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By Kate Plummer
Senior US News Reporter
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Dan Bilzerian became embroiled in a social media spat with Laura Loomer, a close ally of President Donald Trump, after he said he would run for Congress in Florida.
Bilzerian, an Armenian American social media influencer and poker player, announced his run in Florida's 6th Congressional District last week, writing on X that he would challenge the incumbent Randy Fine.
"I'm going to run against fat f*** @RepFine for congress," he wrote on March 25. Bilzerian's name does not appear on the list of candidates put forth by the Federal Election Commission, though it has only been a week since his post.
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In response, far-right commentator Loomer called him a "disgraced degenerate" and affirmed her support for Fine, causing Bilzerian, who has 30 million followers on Instagram, to bite back.
Newsweek reached out to representatives for Bilzerian as well as to Loomer and Fine for comment outside of normal business hours.
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Why It Matters
Fine, a former Florida state senator, won his Congress seat in a 2025 special election but with a narrower margin compared to previous victories, stoking concerns about the GOP's chance of success when he runs in the November midterm elections in the hopes of securing a full term. The GOP has a slim majority in the House of Representatives so every seat matters and challengers like Bilzerian could disrupt the Republican primary and the race overall.
What To Know
This is not least because Fine has faced calls for his resignation, after suggesting in a February social media post that he'd choose dogs over Muslims. In March, he triggered a backlash when he wrote on X: "We need more Islamophobia, not less. Fear of Islam is rational."
Loomer, who is also known for making incendiary statements, called Bilzerian a "disgraced degenerate," adding he was running against Fine "simply because Fine is Jewish."
She added that Bilzerian wants to "invade Israel himself" and called him an "unhinged Islamic terror apologist and rabid Jew hater."
Bilzerian replied: "I’m not Muslim dips***, don’t forget to take your meds Larry."
Loomer has made sweeping claims about Islam, recently saying, “I believe that Islam is a cancer on the world,” and “I don’t believe that Islamophobia is real. I believe Islamophobia is a hoax.” She also said, “I believe that it should be illegal in the United States for Muslims to hold office.” Bilzerian has expressed anti-Israel views amid the country's ongoing war with Palestinian militant group Hamas—and has also blamed it for the U.S. involvement in Iran—and has been accused of propagating hate speech.
Of Fine, he wrote on Wednesday: "He has no place in our govt and when I unseat him I’m going to draft laws to have anyone putting Israel before America tried for treason."
What People Are Saying
Loomer wrote on X on Wednesday: "Disgraced degenerate Dan Bilzerian...is now claiming he is running for Congress in Florida against America First patriot Randy Fine...simply because Fine is Jewish. Bilzerian, who is Muslim, says he wants to put "boots on the ground" and invade Israel himself to personally murder Israelis… because they are Jewish. If Bilzerian actually runs for Congress, Florida voters must overwhelmingly reject this unhinged Islamic terror apologist and rabid Jew hater to ensure he never gets anywhere near political office.
Aaron Baker, a GOP candidate running against Fine wrote on X: "Dan, I spoke to you a few months back. I am filed to run against him. Please reach out anytime.
Mike Wilnau, a Republican politician running in another Florida district wrote: "Instead of running against him, pump some of that poker money into the campaign of the guy who’s been campaigning against him for over a year."
Journalist Michael Kuenne wrote in a blog post on The Times of Israel: "Bilzerian’s unchecked hate speech is a disconcerting reminder that bigotry doesn’t die; it just gets new platforms and new audiences."
What Happens Next
Florida's Republican primary takes place in August 2026 and the general election is scheduled for November.
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