Ron DeSantis used his speech at the Florida Freedom Summit on Saturday to subtly criticize his rival Donald Trump, as more and more lawmakers in his state gave their endorsement to the former president.
The 45-year-old Florida governor walked onto the stage to loud applause, telling the crowd he didn’t need teleprompters because you had to “speak from the heart” and asking organizers to remove them.
He did not mention Trump directly, but he has previously accused him of being “familiar with the teleprompter” and stumbling without one.
DeSantis, again careful not to mention the former president, mocked those who talk about a “big game,” saying, “But if you don’t ultimately win the elections and ultimately win the big policy battles, then it won’t happen.” matter. ‘
Trump will close the event later today and his campaign provoked DeSantis by announcing the endorsement of seven more Republican lawmakers in Florida.
Ron DeSantis used his speech at the Florida Freedom Summit on Saturday to make subtle comments about his rival Donald Trump, as more and more lawmakers in his state gave their endorsement to the former president.
Trump will close the event later today and his campaign provoked DeSantis by announcing the endorsement of seven more Republican lawmakers in Florida
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DeSantis was introduced on stage by his wife Casey as “America’s Governor and the next President of the United States.”
He thanked his supporters for coming, but quickly said, “Wait a minute, can we get rid of teleprompters?
“We have a president, we don’t even know who the president is, who’s loading the teleprompter.
“No, I don’t think we need that in Florida. Let’s take that one down. You have to speak from the heart, it’s not about reading from a teleprompter.”
He began his speech by praising Florida as the “freest state in all these United States” and began to roll back his performance as governor.
This included his opposition to Covid restrictions and vaccine mandates in 2020, when he kept the economy and schools running.
DeSantis also boasted about his fight for parental rights against Democrats and Disney.
“It’s important to fight,” he said. “And if you don’t have the courage for these fights, then you should probably find other work.”
The politician added: “It is equally important that we win these battles.
“You can sit there and talk about the game, you can have rhetoric, you can make promises.
“But if you don’t ultimately win the election, and ultimately you don’t win the big policy battles, it doesn’t matter.”
DeSantis highlighted the ban on sanctuary cities and cross-gender transition operations for minors in his state.
‘Florida is the model!’ he declared. “We know how to make it happen.”
His speech came after Trump’s campaign unveiled five more endorsements in Florida from lawmakers who previously supported DeSantis.
State Senator Debbie Mayfield and State Representatives Jessica Baker, Webster Barnaby, Alina Garcia and Kevin Steele flipped to Trump.
While state Reps. Mike Beltran and David Borrero, who had been neutral in the race, also joined them in supporting the former president.
The 45-year-old Florida governor, who took care not to mention the former president, mocked those who talk about a “big game,” saying: “But if you don’t end up winning the elections and ultimately winning the big policy battles, then it’s not going to work. matter’
DeSantis was introduced on stage by his wife Casey as “America’s Governor and the Next President of the United States”
His speech came after Trump’s campaign unveiled five more endorsements in Florida from lawmakers who previously supported DeSantis
In a statement, State Rep. Baker said, “As instability increases around the world and economic uncertainty takes root here at home, people in my district continually tell me they want to see President Donald Trump back in the White House and Governor Ron DeSantis back. to work here in Florida, completing the work he promised less than a year ago.”
While State Senator Mayfield said, “It is time to unite our party behind Donald Trump, prepare for the year ahead, and work together to prevent four more years of Joe Biden’s disastrous policies from destroying this nation that we all to hold so much will destroy.”
Some Florida lawmakers have said this personally The messenger that they are just sticking with DeSantis and don’t want Trump because they don’t want any city spending bills or projects vetoed.
Randy Fine, a Jewish Florida Republican, switched his support from DeSantis to Trump last month, saying the governor has not spoken out strongly enough on anti-Semitism.
Polls in key early states show DeSantis losing ground to Trump. In Iowa, Florida’s governor trails the former president by 27 percentage points.
In South Carolina, DeSantis is polling at 11 percent behind Trump’s 53 percent.