Matt Gaetz’s appearance sparks protests at GOP’s anti-Prop 50 rally in CA
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Merced GOP hosted a rally with Matt Gaetz and Matt Schlapp backing Vin Kruttiventi.
- About 100 attendees heard populist, pro-Trump speeches and anti-Prop 50 appeals.
- Counter-protesters objected to Gaetz's record with past probes.
To shore up support against California’s Prop. 50 and for Republican candidate Vin Kruttiventi, Merced County’s Republican Party hosted a “Save California Rally” at the Merced Senior Community Center on Wednesday.
The event drew controversy and counter-protestors due to the presence of MAGA Republican and former U.S> Rep. Matt Gaetz, who spoke at the rally in support of Kruttiventi. Another prominent Republican, Matt Schlapp, who is the chair of CPAC, also spoke in support of Kruttiventi and against Prop. 50.
A crowd of roughly 100 people attended to hear speeches praising President Donald Trump, conservative governance, America-first messaging, populist rhetoric and to denounce California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Kruttiventi is a tech CEO aiming to unseat incumbent Democrat Rep. Adam Gray in the 13th Congressional District.
“We have to stand with President Trump,” Kruttiventi told the audience. “The greatest president in the history of the United States.”
Kruttiventi did not speak in-depth on any particular policies at the rally, but he blasted the Central Valley’s high poverty and unemployment rates.
“Nobody wants to fix it,” Kruttiventi said. ”We need to for once do what is right for us, and that’s what we are going to do, elevate everyone, our farmers, our small business owners, our veterans.”
The rally also included homophobic and transphobic remarks about the protestors outside the Merced Senior Community Center.
“And they say it’s ‘No Kings,’ which, after seeing the crowd, I believe there were a few queens,” Gaetz said. “Gentleman in the high heels, the lady with the Adam’s apple there.”
“There’s a perception around the country that that’s the real California,” he said. “... There are 8 million Republicans in California, and we cannot leave them behind. We will fight for everybody.”
Protestors outside largely took issue with Gaetz’s presence at the rally. Gaetz was previously investigated while serving in Congress for alleged sexual misconduct, including paying women for sex, having sex with a minor 17-year-old, and illicit drug use.
The U.S. Department of Justice closed its probe in Feb. 2023 without filing charges. A Dec. 2024 report by the House Ethics Committee found “substantial evidence” of serious misconduct during Gaetz’s time in office. In November 2024, Gaetz withdrew as Trump’s attorney general nominee and said he would not be returning to his Florida congressional seat.
