The Frankel-Franzese congressional rematch pits the traditional Democratic verse against the MAGA verse

The congressional race to represent east-central Palm Beach County, including elector Donald Trump, who is also on the ballot, is a rematch of the 2022 race between the area’s Democratic congresswoman for six terms and a retired financial executive who has many MAGA-verse figures endorsing him.

Democratic U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel, a former mayor of West Palm Beach, was first elected to Congress in 2012 and built her reputation championing traditional Democratic causes, such as abortion and LGBTQ rights.

His opponent, Dan Franzese, is highlighting border security, gas prices and his agreement with Trump’s MAGA agenda in his campaign. His personal biography boasts of his beginnings as a carpenter’s assistant and his rise to becoming a successful financier managing pension funds.

What is at stake?

Florida’s 22nd congressional district is bordered by Delray Beach to the south and West Palm Beach to the north. Its western boundary is defined by the Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge and includes Boynton Beach, Greenacres and Lake Worth Beach. Its eastern ends include many beach municipalities, including Manalapan, Ocean Ridge, and Palm Beach.

Lois Frankel

• Age and residence: Frankel, 74, lives in West Palm Beach.

• Main campaign priorities: Support abortion and voting rights, promote gun safety, fight climate change, preserve Social Security and Medicare, and reduce the cost of housing, prescriptions, and energy. She will also focus on bringing manufacturing jobs back to the United States, her campaign says.

• Current employment: Since 2013, Frankel has represented the district in Congress full-time.

• Political context: Before serving on Capitol Hill, Frankel served as mayor of West Palm Beach from 2003 to 2011 and as a Florida state representative from 1987 to 1992 and 1994 to 2002.

• Education: Bachelor’s degree from Boston University and law degree from Georgetown University.

• Approvals: Frankel’s website lists a diverse range of support, including environmental groups, unions and local politicians. Included are Planned Parenthood Action Fund, Palm Beach County Hispanic Democratic Caucus, National Association of Social Workers, Democratic Majority for Israel and the National Educational Association Fund for Children and Public Education. top of the list.

• Finance: As of mid-October, the campaign had raised $1.7 million. Among the largest sums, $96,500 came through ActBlue, an online fundraising platform for Democrats; and $70,200 came from the U.S.-Israel Public Affairs Committee. Notables on his list include Sheryl Sandburg of San Francisco, the former chief operating officer of Facebook, who gave the most for an individual, $6,600. Frankel has neither lent nor donated to his campaign.

Dan Franzese

• Age and residence: Franzese, 62, lives in Palm Beach.

• Main campaign priorities: Fight inflation, secure America’s borders, support Israel, restore energy independence with gasoline prices reduced to $2 per gallon, support the military and veterans, and defend the Constitution.

• Professional history: Franzese retired this year, primarily after working as managing director of the U.S. subsidiary of National Bank of Canada Financial. Prior to that, he was vice president and director of Merrill Lynch; Previously, he held a wide range of positions at TIAA-CREF (now known as Nuveen).

• Political context: Franzese is a member of the Palm Beach Republican Executive Committee and has worked on political campaigns since his teens, including as an intern for U.S. Rep. Gregory Carman, a New York Republican.

• Education: Master of Business Administration from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania; bachelor’s degree (with distinction) from Amherst College.

• Approvals: Former President Donald Trump, Republican U.S. Senators Rick Scott and Marco Rubio, U.S. Representative Ronny Jackson of Texas, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, political consultants Dick Morris and Roger Stone, Republican Assembly of Florida, the Republican Liberty Caucus, the Florida Second Amendment Constitutionalists, and the Palm Beach County Hispanic Vote.

• Finance: Franzese has raised $1.2 million for his campaign without any political committee funding, except for the Republican Party of Palm Beach County, which has given $3,800 so far. Notable individual donations to his campaign include Boca Raton’s largest private landowners, James and Marta Batmasian, who each gave him $3,300; Franzese donated $90,000 to his campaign.

​​Anne Geggis is an insurance journalist at The Palm Beach postwhich is part of the USA TODAY Florida network. YesYou can reach her at [email protected].Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Election 2024: Frankel, Franzese rematch for West Palm congressional seat