Former Florida state Sen. Frank Artiles, a Republican, was arrested on Thursday for masterminding a scheme to push a sham candidate in last year’s state Senate race to sway the results in the GOP’s favor. The Democratic incumbent lost that 2020 election by less than 35 votes. 

The race –– which took place in Florida’s Senate District 37 –– pitted former TV personality Ileana Garcia, a Republican, against incumbent José Javier Rodríguez, a Democrat. An unknown auto-parts dealer by the name of Alex Rodriguez, who had the same surname as the incumbent, was also on the ticket as an independent. In the end, José Javier Rodríguez lost the election to Garcia by a mere 32 votes. Alex Rodriguez received just under 6,000 votes. Investigators allege, however, that Artiles planted Alex Rodriguez, a friend of his, onto the ticket as a shadow candidate in an effort to “confuse voters and influence the outcome” by “siphon[ing] votes from the incumbent.”

According to the arrest warrant, Artiles made […]