Ron DeSantis thinks Florida’s Republican Party Chairman Christian Ziegler should step down while he’s investigated for rape allegations from a woman he and his wife were engaged in a three-way relationship with.
In a press conference following a debate in Georgia on Thursday with California Gov. Gavin Newsom, the Florida leader said the mission of his state’s GOP is ‘too important’ to get muddied with the investigation.
Ziegler’s wife, Bridget, is co-founder of Moms for Liberty, a right-wing parental rights group and Sarasota County School board member.
The couple rising in the ranks of Florida politics had their ambitions rocked this week with the emergence of allegations against Christian.
‘[The accusations] are very serious. I don’t see how he can continue with that investigation ongoing given the gravity of those situations,’ DeSantis said when asked if Ziegler should resign.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said at a press conference after his debate with California Gov. Gavin Newsom that Florida Republican Party Chairman Christian Ziegler should step aside as he faces investigation for sexual battery and rape
Christian Ziegler (left) is accused of rape by a woman who says she was in a three-way relationship with Ziegler and his wife Bridget Ziegler (right)
He said that he just learned of the allegations today.
‘I think he should step aside and should tend to that,’ DeSantis said. ‘He’s innocent till proven guilty, but we just can’t have a party chair that is under that type of scrutiny.’
‘I hope that the charges aren’t true. I’ve known him, I’ve known Bridget, they’ve been friends, but mission is more important.
Christian Ziegler, the Florida Republican Party Chair, now finds himself under criminal investigation after a woman claiming to be part of a three-way relationship with Ziegler’s wife alleged he raped her.
Bridget Ziegler is a co-founder of Moms for Liberty and Sarasota County School board member.
Together, the couple holds powerful influence in Florida GOP politics.
A heavily redacted police complaint, which was obtained by the Florida Trident, was submitted on October 4 and alleged the rape occurred in her Sarasota home. The words ‘rape’ and ‘sexual battery’ remained unredacted, according to the Trident.
According to the outlet, the woman alleged she and both Zieglers had been involved in a longstanding, consensual, three-way sexual relationship prior to the incident.
The alleged assault happened when Bridget was away from the home, according to the report.
No criminal charges have been filed in the case and Christian Ziegler’s lawyer denied the allegations saying the chairman would be ‘completely exonerated.’
The alleged incident, now under investigation by Sarasota police, say happened when Christian and the unnamed accuser were alone in her home on October 2. Pictured: Christian and Bridget Ziegler with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (middle)
Bridget Ziegler is a co-founder of Moms for Liberty, a right-wing parental rights group, and Sarasota County School board member
Together, the couple holds powerful influence in Florida GOP politics
The alleged incident, now under investigation by Sarasota police, say happened when Christian and the unnamed accuser were alone in her home on October 2, according to the Trident.
Sources cited by the Trident also said a search warrant had been executed on Christian’s cell phone and that authorities are in the process of conducting a forensic examination of the device.
The GOP heavyweight is also alleged to have secretly videotaped the sexual encounters between the couple and the woman.
Christian Ziegler was elected chairman of the Sunshine State’s GOP in February. He formerly served as vice chairman of the state party. Before that he was a Sarasota County Commissioner.
Bridget Ziegler is considered a rising star in the conservative movement. She previously received the personal endorsement of Florida Governor and 2024 presidential candidate Ron DeSantis for her school board seat.
She has become well known in her own state and across the country as the co-founder of Mom for Liberty, a group founded in the wake of COVID-19 school policies that parents across the nation felt were unnecessarily impeding their children’s development.
She helped establish the framework for what would become DeSantis’ Parental Rights in Education Bill, which became known in the media as the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ law.
Bridget Ziegler is considered a rising star in the conservative movement. She previously received the personal endorsement of Florida Governor and 2024 presidential candidate Ron DeSantis for her school board seat. Pictured: Bridget with Casey DeSantis
No criminal charges have been filed in the case and Christian Ziegler’s lawyer denied the allegations saying the chairman would be ‘completely exonerated’
According to the Trident, DeSantis has publicly praised Bridget Ziegler in addresses about education.
‘Bridget Ziegler, we should have her in every county in Florida. We have to do a better job in these school board races,’ DeSantis has said.
At present, Bridget also works for the Leadership Institute, a conservative group that runs workshops and develops curriculums to train the next generation of conservative leaders.
She oversees a program that ‘trains mom and dads how to run for school board, win, and then govern!’
In a statement posted to X, Moms for Liberty defended Bridget: ‘Yet another attempt today to ruin the reputation of a strong woman fighting for America.’
Bridget Zeigler has not responded to a request for comment from Dailymail.com.
In a statement posted to X, Moms for Liberty defended Bridget: ‘Yet another attempt today to ruin the reputation of a strong woman fighting for America’
In 2014, Bridget was first elected to the Sarasota County School Board and was reelected in 2018. In August 2022, she was elected to a third term
Bridget is the co-founder of Mom for Liberty, a group founded in the wake of COVID-19 school policies that parents across the nation felt were unnecessarily impeding their children’s development
Bridget also works for the Leadership Institute, a conservative group that runs workshops and develops curriculums to train the next generation of conservative leaders
The Sarasota Herald-Tribune reported that Ziegler’s attorney, Derek Byrd, said he is confident his client ‘will be completely exonerated,’ adding that he has been ‘fully cooperative with every request made by the Sarasota Police Department.’
‘Unfortunately, public figures are often accused of acts that they did not commit whether it be for political purposes or financial gain,’ he said.
‘I would caution anyone to rush to judgment until the investigation is concluded. Out of respect for the investigation, this is all Mr. Ziegler or myself can say at this time.’
The GOP of Sarasota County, where the couple and their young family are based, issued a statement declaring their ‘shock’ and ‘disappointment’ in the reports.
‘The Republican Party takes all such allegations of potential criminal conduct very seriously and will fully cooperate with investigators,’ read the statement.