Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis delivered a speech to the Republican Committee while attending the Allegheny County’s annual Lincoln Day Dinner in Pittsburgh, PA, and took the time to address hot-button issues such as corporate media, Big Tech, and his state’s pro-freedom approach to handling the coronavirus pandemic. While Gov. DeSantis hasn’t announced himself as a running candidate for the 2024 presidential race, he hinted to the crowd that he has big plans ahead.
“All I can say to any state that has not followed suit: Open your state, open your schools, end these mask mandates, let people live and thrive. When it came right down to it, we chose freedom over Fauci-ism,” Gov. DeSantis said.
The governor highlighted his state’s approach to handling the pandemic compared to locked-down states like Pennsylvania. He highlighted how Florida schools have been open, that they did not suppress society, and why every parent should have the right to send their kid to school in person in the state of Florida.
Gov. DeSantis also talked about the failing of Liz Cheney and told the crowd to avoid the “days of the failed Republican establishment of yesteryear.” He said that people should avoid seeking approval from mainstream media and their allies, as they can smear and attack you for their party’s benefit. One of the most deceptive examples of this was when 60 Minutes edited a press segment of an interview question given to DeSantis to make it seem like he had failed to address accusations about vaccine distribution in the state. Numerous reporters, who’d also been at the press conference, called out 60 Minutes for deceptively editing the clip and portraying a false narrative.
Gov. DeSantis’s speech brought resounding applause as he concluded, “I can tell you this: in the state of Florida, with me as governor, I have only begun to fight.”
Some say that the speech even resembled a campaign speech and that the concluding line hinted at a 2024 presidential bid.
A recent Politico poll has DeSantis and former Vice President Mike Pence tied for “second choice” for Republican Primary for president, with both at 22%. Former President Donald Trump still dominates the polls in the number one spot, with 51% support, followed by Pence at 9%, and DeSantis at 7%. Sen. Ted Cruz came in third with 19%. Candidates have also gravitated towards U.N Nikki Haley, Gov. Kristi Noem, Sen. Marco Rubio, and Sen. Ted Cotton.
A Florida Politics poll also found DeSantis with a 55% approval rating in the state, with 22% of Democratic voters who approved the job he was doing. Another poll by the Florida Chamber of Commerce found that 88% of Republicans approved the job he was doing, and 57% of unaffiliated voters also approved.
Gov. DeSantis continues to lead in being one of the most open and free blue states in the nation. During his March State of the State address, Gov. DeSantis talked about the unprecedented lockdowns occurring in other states and said that the Florida sun now serves as a “beacon of light” to those who yearn for freedom.
“There are not a whole lot of Floridians who are itching to move from Florida to lockdown states, but there are thousands and thousands of people who are seeking to leave the lockdowns behind for the greener pastures in Florida,” Gov. DeSantis said.
Even CNN has noted that the Florida governor’s rising popularity has placed him as the heir apparent to the former president.
Florida continues to move in the right direction by investing in election integrity, the small business community, the state’s economy, vaccine distribution, keeping schools open, and protecting education from far-left race-based theories. That’s what every governor should be doing, 2024 presidential candidate or not.
