Activist Shamed by Gaetz Vows to Triple Dem Funds if He Runs for President

A 19-year-old activist who raised millions after Representative Matt Gaetz attempted to body shame her on social media has vowed to "triple" Democratic funds should the Florida Republican ever run for president.

Olivia Julianna, the director of politics and government affairs for advocacy group Gen-Z for Change, raised more than $2.2 million for abortion rights over the summer shortly after interacting with Gaetz on Twitter. After the activist responded to an anti-abortion tweet from the congressman, he replied by sharing a photo of her along with a comment suggesting that he had raised her "dander."

Julianna said at the time that Gaetz was "intentionally directing his followers to harass" her. She used the interaction as motivation to launch what quickly became a successful abortion rights fundraising effort. On Thursday, "Gaetz 2024" trended on Twitter, prompting Julianna to announce that she would launch a new fundraising effort if he ever secures the GOP nomination for president.

"If @mattgaetz ever ran for President, I will work with the democratic candidate to triple whatever he raises," she tweeted. "I know it's possible because I've done it before."

"Matt Gaetz is running for Congress, not president," a spokesman for Gaetz told Newsweek in a statement. "Olivia should try running for any reason whatsoever."

Julianna told Newsweek in a response that Gaetz's team did not "learn their lesson" from previously body shaming her and suggested that she may run for office in 2024.

"It seems to me that Congressman Gaetz and his team didn't learn their lesson last time they decided to body shame me," Julianna said. "Talking about my ability to run is quite funny considering when it comes to fundraising I ran circles around Gaetz in a matter of days.

"What a kind suggestion of his office [to suggest] that I run—maybe I'll take him up on his offer and start making plans of my own for 2024," she added.

Gaetz hinted in May 2021 that he might run for president in 2024 should former President Donald Trump decline to seek a non-consecutive second term, reportedly saying that "if Trump doesn't run, I'm sure I could defeat whatever remains of [President] Joe Biden by 2024" in a text to the New York Post.

Gaetz trended on Twitter an additional time on Thursday after mocking Pennsylvania Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman, the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, over the condition of his health following a stroke he suffered earlier in the year. He also slighted Biden while speculating that the Democrats could run on the same presidential ticket.

"John Fetterman is the only American politician who makes Joe Biden sound like Winston Churchill," Gaetz said during a Newsmax interview. "It makes you wonder what's next: Biden-Fetterman 2024, with the slogan 'recover with us.'"

The Florida Republican later repeated his comments about Biden and Fetterman in tweets to his personal and official accounts.

Brigitte Gabriel, the founder of the anti-Muslim group ACT for America, said in a tweet that Gaetz could run on a presidential ticket with Trump, possibly contributing to the phrase "Gaetz 2024" trending.

"Trump/Gaetz 2024 would be a dream ticket," Gabriel tweeted, inspiring a host of largely negative replies, including many that referred to Gaetz as an alleged "pedophile" or suggested that both he and Trump would be "in jail" by 2024.

Gaetz's encounter with Julianna happened after the activist pushed back against comments he made in July during a conservative conference, when he said that women who protest in favor of reproductive rights were "odious on the inside out" and had "the least likelihood of getting pregnant."

"They're like 5 [feet], 2 [inches], 350 pounds, and they're like, 'Give me my abortions or I'll get up and march and protest,'" Gaetz said.

"I'm actually 5'11. 6'4 in heels," Julianna responded in a tweet. "I wear them so small men like you are reminded of your place."

Gaetz then shared a Newsmax article with a headline describing his comments as a "rant sure to raise dander of his political opponents," alongside a photo of Julianna and the comment "Dander raised ...."

Within 72 hours, Julianna had raised $1 million for abortion rights. Soon after, she tweeted, "F*** around and find out lol" to Gaetz and sent him a digital "thank you card" that read, "How's that for Dander raised? Get rekt."

At least $2 million had been raised within one week of Julianna's encounter with Gaetz.