Publix Suspends Political Contributions

After Publix endorsed Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam in his bid to replace term-limited Florida Governor Rick Scott, they received backlash because Putnam is backed by the NRA, and he is a proud supporter of 2nd amendment rights. As a result, gun control advocate David Hogg called for people to protest the supermarket chain by staging a “die-in” inside.

At first, Publix’s company spokesman Dwaine Stevens released a statement saying that “At Publix, we respect the students and members of the community who have chosen to express their voices on these issues. We regret that our contributions have led to a divide in our community. We did not intend to put our associates and the customers they serve in the middle of a political debate.’’

After the protests were staged, Publix announced outright that they were going to be suspending political contributions.

In a statement released by Stevens, he explained that “We would never knowingly disappoint our customers or the communities we serve. As a result, we decided earlier this week to suspend corporate-funded political contributions as we reevaluate our giving processes.’’

During the protests, store managers diverted shoppers around the protestors and employees assisted shoppers with retrieving items.

Putnam faces Congressman Ron DeSantis who has gained the endorsement of Kyle Kashuv, a Marjory Stoneman Douglas shooting survivor.

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