Governor Ron DeSantis made a bold promise in his Monday appearance on Fox and Friends: if elected, he’d “destroy leftism in this country and leave woke ideology on the dustbin of history” if elected president next year. DeSantis’ promise has alarmed commentators from multiple positions on the political spectrum, while drawing the support of some Republican supporters.
DeSantis didn’t clarify exactly what this goal would mean if he were elected, or what measures he may put in place to accomplish it. But he did reference his gains in Florida’s voter base from the 2018 gubernatorial election to 2022: “I’ve shown in Florida an ability to win huge swaths of voters that Republicans typically can’t win – while also delivering the boldest agenda anywhere in the country.”
He also appealed to his viability in a general election, promising he’d win the presidency if Republican voters chose to nominate him next year. Though he didn’t reference it outright, DeSantis may have made a veiled reference to his opponent, former President Donald Trump, claiming to have lost the 2020 election due to voter fraud. “No excuses,” he said, “no more excuses about why we can’t get it done. We need to get it done, and I will get it done.”
DeSantis is currently facing Trump as well as multiple other Republican primary candidates, including Nikki Haley, Asa Hutchinson, Larry Elder, Tim Scott, and Vivek Ramaswamy.
The press office of DeSantis’ presidential campaign has been contacted for further elaboration on the Governor’s Fox and Friends remarks, and any clarification they may provide will be added to this article.
