By May 2022, Rich Logis was deeply entrenched in the MAGA movement. He held bylines at Fox News and The Federalist, sponsored local Trump groups, hosted a MAGA podcast, and even attended a private event at Mar-a-Lago.
Yet the first fractures were already forming in his fierce allegiance to Donald Trump.
The cracks first surfaced with the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. For Logis, a father of two young girls, hearing stories of parents burying their children felt personal. He watched with growing unease as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis pivoted from being pro-vaccine to platforming anti-vaccine conspiracy theorists. Desperate for clarity, Logis diversified his news sources, quickly discovering that many of the core beliefs he had actively promoted were provably false. When he learned that guns outnumber people 3-to-1 in the U.S., it hit him: “If the Democrats were coming for our guns, they were doing a lousy job of it.” He realized he had become addicted to anger and outrage, and it was consuming him.
On May 24, 2022, Logis walked into a pawn shop carrying his AR-15, intending to sell it. On the shop’s television, breaking news detailed the horrific mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas, where 19 children were slaughtered with the exact weapon he held in his hands. A chill went through him. In that moment, Logis changed for good.
In an ultra-polarized era where people rarely question their chosen side, Logis, a South Florida resident, did something extraordinary: He stopped, reflected, and walked away. The exit was painful.
“The community part of MAGA was intoxicating,” Logis admits. “It was a second family where I felt seen and heard. There was a great feeling of camaraderie.”
Logis — who recently published his memoir, One Betrayal Too Many: Why I Left MAGA” — traveled to Brevard County this month to speak with over 50 members of The Bridges, the Space Coast chapter of the national women’s organization Red Wine & Blue. In a community where registered Republicans outnumber Democrats 2-to-1, attendees were eager to learn how to communicate across the deep political divide.
Leaving MAGA founder: ‘Lead with empathy and curiosity’
Operating on the mantra that “We agree more than we disagree,” Logis outlined a practical roadmap for connecting with MAGA-supporting loved ones.
The group left the meeting deeply moved. Tracy Fielder, a retired aeronautical engineer, noted, “I appreciated that Rich began with an apology for the damage he had caused.” Gayle Mastak of Cocoa Beach agreed, adding, “It takes a strong person to admit mistakes and apologize.”
Janet Tew, the lone Democrat among her nine siblings, appreciated the emphasis on compassion over judgment, observing that “people live in information silos; we just don’t read the same news.” Another attendee, whose spouse is an ardent Trump supporter, was heartened by his story and the growth of LeavingMAGA. “Hearing that his group is busier than ever gives me hope,” she shared.
Before he concluded, Rich generously offered to personally speak with anyone going through their own struggle with MAGA allegiance.
“Everyone might not change, but everyone can.”
Kat Smith, formerly of Los Angeles, is a writer and Brevard County resident. For more about The Bridges, locate the group on Facebook or visit the official Red Wine & Blue website.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: He was a MAGA loyalist. Now he shares how to bridge divides
Reporting by Kat Smith, Florida Today / Florida Today
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Kat Smith, Florida Today | USA TODAY Network
