Evan Power to run for Florida GOP chair following Christian Ziegler controversy

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Republican Party of Florida Vice Chair Evan Power announced he would run for chair as the party’s current leader, Christian Ziegler, faces a sexual assault investigation.

The state executive committee is expected to vote on Ziegler’s membership status Jan. 8 at a second special meeting. That is the same day Power wants the party to vote him in as chair.

On Sunday, the party voted to strip Ziegler of his authority and reduce his salary to $1. Ziegler is no longer allowed to fundraise or speak on behalf of the Florida GOP.

“After the events of the last few weeks many people have reached out to ask what I was planning to do if a vacancy became apparent in the Chairmanship,” Power said on the social platform X.

“On January 8th, I will ask my fellow RPOF members to entrust me with the responsibility to lead our Republican team to victory,” Power’s statement said.

He called for the party to move forward “quickly and efficiently” with the 2024 elections less than a year away. Power had previously said he “implores” Ziegler to step down before the Jan. 8 meeting. A two-thirds vote would be needed to remove Ziegler’s membership status.

Ziegler has maintained he is innocent and believes he will be exonerated once the investigation is complete.

“Unfortunately, public figures are often accused of acts that they did not commit whether it be for political purposes or financial gain. I would caution anyone to rush to judgment until the investigation is concluded,” Ziegler’s attorney previously said when the investigation was first brought to light.

Power previously called the Dec. 17 special meeting to discuss potential actions after receiving enough support from members of the party’s state executive board.

Following that meeting, the vice chair had said the party “took a step to hold our Chairman [Ziegler] accountable for his actions.”

According to a search warrant for Ziegler’s telephone, police said the investigation revealed the victim and Ziegler have known each other for 20 years and they agreed to have a sexual encounter that included Ziegler’s wife, Bridget.

The victim claimed that on Oct. 2, Christian Ziegler sexually assaulted her, according to the search warrant.

Several other elected officials have also called for Ziegler’s resignation including Gov. Ron DeSantis, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis, Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, R-Naples, and House Speaker Paul Renner, R-Palm Coast.

On Dec. 6, Ziegler’s wife Bridget reportedly resigned from her position at the Leadership Institute. Last week, the Sarasota County School Board approved a resolution 4-1 that asked her to voluntarily resign. However, that resolution was not legally binding.

Ziegler and Power had previously ran against each other for the chair position. Ziegler ultimately was elected chairman by the party’s voting members in February. The final tally was 126-100 for Ziegler.