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Ron DeSantis has gone national, visiting Staten Island Monday morning for a breakfast with law enforcement and comments on his “plan to keep communities safe” as he kicks off his Law & Order tour.
The Florida governor’s tour of the north is fueling speculation that he is getting closer to announcing a 2024 run for president. His trip will also include stops in Philadelphia and Chicago.
Some local reporters say DeSantis should expect to run into protesters who are particularly upset by the governor’s plan to send immigrants to Democratic strongholds like New York and other Northeast cities.
The visit coincides with the President’s Day holiday and comes as former President Donald Trump continues to launch attacks on DeSantis, who is quickly becoming the most likely to defeat the former president in a primary.
Over breakfast and a pro-enforcement rally at the Privé catering hall on the South Shore of Staten Island, DeSantis began his remarks by stating that leaders in cities like New York are “putting the ideology of awakening before their security’.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis kicked off his multi-city Law & Order tour with a stop in Staten Island on Monday to speak with law enforcement and their supporters.
DeSantis participated in a police breakfast at the Privé Catering Hall (pictured) on Staten Island, New York City’s reddest district.
He also accused Democratic politicians of trying to “wake each other up” to win a primary in left-leaning enclaves like New York and winning primaries due to the extreme political imbalance in these areas.
Staten Island is the reddest district in New York and the only one to vote for Trump in both 2016 and 2020. In the 2020 election, 57 percent of Staten Island voted for Trump’s re-election.
Monday’s trip tested DeSantis’ chances among some of Trump’s strongest supporters in his former hometown.
It seems like a few hundred people turned out for the event and the room was abuzz with enthusiasm for DeSantis. Some cheered when DeSantis asked if they were planning to move to Florida.
DeSantis was introduced by former Rep. Lee Zeldin, who withdrew from the House to run for the state House against Gov. Kathy Hochul. Despite losing, Zeldin received the highest percentage of votes for a Republican gubernatorial candidate since 2002, and the highest gross vote total for a Republican gubernatorial candidate since 1970.
Much of his career gains in the deep blue state were attributed to his focus on returning to the old ideals of New York law and order.
DeSantis’ President’s Day speech kicks off his multi-city tour promoting his pro-police, law and order style of government.
A fact sheet about the tour notes that the governor’s comments are intended to “share Florida’s plan to keep communities safe and offer support as blue cities turn their backs on the law enforcement community.”
DeSantis has been relatively quiet on the presidential ambitions front, saying at a press conference this month “wouldn’t you like to know?” when a reporter asked him if he would run now that former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley announced his candidacy.
Former New York Rep. Lee Zeldin, who lost his gubernatorial bid in the 2022 midterms, featured DeSantis for remarks on Privé on the morning of President’s Day.
DeSantis began his remarks by stating that leaders in cities like New York are “putting the ideology of awakening above their safety” and trying to “wake each other up.”
Republican New York City Council member Joe Borelli speculated that the trip is a “signal” that DeSantis is entering the race, even suggesting that he might announce his candidacy.
‘Staten Island was the headquarters of the first Republican Party presidential campaign in 1856 for John Fremont. Maybe it’s a sign,” Borelli wrote. Fremont did not become president.
Trump has relentlessly attacked DeSantis, sending near-daily insults at the Florida governor even before he announced a presidential run.
The latest came Sunday night when Trump posted about a new poll showing support for DeSantis waning in a one-on-one with the former president and using his often-used nickname for the governor: “DeSanctimonious.”
‘Of course [support] cools,” Trump said. ‘He wants to cut Social Security and Medicare, he loves ‘Throw ’em off the cliff’ Paul Ryan who is destroying FoxNews (sic) and the WSJ, Piglet Karl Rove and ‘Jeb’. Also, Ron DeSanctimonious is for Globalist Club For NO Growth and Open Borders Charles Koch. We want AMERICA FIRST, NOT AMERICA LAST!!!’
Just before midnight Saturday, the former president also accused DeSantis of being a “RINO in disguise.”
That post on Trump’s social media website, Truth Social, came nearly 24 hours after he vowed not to embarrass DeSantis following reports that he privately referred to the Republican governor as “Meatball Ron.”
The tour is fueling speculation that DeSantis will soon launch a Republican presidential primary bid against former President Donald Trump in 2024.
The floodgates opened against DeSantis when Trump launched the campaign trail late last month. He told reporters on his plane between events in New Hampshire and South Carolina that it would be very “disloyal” if DeSantis launched a 2024 primary ticket against him.
DeSantis won his first term as governor of Florida by partially leveraging Trump’s endorsement in 2018.
Trump now lives in the DeSantis estate full-time at his residence at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida.
So far, Trump and his former United Nations ambassador, Nikki Haley, are the only two major Republicans to launch an official run for the White House in 2024. But at least a few dozen others are considering or are rumored to be considering a run. , including former Vice President Mike Pence, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott and former Maryland Governor Larry Hogan.