Tampa Bay Young Republicans sell out ‘Black Tie Gala’ with Reps. Luna, Gaetz

TAMPA, Fla. – Over the weekend, the Tampa Bay Young Republicans sold out their “Black Tie Gala” to a room of 200 with keynote speakers Reps. Anna Paulina Luna and Matt Gaetz, both Florida Republicans.

The club’s president, Brittany Jean, has overseen strong growth of the club as Republicans increasingly flock to the Tampa Bay area.

At the event, Luna touted her efforts in learning more about UAPs, or unidentified anomalous phenomena.

“I can say, I don’t think we’re alone,” Luna told the packed Republican club event.

Luna is a member of the “UAP Caucus,” also including Florida Democratic Rep. Jared Moskowitz and a few other federal lawmakers.

The group has been demanding more transparency concerns over the U.S. government hiding records of the presence of UAPs or UFOs.

Tampa Bay Young Republicans president ‘threatened’ by man downtown, says mayor lets homeless ‘run rampant’

Also at the event, Gaetz discussed his time in the Florida State House. He urged the younger GOP members to run for office and make a change.

Tampa Bay Young Republican Executive Director Jake Hoffman was in attendance and told the crowd there is a growing difference between “old” and “young” Republican leaders in office.

“Look at what the young Republicans in Congress are doing, and how they are conducting themselves,” Hoffman said. “We want fighters who aren’t afraid to disrupt the status quo establishment and take the fight to the media.”

“We see the same thing locally with TBYR Hillsborough County Commissioner Josh Wostal,” he said. “There’s a pattern.”

Tampa Bay Young Republicans: ‘We are not your grandfather’s GOP’

Over the weekend, the club additionally honored Rep. Mike Beltran, R-Riverview, as their 2022 Legislator of the Year.

Tampa Bay Young Republicans endorsed Gov. Ron DeSantis for president very early on in the 2024 election cycle.

The group’s growth in the Tampa area comes as local elections across Florida heat up, with November just over nine months away.

Additionally, the group has garnered praise from major Republican leaders, including former President Donald Trump and Florida Sen. Rick Scott, per its website.