DeSantis to Castro in a tweet that afternoon: “Like Castro, Ron is moving our state closer to authoritarian rule. Charlie and I will stop this wannabe dictator.”

The day after – Sep. 6 – Hernandez-Mats doubled down on the now-deleted tweet, arguing she was referring to Cubans being “forced to mourn the death of a tyrant.” Her original remarks did not say Cubans were “forced” to mourn Castro.

“I proudly celebrated Fidel’s death, banging on pots and pans in the streets of Hialeah with my neighbors,” she said.

Hernandez-Mats and Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez are on the ballot with their respective running mates for the 2022 Midterm election.