Imagine running for Congress and facing not just political attacks, but a chilling threat on your life. That's the shocking reality Anna Paulina Luna, the eventual winner of Florida's 13th Congressional District seat, encountered when her GOP primary rival, William Robert Braddock III, crossed a dangerous line.
Just The News reported that Braddock, a 41-year-old St. Petersburg resident and former congressional hopeful, was sentenced to three years in prison on Wednesday for threatening to kill Luna, a charge stemming from interstate transmission of a threat to injure, to which he pleaded guilty.
Back in June 2021, as the primary race heated up, Braddock saw Luna as the sole barrier to his political ambitions.
He didn’t just play dirty—he went personal, trying to worm his way into her circle and badmouth her among peers. It’s the kind of tactic that makes you wonder if some candidates forget the meaning of fair play.
Things escalated when Braddock made a horrifying phone call to a private citizen acquainted with Luna. He brazenly threatened to have her murdered if her polling numbers stayed strong. Turns out, tough talk can land you in far hotter water than a campaign stump speech.
“I would call up my Russian-Ukrainian hit squad and make Luna disappear,” Braddock reportedly said. Well, that’s one way to lose votes—and your freedom. This isn’t just campaign bravado; it’s a federal crime, and the justice system took notice.
“Luna is ignorant, so I don’t have a problem taking her out,” he added, clarifying he wouldn’t do the “dirty work” himself. Charming, isn’t it, how some think outsourcing a threat makes it less vile? Thankfully, the law doesn’t see it that way.
By November 2021, perhaps sensing the heat, Braddock booked a one-way ticket to Thailand. He didn’t stop there, eventually settling in Santa Rosa, Laguna, in the Philippines. Running halfway across the world doesn’t exactly scream innocence, does it?
For over a year, Braddock stayed in the Philippines, seemingly hoping distance would erase his actions. But justice has a long reach, and in June 2023, he self-surrendered to authorities in Manila. Sometimes, facing the music is the only option left.
Braddock remained in custody in the Philippines until September 2024, when he was finally transported back to the United States. The long journey home wasn’t a vacation—it was a prelude to accountability. And accountability, as we’ve seen, doesn’t care how far you run.
Fast forward to Wednesday, when a federal court handed down a three-year prison sentence for his guilty plea. It’s a stark reminder that words aren’t just words when they carry violent intent. Campaigns are battles of ideas, not threats of bloodshed.
Anna Paulina Luna, meanwhile, emerged as the frontrunner and ultimately won the GOP primary for Florida’s 13th District in 2022, securing the seat. Braddock, on the other hand, never even made it onto the primary ballot. A lesson in how obsession with power can backfire spectacularly.
“I will be the next congressman for this District. Period,” Braddock once declared with misplaced confidence. Sorry, sir, but the voters—and now the courts—have spoken louder.
In the end, justice prevailed, and Braddock is learning that actions indeed have consequences. Luna continues to serve, undeterred by the dark shadow of this episode. May this serve as a cautionary tale for anyone tempted to let ambition override decency in the rough-and-tumble world of politics.