Florida GOP chairman Christian Ziegler ousted amid rape investigation

Jan. 8 (UPI) -- The Florida Republican Party announced Monday it has elected a new leader months after former chairman Christian Ziegler became embroiled in a rape investigation.

The state GOP issued congratulations its new chairman, Evan Power, in a social media post following an emergency meeting of its executive committee at the Tallahassee Conference Center.

The vote to replace Ziegler was unanimous, sources told The Sarasota, Fla., Herald-Tribune and NBC News.

Power, a lobbyist and vice chairman of the state party since February, had the backing of Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis and a majority of the state party's leadership, according to political analysts who widely expected the move to oust Ziegler.

The party last month censured Ziegler, stopping just short of firing him, over the salacious allegations that also included his wife, Bridget Ziegler, a co-founder of the Moms for Liberty conservative activist group.

Court documents revealed a police investigation was launched in October when a woman said she had been raped by Ziegler. According to an affidavit filed by investigators, the woman said she was sexually assaulted by the GOP chairman during an encounter in which Bridget Ziegler was also intended to participate but decided to skip at the last minute.

She also claimed the trio had had previous three-way sexual encounters, police said.

Ziegler denies the rape accusations, asserting any sexual relations between he and the woman were consensual.

DeSantis called for Ziegler to resign his post in early December, telling reporters, "I don't see how he can continue with that investigation ongoing, given the gravity of those situations, and so I think that I think he should step aside, I think he should tend to that."

Power, who lost a close contest for party chairman in February, said after Monday's vote the party is "moving forward" after the Ziegler scandal, dismissing concerns it has damaged its standing with voters.

"I think it's a blip on the radar," he told the News Service of Florida. "I think we're going to be able to pick up today fundraising-wise and move the party forward. So, I don't think there's going to be a long-term impact. I think you're going to see us win big again in November."