A fight reportedly broke out between two Republicans at a recent Donald Trump campaign office opening in Valdosta, Georgia.
Attendees at the July 29 event told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that the fight broke out after Brandon Phillips, an aide to U.S. Rep. Mike Collins (R-GA) intervened when Sam Carnline, a conservative activist, confronted Republican State Rep. John LaHood about changes to the state’s election laws.
Things turned physical when Phillips allegedly spit in Carnline’s face, according to a police report obtained by AJC.
“Words were exchanged between [Carnline] and Brandon, because he was upset that Brandon spit in his face,” the police report said.
Phillips denied spitting in Carnline’s face and at least one witness told AJC that he saw Carnline “shove or hit Phillips twice.”
Phillips told the outlet that he intervened because he did not like the questions Carnline was asking LaHood.
“They say politics can be a contact sport, and sometimes it is,” he added. “I certainly don’t mind defending any volunteers or officials who are trying to contribute in a positive way toward a Trump victory from outside agitators with the opposite agenda.”
Recent polling shows a tight race between Trump and Vice-President Kamala Harris in Georgia. Trump has a lead of less than 1 percent in the Real Clear Politics average of polls.
Trump lost Georgia by fewer than 12,000 votes to Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election. His debunked claims of widespread election fraud have led to the Republican controlled legislature passing legislations restricting access to voting.
