Former Secretary Karina Schmitt also resigns as Precinct Committeewoman and announces departure from Republican Party
CHARLOTTE COUNTY, FL — October 21, 2026 — Just three weeks before the November 3 General Election, Karina Schmitt, Secretary of the Charlotte County Republican Executive Committee (CCREC), resigned effective October 12, 2026, from her position as Secretary, her role as Precinct Committeewoman, and her affiliation with the Republican Party.
Schmitt attributed her resignation to months of irreconcilable differences with the committee’s executive leadership, particularly concerning candidate support, internal political maneuvering, and what she describes as the committee’s ineffectiveness in adequately informing and engaging Republican voters throughout Charlotte County.
Central to Schmitt’s concerns was the Executive Committee’s failure to endorse and adequately support Commissioner Stephen R. Deutsch, a longstanding conservative Republican and committee member of more than 20 years. Schmitt believes the committee’s lack of support contributed to Kim Amontree securing the Republican nomination for Charlotte County Commission District 4.
Schmitt also expressed strong objections to what she characterized as Amontree’s negative and dirty campaign tactics during the Republican primary, particularly campaign mailers targeting Deutsch. She described Amontree’s campaign as among the dirtiest she has witnessed in Charlotte County politics and questioned the extensive campaign spending and involvement of political consultants.
Following the August primary election, Schmitt expressed to the CCREC Chairman her concerns about Amontree’s campaign tactics and the need for the committee to issue a statement condemning them. According to Schmitt, her concerns were never formally brought before the committee, and no official condemnation followed.
Schmitt further questioned the committee’s handling of Amontree, who, according to Schmitt, had been removed as a precinct committee member in spring 2026 following months of nonattendance at committee meetings. She also raised concerns about Amontree seeking a County Commission seat relatively soon after her reelection to the Charlotte County School Board, as well as questions surrounding her residency in relation to the commission district she seeks to represent.
Beyond individual candidates, Schmitt criticized what she considers the committee’s insufficient efforts to reach Republican voters with meaningful information about candidates, their qualifications, and their positions on issues affecting Charlotte County.
Schmitt believes internal political maneuvering and disagreements over candidate support increasingly overshadowed the committee’s responsibility to serve Republican voters, uphold consistent standards, and encourage informed participation in local elections.
Her resignation, coming just weeks before voters head to the polls, marks the conclusion of her involvement with the Charlotte County Republican Executive Committee but not her work for a conservative community and limited government.
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