DeSantis warns of the consequences of another GOP White House loss

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis warned of the betrayal the Democrats have in store if they can keep the White House and Senate and retake the House in 2024.

While DeSantis has yet to jump into the presidential race, he’s been through the motions — including hobnobbing Friday with the DC public at the Heritage Foundation’s 50th anniversary celebrations.

In that room, he spoke of the national repercussions Republicans would face if they fail to mount a successful challenge to President Joe Biden.

“The left plays for a living,” DeSantis said. “If you look at what happens in 2024, if the Democrats can take all the offices — president, senate and house — what are they going to do with that power? They’ll try to get the U.S. Supreme Court, they’ll try to abolish the Electoral College.”

“They will try to make Washington, D.C. a state so they can get two left-wing senators virtually for life,” he continued. “And they will try to eliminate voter ID nationwide and make ballot collection mandatory.”

DeSantis snaps a selfie with a 50th Anniversary Heritage Foundation Leadership Summit attendee at Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center on Friday

He did not speak openly about his presidential ambitions – and was not asked about a potential led by the moderator, Heritage Foundation chairman Kevin Roberts.

Roberts asked instead, “should everyone wear cowboy boots with suits?”

DeSantis answered in the affirmative – and wore them.

But he did take advantage of the success he had in formerly purple Florida and turn it into a conservative red state.

DeSantis mentioned the controversial abortion ban he recently signed.

It prohibits abortions after six weeks, which effectively prohibits the procedure, since most women don’t know they are pregnant at that point.

It gave Florida one of the most restrictive abortion laws in the country.

DeSantis had not mentioned it in his past appearances for conservatives, including a speech he gave to the conservative Baptist Liberty University.

But he mentioned it in passing on Friday and was greeted with applause.

Kevin Roberts, the president of the Heritage Foundation, didn’t ask DeSantis about his presidential aspirations, but “should everyone wear cowboy boots with a suit?”

DeSantis wore cowboy boots with his suit during his performance at Friday’s Heritage Foundation event that took place just outside Washington, D.C.

“We recently signed the Heartbeat Act to protect lives,” he said before moving on to talk about another law he signed allowing Florida residents to carry guns without a state permit.

DeSantis reiterated his call to build a wall on the southern border, calling on President Biden by name, while Florida’s governor boasted that he would pull it off.

“I think that to finally solve the problem of illegal immigration at the border, you need a lot of things. But you must build a wall along the southern border. Walls are resources that can be used efficiently and what I told President Biden is, you know I have some know-how.”

He then described the Pine Island Bridge that Hurricane Ian wiped out as it swept through Florida, causing billions in damage and killing 120 people.

DeSantis claimed he cut all the red tape and reopened the bridge within two weeks.

He noted that he mentioned that story because “I’m willing to send those guys in Florida to the southern border to build a wall.”

A spokesperson for the Heritage Foundation said there were 1,070 people in the crowd at Friday’s event at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center

‘Come on Joe,’ he added to great applause from the crowd.

After the event, DeSantis stayed for about 10 minutes, taking selfies, shaking hands and chatting with the crowd.

Security had to hang a rope to stop the crowd storming onto the stage to see the governor.

When one contestant said he was from London and was excited to see him, DeSantis, who has been accused of being unwilling to make small talk, stopped talking to him about the city and mentioned the trade mission he would go to the UK next week.

A spokesperson for the Heritage Foundation said there were 1,070 people in the crowd to see “America’s Governor,” as DeSantis was introduced by Roberts.

The event was held at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center just outside of Washington in Maryland’s National Harbor.

Former President Donald Trump chaired the Conservative Political Action Conference in March at the same location, albeit in a larger ballroom.