Jobs, education, border security: Willie Montague seeks to unseat Rep. Maxwell Frost

ORLANDO, Fla. – Willie J. Montague, who recently announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination in Florida’s 10th Congressional District, vowed to run on job creation, education, and border security in an attempt to flip a traditionally blue seat currently held by a freshman democratic congressman.

“Jobs, education, and border security,” Montague said. “All of them tie into each other. “If we’re looking at what’s happening at our border, we’re seeing many of them our coming here.”

District 10 is currently represented by Rep. Maxwell Frost. The area includes Orange County, located in Central Florida.

Frost, the youngest and first member of Generation Z elected to congress, won his general election seat by nearly 25 points over Republican Candidate Calvin Wimbish in 2022.

Val Demings, who unsuccessfully ran for U.S Senate against Florida Republican Rick Scott, also represented District 10 from 2017-2023. In her two terms, Demings defeated her Republican opponents, Vennia Francois and Thuy Lowe, by 27 and 30 points, respectively.

Before attempting to unseat Frost, and flip a Democratic stronghold, Montague will look to earn the party’s Republican nomination. Scheduled for Aug. 20, Montague’s opponents include Tuan Le, Troy Rambaransingh, and Sam Williams.

The general election is set for Nov. 5.

“I could not let myself seeing Maxwell Frost just glide into a second term, knowing how ineffective he is being a representative for this district,” Montague said. “We just have to have somebody that really has a backbone to go against someone as radically left as he is.”

Montague, keying on immigration, asserted Frost was “opening our borders” to illegals. He also said the congressman was in “lockstep” with the Biden administration’s policies.

Moreover, Montague raised concerns over human trafficking in District 10.

“Everything that a hard-working American citizen is for to protect their family, he’s against,” Montague said. “The people I have spoken with in this district, they wouldn’t even call themselves Republicans, but they look and say this man is not for the family.”

Montague further emphasized the importance of jobs to the district.

“People need to go to work. We need to be breaking and focusing on job creation, re-utilizing what we have and the infrastructure that is here and make sure that the funds are coming down,” Montague said. “We should be bringing money back to the district and making sure our veterans are taken care of and that streets are taken care of from the homeless population.”

Montague, from Morehead City, North Carolina, originally got involved in politics at a young age. He also attended a bible college in Oklahoma.

“I’ve always been involved in politics since probably the age of 14. I just always had a political leaning,” Montague said. “My high school teacher in the one who introduced me to the Republican party.”

Montague, who moved to Florida in 2014, has since started a ministry and founded the House of Timothy in Orlando. The 12-month nonprofit helps teenage boys learn life skills and navigate through life.

His aspirations to run for political office began in 2019.

“I have put my time and sweat equity into District 10,” said Montague. “From community development to working with the youth and the church, to talking to small business owners.”

According to data, District 10 is represented 34% by whites, 27% by African American and 28% by various mixed Hispanic groups.

Montague, in an effort to earn the seat, predicted 30% of African Americans may turn out to vote for former President Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee. In turn, Montague hopes his message will resonate with African Americans down ballot and help turn District 10 into a red win.

“That means they are going to come and look down ballot. I believe this is a great opportunity for Republicans to jump in and not look at this as a losing district,” Montague said. “I’m a millennial. Let’s bring another level of maturity and someone that is actually concerned. Not just someone wanting to get along with the political flow of his party.”

For more information, head to TeamWillie.com.