Ron DeSantis news: Florida governor surprises with Jan 6 remarks and is mocked over Trump AI voice ad

Oliver O'Connell

Ron DeSantis sat down for an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper after a campaign event in Columbia, South Carolina, as he continues to crisscross the early primary states.

The Florida governor’s 2024 campaign has stumbled since the official launch in late May, despite the early buzz around his run for the White House casting himself as a competent version of Donald Trump and the natural successor.

Despite the campaign raising nearly $20m in the second quarter of 2023 the pace of donations has slowed according to CNN, and several staffers have been let go.

In polling, Mr DeSantis is outpacing all of the other GOP challengers with the huge exception of former President Trump who leads him by a large margin despite two criminal indictments against him (and a possible looming third as of Tuesday morning).

The Florida governor has projected himself as more conservative than the former president on issues including abortion, gun rights, and in his attacks on the LGBT+ community. He has also outlined a hardline proposal for illegal immigration at the southern border.

Key Points

DeSantis challenged on possibility of losing support as he goes further to the right

22:10 , Oliver O'Connell

Governor DeSantis was asked whether moving further to the right makes him less electable.

He told Tapper: “I don’t think it’s true. The proof is in the pudding. I took a state that was a one-point state, we won it by 20 percentage points, 1.5 million votes. Our bread and butter were people like suburban moms.”

Watch:

Ukraine: DeSantis wants sustainable peace in Europe that ‘does not reward aggression’

21:57 , Oliver O'Connell

Asked if he would push Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to cede territory to Russia in exchange for peace Florida Governor Ron DeSantis tells Jake Tapper his approach will be to push for a sustainable peace in Europe that “does not reward aggression” and be harder on Russia on energy.

Watch:

DeSantis CNN interview competes with day of breaking news about Trump

21:51 , Oliver O'Connell

DeSantis challenged on ‘war on woke’ in US military

21:42 , Oliver O'Connell

TAPPER: Let’s talk about this sweeping new military policy you proposed that in your words will rip the woke out of the military. The Pentagon response is that Army and Marines readiness is the best it’s been in years. And reenlistment in the Army is the best it’s been in years. So their argument might be in response. What problem are you trying to solve?

DESANTIS: Well, why do we have the worst recruiting that we’ve had since the Vietnam conflict? Why have great warriors being driven off such as with the Covid-19 shot mandates? These were people that had been performing admirably not if a man had Covid they had natural immunity they were told take this shot or leave. So I think you’ve had a big problem with morale you clearly have a problem with recruiting ... everybody has acknowledged these recruiting levels are at a crisis. Why is that the case? I think it’s because people see the military losing its way, not focusing on the mission and focusing on a lot of these other things which man we see that in other aspects of society as well. People want to join the military thing because they think it’s something different. And I think some of the civilian leaders in the military are trying to have the military mimic corporate America, academia, that’s ultimately not going to work.

Watch: DeSantis comments on whether Trump should be held accountable if evidence there

21:13 , Oliver O'Connell

DeSantis reacts to possibility of another Trump indictment in CNN interview

21:10 , Oliver O'Connell

Here’s what Florida Governor Ron DeSantis had to say to Jake Tapper about this morning’s breaking news regarding a possible third indictment of former president and chief 2024 primary opponent Donald Trump :

This country is going down the road of criminalising political differences. And I think that’s wrong. Alvin Bragg stretched the statute in Manhattan to be able to try to target Donald Trump. Most people, even people on the left acknowledge if that wasn’t Trump, that case would not have likely been brought against the normal civilian and so you have a situation where the Department of Justice FBI had been weaponised against people they don’t like and the number one example of that happened to be against Donald Trump with the Russia collusion. That was not a legitimate investigation that was being done to try to drive Trump out of office.

And so when I’ve said as president, my job is to restore a single standard of justice to end weaponisation of these agencies. We’re gonna have a new FBI director on day one, we’re gonna have big changes at the Department of Justice. Americans across the political spectrum, need to have confidence that what is going on is based on the rule of law, not based on what political tribe you’re in.

And then the second thing I would say is, this country needs to have a debate about the country’s future. If I’m the nominee, we’ll be able to focus on President Biden’s failures and I’ll be able to articulate a positive vision for the future. I don’t think it serves us good to have a presidential election focused on what happened four years ago, in January and so I want to focus on looking forward. I don’t want to look back, I do not want to see him. I hope he doesn’t get charged. I don’t think it’ll be good for the country. But at the same time, I’ve got to focus on looking forward and that’s what we’re going to do.

Earlier: DeSantis becomes first major party candidate to enter South Carolina's 2024 presidential primary

20:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis filed paperwork on Tuesday for South Carolina‘s Republican primary, becoming the first major party presidential candidate officially on the ballot for the first-in-the-South contest.

DeSantis signed his filing documents during a stop at the South Carolina Republican Party headquarters in Columbia, flanked by supporters including state legislators who have endorsed his bid.

Read on...

DeSantis becomes first major party candidate to enter South Carolina's 2024 presidential primary

Why Casey DeSantis matters to the 2024 race

20:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Casey DeSantis has quickly become the face of Gov Ron DeSantis’ presidential campaign. The Florida first lady has been credited for everything from her fashion sense, local celebrity, and ability to baby-proof the governor’s mansion, to serving as a humanizing contrast to her husband.

But is her rising profile enough to turn her husband’s campaign around? Some have criticized her up to her eyebrows — literally — while others think she is a vital asset to the DeSantis campaign.

Kelly Rissman reports.

‘Walmart Melania’, ‘America’s Karen’: Why Casey DeSantis matters to the 2024 race

Some Republicans worry Trump may be unstoppable

20:15 , Oliver O'Connell

He’s been indicted twice. Found liable for sexual abuse. And he’s viewed unfavorably by about a third of his party. But six months before Republicans begin to choose their next presidential nominee, former President Donald Trump remains the race’s dominant front-runner.

Read on...

The Iowa caucuses are six months away. Some Republicans worry Trump may be unstoppable

Trump and DeSantis in their own fundraising tier as Pence and other Republicans struggle

20:02 , Oliver O'Connell

Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis are dominating the fight for campaign cash in the Republican presidential contest, according to federal filings made public Saturday. While some struggled, like former Vice President Mike Pence, others reported significant hauls that help ensure the GOP’s 2024 primary will be crowded for the foreseeable future.

On the Democratic side, President Joe Biden‘s reelection campaign has quickly amassed a sizeable fortune. But longshot Democratic primary opponent Robert Kennedy Jr. also raised enough to ensure he won’t be ignored.

Read more...

Fundraising takeaways: Trump and DeSantis in their own tier as Pence and other Republicans struggle

2024 GOP candidates desperate to make debate stage are finding creative ways to boost donor numbers

19:30 , Oliver O'Connell

With six weeks until the first 2024 Republican presidential debate, some hopefuls are finding creative ways to boost their donor numbers and ensure they make it on stage.

Biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy rolled out a plan to let people who raise money for his campaign keep 10 per cent of what they take in from other donors. North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum is offering $20 Mastercard or Visa gift cards in return for campaign donations of as little as $1. Businessman Perry Johnson is offering copies of his book in exchange for donations.

The unusual efforts are in response to a Republican National Committee requirement that participants in the 23 August debate in Milwaukee raise money from at least 40,000 donors across the country. That’s a tall task for some of the hopefuls who aren’t as well known as former President Donald Trump or Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.

Read more...

2024 GOP candidates desperate to make debate stage are finding creative ways to boost donor numbers

DeSantis PAC mocked for using AI-generated Trump voice in ad

19:10 , Oliver O'Connell

A pro-Ron DeSantis super PAC uses an Artificial Intelligence version of Donald Trump’s voice in a new television ad attacking the former president, resulting in widespread mockery.

Watch it below:

Latest New Hampshire poll

19:00 , Oliver O'Connell

The latest University of New Hampshire poll for the first primary state shows Donald Trump with a commanding lead, though not as large as in either national polls or those in other states.

Of note is that among the clump of candidates in the five to eight per cent range — behind Ron DeSantis and Donald Trump — is former North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum whose candidacy has been characterised as a longshot by many but who is ahead of both Nikki Haley and Vivek Ramaswamy and tied with Chris Christie.

GOP primary field vies for the Christian Zionist vote as Israel’s rightward shift spurs protests

18:30 , Oliver O'Connell

When John McCain was the Republican presidential nominee in 2008, he was forced to reject megachurch pastor John Hagee’s endorsement after a sermon surfaced that was derided as antisemitic.

But as the 2024 campaign for the White House intensifies, Hagee and his organization, Christians United for Israel, are welcome presences within the GOP.

Hagee and CUFI hosted several presidential contenders at their annual summit in suburban Washington this week, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley and former Vice President Mike Pence. They all pledged fierce loyalty to Israel and were unified in criticizing President Joe Biden as weak.

Read more...

Crowded GOP field vies for the Christian Zionist vote as Israel's rightward shift spurs protests

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds under consideration as DeSantis running mate

18:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said Saturday he would consider Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds as a potential running mate, should he win the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, and dismissed former President Donald Trump’s recent complaints about her as “totally out of hand.”

“Of course,” DeSantis said when asked whether he would consider the second-term Republican. “I mean, she’s one of the top public servants in America.”

Read more...

DeSantis would consider Iowa's Reynolds as running mate, calls Trump's attack of her 'out of hand'

DeSantis reacts to Trump receiving DoJ target letter for Jan 6 probe

17:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Speaking at a campaign event in South Carolina, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said about Mr Trump’s reaction to January 6: “I think it was shown how he was in the White House and didn’t do anything while things were going on. He should have come out more forcefully,” he said. “But to try to criminalise that, that’s a different issue entirely.”

He adds: “Criminal charges is not just because you may have done something wrong. It’s: Did you behave criminally? .... I think what we’ve seen in this country is an attempt to criminalise politics and to try to criminalize differences.”

This may be the strongest criticism of the former president’s actions on January 6 by Mr DeSantis even as he pushes the claim that Mr Trump is being targeted politically.

The Florida governor saying that the former president’s lack of force in his response to the attack on the Capitol is strikingly close to the central part of the House select committee on Janaury 6th’s criticism of Mr Trump in its hearings and report.

The Trump campaign team was quick to highlight the governor’s response, with spokesperson Steven Cheung tweeting: “A disqualifying take from an unserious candidate in the last throes of his failed candidacy.”

17:10 , Oliver O'Connell

Voices: Is DeSantis campaign dead in the water? The money says yes

17:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Eric Garcia writes:

For the longest time, Florida Gov Ron DeSantis has been hailed as a fundraising juggernaut. His message of being a “competent Trump” has given him access to the upper echelons of the Republican donor class, the very folks who may not have liked former president Donald Trump but who voted for him nonetheless because of his judicial nominations and signing massive tax cuts.

Read more...

Is DeSantis campaign dead in the water? The money says yes

Florida officials sued over new immigration law by civil rights groups

16:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Several civil rights groups filed a federal lawsuit on Monday challenging Florida‘s new immigration law.

The Southern Poverty Law Center, American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU of Florida, Americans for Immigrant Justice and the American Immigration Council filed the lawsuit in Miami federal court against Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Attorney General Ashley Moody and Statewide Prosecutor Nicholas B. Cox on behalf of the Farmworker Association of Florida and others, according to court records.

The legislation that DeSantis, a Republican, signed into law in May bolsters his migrant relocation program and limits social services for immigrants lacking permanent legal status.

Read more...

Civil rights groups sue Florida officials over new immigration law

DeSantis event interrupted by protester with Pride flag

16:00 , Oliver O'Connell

A protester was escorted out after they unfurled a Pride flag during Florida governor Ron DeSantis‘s presidential campaign event in Tega Cay, South Carolina.

Mr DeSantis was addressing a gathering at the Philip T Glennon community center on Monday when an LGBT+ activist unfurled a Pride flag and reportedly began shouting slogans.

Alisha Rahaman Sarker has the story.

Ron DeSantis event interrupted by protester with Pride flag

DeSantis is first major party candidate to enter South Carolina’s 2024 presidential primary

15:29 , Oliver O'Connell

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis filed paperwork on Tuesday for South Carolina‘s Republican primary, becoming the first major party presidential candidate officially on the ballot for the first-in-the-South contest.

DeSantis signed his filing documents during a stop at the South Carolina Republican Party headquarters in Columbia, flanked by supporters including state legislators who have endorsed his bid.

He will sit down with CNN’s Jake Tapper later today for a major interview as his campaign stumbles.

DeSantis becomes first major party candidate to enter South Carolina's 2024 presidential primary

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