A former Republican congressional candidate from Florida has been sentenced to three years in federal prison after pleading guilty to threatening to have his political opponent killed. The case, which reads like something out of a political thriller, centers around William Robert Braddock III and a disturbing phone call in which he spoke of hiring a foreign “hit squad” to take out his opponent.
The Threat That Shook a Campaign
In 2021, Braddock was one of several GOP candidates running for Florida’s 13th Congressional District seat. His main competition at the time was Anna Paulina Luna, a U.S. Air Force veteran who had gained popularity with Republican voters and eventually went on to win the seat.
As Luna’s campaign gained momentum, Braddock made a deeply troubling phone call to a local political activist. In that recorded call, he said, “I really don’t want to have to end anybody’s life for the good of the people of the United States… If it needs to be done, it needs to be done.” He then claimed to have access to a “Russian-Ukrainian hit squad” that could make Luna “disappear.”
Although there’s no evidence Braddock had real connections to organized crime or took steps to carry out the threat, the conversation alarmed authorities—and rightfully so.
Disappearing Act and Return
Shortly after the call came to light, Braddock disappeared from public view. For more than a year, he lived abroad, first in Thailand, then in the Philippines. Some saw this as an attempt to dodge the growing investigation back in the United States.
But in 2023, the law caught up with him. Braddock turned himself in to U.S. authorities in Manila and was flown back to Florida to face federal charges. In February 2025, he pleaded guilty to transmitting an interstate threat, admitting that what he did crossed a very serious line.
The Sentence
On May 20, 2025, a federal judge sentenced Braddock to three years in prison. The court noted that while the threat may not have been followed by direct action, the words he used were enough to warrant serious punishment. Political intimidation, especially in an already tense political climate, isn’t something the justice system takes lightly.
Anna Paulina Luna, who is now serving her second term in Congress, has remained largely quiet about the sentencing but has previously said that the threat made her fear for her life and the safety of her family.
Broader Impact on Politics
This case is yet another example of how toxic American politics has become in recent years. Threats and intimidation aimed at political opponents—once rare and universally condemned—are becoming disturbingly common.
The Department of Justice has made it clear that it will take aggressive action against those who threaten public officials, candidates, or election workers. In Braddock’s case, the sentence sends a strong message: threatening violence for political gain has no place in American democracy.
Looking Ahead
Braddock is expected to serve his sentence in a federal facility in Florida. After his release, he will be under supervised release for an additional three years.
While this chapter may be closing for now, it has left a lasting mark on Florida’s political landscape and raised important questions about the safety of candidates and the state of political discourse in the country.
This was more than just a campaign gone wrong—it was a wake-up call.
