Rep. Randy Fine denounces ‘rise of Islam in America’ at GOP Jewish confab

Fine was one of a few speakers who blasted progressive figures such as New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Abdul El-Sayed, and the streamer Hasan Piker.

By Joseph Strauss, JTA

Jewish Rep. Randy Fine of Florida attacked Muslim politicians in the Democratic party as he addressed the Republican Jewish Coalition’s annual summit on Sunday night.

There were many denouncements of democratic socialist politicians at the gathering’s gala dinner, but the Florida Republican congressman’s criticism was the most pointed as he addressed what he said was “the elephant in the room: the rise of Islam in America.”

“We are constantly told that the problem is not mainstream Islam, but radical Islamism. But where are the so-called moderate Muslims in our political system?” Fine said to applause.

Fine, who won his recent Florida primary with endorsements from the RJC, President Donald Trump, and the pro-Israel lobbying group AIPAC, has prompted considerable ire on Capitol Hill for comments denigrating Muslims—including comparing them to dogs—and saying that Gazans should “starve away” until the Israeli hostages were released.

Fine was one of a few speakers who blasted progressive figures such as New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Abdul El-Sayed, and the streamer Hasan Piker as they spoke to an audience of mostly RJC members and students, who were seated in a ballroom inside Las Vegas’ Venetian Resort.

Most speakers criticized socialists, who they say are taking over the Democratic Party, and emphasized the need for Republicans to maintain control of the House and Senate in November.

Fine said he was intentionally pointing to a list of Muslim figures.

“The fact that not all Muslims are bad does not mean that no Muslims are bad,” Fine told reporters after the program on Sunday.

“People are unwilling to have that discussion, and if we don’t have it, we’re going to have real problems in this country.”

The other speaker on Sunday who seemed willing to have the discussion was Texas Rep. Brandon Gill, who said Islam is “fundamentally incompatible with our way of life” and decried the “Islamization of Texas.”

“If we want to fight antisemitism, we need to start with our immigration policy,” said Gill. He added that “importing people whose values are incompatible with our own” would make the U.S. weaker.

Fine commended Gill after the event for his comments about Islam while others were “afraid to talk about it.”

“I give him credit,” Fine said.

Fine’s comments came just weeks after an ugly primary battle against anti-Israel influencer and former celebrity poker player Dan Bilzerian, who has said he wants to “kill Israelis” and believes the Holocaust death toll was exaggerated.

Fine made headlines with inflammatory comments about Armenians (Bilzerian is Armenian-American) in addition to his rhetoric on Muslims.

About an hour before he spoke, Fine tweeted a recent video of New York Gov. Kathy Hochul wearing a hijab while visiting a mosque, adding the caption, “This is what surrendering to Mainstream Islam looks like.”

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