Casey DeSantis channels Melania with the message “Where wake comes to die” on the back of her leather jacket

While her husband is pushing his case to run for president, Casey DeSantis continued her audition for America’s first lady by channeling another first lady and delivering a blunt message on the back of her jacket.

“Where awakening comes to die,” read the message on the back of her black leather jacket at a charity motorcycle rally in Des Moines, Iowa.

It also included a photo of an alligator and the outline of the state of Florida, where her husband is governor.

It immediately drew comparisons to Melania Trump, who wore a striking green hooded jacket during a 2018 trip to visit migrant children in Texas.

“I really don’t care, do I?” said it, sparking a heated debate over whether she was shrugging at the plight of detained children, or pointing a metaphorical finger at the media and attacks on her family.

The DeSantis message was clearer and closely related to one of her husband’s main campaign commitments.

Supporters say she’s an important part of the campaign machine, echoing his talking points and rounding out his awkward sides with stories about their lives back home.

She has been a constant presence at events since DeSantis announced his offer.

On Saturday, she entertained their three kids in her leather jacket amid the 86F heat as the Florida governor signed bibles and hats and posed for selfies with supporters.

In a 10-minute speech to Republicans, her husband again channeled Churchill to lay out his contempt for “awakened” ideology.

“We will wage war against the awake. We will fight the vigil in education; we will fight the vigil in the companies; we will fight the vigil in the halls of Congress,” he said

“We will never, ever surrender to the awake crowd.”

Fighting political correctness at Disney, banning transgender operations on minors, and banning discussion of sexuality in schools were all part of Florida’s anti-woke agenda.

“We stand for the protection of our children,” he said. “We will fight anyone who wants to rob them of their innocence.

And on those principles. I will not compromise where I stand.’

DeSantis is clearly second only to Trump, but has a lot to make up for if he wants to win the nomination.

On Saturday, he appeared at Senator Joni Ernst’s Roast and Ride event. After a procession of bikers, eight 2024 Republican hopefuls took the stage to make their pitch to Iowa voters.

DeSantis joined former Vice President Mike Pence, former Governor Nikki Haley, Senator Tim Scott and other declared candidates in Des Moines, Iowa.

But the frontrunner, former President Donald Trump, was notably absent, continuing a strategy of avoiding events where he has to share a stage with rivals.

His former VP was the only hopeful to participate in the motorcycle rally, a part of Senator Joni Ernst’s Roast and Ride

And in his speech, he teased an announcement on Wednesday when he will return to the state.

And I must tell you that for the past two years, [wife] Karen and I have spent a lot of time thinking and praying about all that this country is facing and what we could do to serve,” he said.

“And I have nothing to announce today, but I can tell you, when it’s time to announce, arrive this Wednesday, I’ll announce in Iowa.”

Pence has made multiple trips to the early caucus state over the past year as he tests the waters, but has yet to formally enter the race.

He wore jeans, boots and a patched leather vest in tribute to his home state of “Indiana” and messages of support for the military as he joined Ernst at the head of the rumbling column of motorcyclists.

Saturday was one of Iowan’s unique events where voters get a chance to get up close and personal with the candidates as they weigh their support.

Amid plates of roast pork and biker jackets, eight presidential candidates made their pitches while mingling with the locals.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis arrived at the end of a five-day tour of early states.

His wife Casey wore a black leather jacket at 86 degrees with the words “Where Woke Goes to Die” with an image of an alligator and the outline of Florida on the back.

After about an hour of retail politics, the candidates took the stage to outline their platform in 10-minute speeches.

The meeting at the fairgrounds near Des Moines is one of the first opportunities for Republicans in the state to compare most candidates side-by-side.

Others appearing include former Arkansas governor Asa Hutchinson, Michigan businessman Perry Johnson, author Vivek Ramaswamy, and conservative talk show host Larry Elder.

Absent was Trump, who visited the state earlier this week. However, his presence was felt with signs around the fairgrounds parking lot and his presence in the race hung over almost every speech.

First to take the stage was Scott, who seeks to unify the party with a message of optimism based on his own rags-to-riches story.

“I’m scaring the hell out of the radical left and Joe Biden,” he said. “The evidence of my life destroys their lies.”

Pence, for his part, listed achievements from his time as vice president before criticizing the Biden administration.

“Under President Joe Biden and the Democrats in Washington DC, they unleashed the worst border crisis in American history,” he said.

Inflation is at its highest level in 40 years, energy prices are skyrocketing, all because of their war on energy and their weakness abroad.

“And that disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan has emboldened the enemies of freedom.”

Like other candidates, he hinted that it was time to put the divisive politics of recent years behind him.

“Republicans must offer a positive vision of the future based on … conservative principles and we must speak hard truths,” he said.

“Men and women, we must resist the temptation to choose what is popular over what works and has been proven over time.

“I believe we must resist the politics of personality.”