WASHINGTON – Whereas not formally working for president – but – Ron DeSantis is on a campaign-like book tour designed to play up his record in Florida whereas making an attempt to dodge attacks from Donald Trump.
DeSantis didn’t point out the previous president throughout a high-profile speech Sunday, focusing as a substitute on his own governing philosophy in Florida and the way it may apply to “the federal institution” in Washington, D.C.
“The lesson is, swing for the fences – you may be rewarded,” DeSantis instructed a supportive crowd gathered at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California.
DeSantis is planning to echo this message throughout the nation within the coming weeks, although a closing announcement on a 2024 presidential candidacy remains to be a few months away.
Campaigning by the book (tour)
The Reagan library speech was a part of a book tour that’s anticipated to take DeSantis to early GOP delegate choice states like Iowa and New Hampshire..
DeSantis is selling “The Braveness To Be Free: Florida’s Blueprint For America’s Revival,” the type of book aspiring presidential candidates have revealed earlier than their campaigns.
Within the book, the potential presidential candidate discusses his years in Congress and the Florida governor’s mansion. And he avoids assaults on Trump, the one-term president who’s in search of the workplace once more in 2024, as a substitute, DeSantis writes in reward of most of the Trump administration’s initiatives.
Florida: ‘The place Woke Goes to Die’
DeSantis didn’t point out the front-running Trump in his Reagan library. As an alternative, he touted a gubernatorial record that features repeated assaults on so-called “woke-ism,” a marketing campaign concentrating on range and inclusion applications in colleges, companies, and authorities.
“Our state is the place woke goes to die,” the Florida governor stated, a mantra he repeatedly stated throughout his 2022 re-election marketing campaign. At one level in his speech, DeSantis stated colleges needs to be devoted to “schooling, not indoctrination.”
In what gave the impression of a marketing campaign platform, DeSantis additionally argued that purple states like Florida have led the nation on points like decrease taxes, “regulation and order,” a pro-business “local weather,” schooling coverage, and a COVID pandemic strategy that confused preserving colleges and companies open.
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A ‘determined chase’ for Trump voters
DeSantis opponents name him as divisive a candidate as Trump, and say he’s utilizing the time period “woke” to justify insurance policies that marginalize Black, homosexual, and transgender Individuals.
Earlier than his speech, the Democratic Nationwide Committee stated DeSantis is working “a shadow 2024” marketing campaign geared toward Trump’s “Make America Nice Once more” followers. The DNC assertion cited DeSantis opposition to abortion, tax breaks for the rich, and curbing well being care prices.
“His determined chase to win over the MAGA base is placing Floridians’ lives at risk and crushing them with skyrocketing prices,” stated DNC spokesperson Rhyan Lake.
Trump hovers; DeSantis ignores
As DeSantis performs comparatively properly in early Republican polls, Trump has stepped up criticism on the formidable governor.
The assaults vary from demeaning nicknames to claims that DeSantis is a “Republican In Title Solely” when it comes to issues like Social Safety and even COVID insurance policies.
“The true Ron is a RINO GLOBALIST, who closed shortly down Florida and even its seashores,” Trump stated a Fact Social put up final month. “Liked the Vaccines and wasted massive cash on ‘Testing.’ How shortly individuals neglect!”
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Gradual-burning feud:Trump is under fire over the midterms. DeSantis is rising. And a 2024 rivalry is just beginning.
DeSantis tried to keep away from ‘Background noise’
Up to now, DeSantis is just not taking the bait.
In a current book promotion interview on Fox Information, DeSantis famous that Trump used to reward his efficiency as governor, however that was earlier than he began scoring properly in presidential polls.
“I do not actually concentrate to a lot of the background noise,” DeSantis stated.
DeSantis has indicated he’ll make his determination on a 2024 presidential marketing campaign after the present Florida legislative ends. Adjournment is scheduled for Might.
Sununu: Republicans in search of an alternate to Trump
Gov. Chris Sununu, R-N.H., who is considering working for president himself, instructed NBC’s “Meet The Press” on Sunday that many Republicans are in search of an alternate to Trump, and a lot of them are DeSantis.
“Proper now,” he stated, “if the election had been at present, Ron DeSantis would win in New Hampshire, there is not any doubt about that in my thoughts.”
Within the meantime, DeSantis stated he’ll preserve swinging, although he confined his criticisms to “the left” and never Trump.
“It is not straightforward to struggle the fights,” DeSantis stated.
This text initially appeared on USA TODAY: Gov. Ron DeSantis on book tour to tout Florida record, dodges Trump
