Palm Beach Co Sheriff candidate takes another blow, accused of misleading voters on military service

Weeks before a South Florida primary election for sheriff, a new campaign ad calls out one GOP candidate for misleading about his military background.

Palm Beach County Sheriff candidate Michael Gauger made headlines after a hot mic outburst during a virtual candidates’ forum caught him calling his opponent a “f–king a–hole.” Stunning the other candidates and coming under fire for the outburst, Gauger insisted he thought his microphone was off at the end of the Zoom call.

Now, Gauger is facing another storm of criticism as the Palm Beach County Police Benevolent Association’s PAC launched a video ad accusing the Democrat-turned-Republican of not being truthful about his military service record.

“My name is Michael Gauger. I’ve been a resident of Florida,” the Illinois native said in a clip shared by the PAC in the campaign ad.

“After I was drafted, in the U.S. Army, served my time there and came down here,” he said.

PBC Sheriff’s candidate Mike Gauger is trying to mislead voters about his military service during the Vietnam War. He was discharged before boot camp.
This isn’t a “slip of the tongue”, but in speech after speech-many on video he implies he served his time in the Army. FALSE! pic.twitter.com/RZpi7SvR5M

— JC (@BIGJKC79) July 26, 2024

“Mike Gauger wants you to believe he served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War,” a narrator notes in the video ad. “The truth is Gauger never actually served in the Army, at all.”

The ad goes on to note that “official Army records” show Gauger “went through initial processing and was dismissed without basic training or any service in the Army.”

“And Gauger has been misleading Palm Beach County voters for months about his military service,” the video continues. “Stop it, Mr. Gauger. You’re not just lying about your service, you’re dishonoring the service of those who really did serve their country.”

While the campaign website makes no mention of US military service, this was not the first speech Gauger has made subtly implying that he had served.

Speaking at a Vietnamese event one day after the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump, Gauger spoke about his “service” again.

“I was lucky. I made it through 50 years and through the military service,” he said before quoting Trump, “Never, never surrender.”

Challenges for the former Democrat-turned-Republican, who spent decades at the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office before retiring in 2021, were multiplied after seeming to have a meltdown during a virtual candidates’ forum on Zoom. His Republican primary opponent, Bartow Police Cpt. Lauro Diaz was on the receiving end of the outburst.

Gauger appeared to be visibly angry during Diaz’s remarks and when the candidate had finished speaking, declared, “You’re a f–king a–hole.”

Diaz and Democratic candidate Alex Freeman both reacted with a stunned, “Wow” as the moderator, Deputy Chief State Attorney Cheo Reid, tried to wrap things up.

“Gauger can’t stay calm during a conversation. He’s unfit to protect our community! President Trump lives here and is protected by the Sheriff! We can’t allow him to win!” attorney and BizPac Review contributor Erin Elmore wrote on X, sharing the clip.

Palm Beach County Voters: Watch this clip of Gauger for Sheriff calling his opponent a f***ing a**hole. Gauger can’t stay calm during a conversation. He’s unfit to protect our community! President Trump lives here and is protected by the Sheriff! We can’t allow him to win! pic.twitter.com/4NLLTikrH5

— Erin Elmore, Esq. (@ErinElmore) July 25, 2024

The attack stunned those watching the debate and quickly went viral, even getting picked up as a lead story by TMZ, and becoming a national embarrassment for Republicans in Palm Beach County, the home of former President Donald Trump. The 76-year-old asserted later that he didn’t know his mic was unmuted and didn’t realize his video screen was still visible.

Calls for Bradshaw’s former second-in-command to drop out of the primary began after the forum.

“Bradshaw is enormously popular. He’s a nominal Democrat with an ocean of Republican support from the days when the job was non-partisan,” said Elmore, who is a Palm Beach County resident and Trump supporter and has closely followed the race. “Even with the best of campaigns, Gauger is a terrible candidate.”

After spending the last 16 years as Chief Deputy to incumbent Bradshaw, Gauger is on a mission to convince voters that he is the most qualified to be the nominee to face off against him. Palm Beach County Republicans will get to decide on August 20th.

Disclaimer: Erin Elmore, whose opinion is featured in this post is also a contributor for BizPac Review.

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