As he draws increased attention as a potential 2024 presidential candidate, Gov. Ron DeSantis focused heavily Saturday night on President Joe Biden while rallying Republicans for this year鈥檚 elections.
Twice in the first minute after taking the stage for a dinner speech at the Republican Party of Florida鈥檚 Sunshine Summit, DeSantis tossed out the name 鈥淏randon,鈥� a derogatory reference to Biden, as he contrasted Florida鈥檚 recovery from the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic to current federal economic policies.
鈥淲hen you look at what we've done in Florida, we have stood up to the media, we have stood up to people like (federal infectious-disease expert Anthony) Fauci, and we have stood up to Brandon himself to keep Florida free,鈥� DeSantis said to loud applause from a packed ballroom at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Broward County.
DeSantis also drew cheers when he compared Biden to a 鈥渟tumbling鈥� deer in the headlights unable to use a teleprompter and then facetiously wished the president well after testing positive for COVID-19.
鈥淲e should all extend our best wishes to President Joe Biden for a speedy recovery from his bout with COVID,鈥� DeSantis set up the crowd. 鈥淎nd hopefully, the United States will have a speedy recovery from its bout with Joe Biden.鈥�
DeSantis also drew another big crowd reaction when he brought up his clash with Walt Disney Co.
DeSantis has made the entertainment giant a centerpiece in his fight against 鈥渨oke鈥� ideology, pushing through legislation this spring to dissolve a special taxing district that benefits Walt Disney Co.
That move came after Disney opposed a controversial new law that restricts teaching about gender identity and sexual orientation in public schools 鈥� a measure that critics dubbed the 鈥淒on鈥檛 Say Gay鈥� bill.
鈥淏ig companies based in California do not run the state of Florida,鈥� DeSantis said.
DeSantis and Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nunez, who spoke before the governor, did not mention Democratic gubernatorial candidates Charlie Crist or Nikki Fried, who trail the GOP incumbent in polls. They also didn鈥檛 mention California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who recently targeted Florida in an ad campaign, or Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who last week in Tampa described DeSantis as someone 鈥渢rying to pass off his covert racism, homophobia and misogyny as a more reasonable form of Trump Republicanism.鈥�
Nunez hit on a record state budget surplus, tax cuts, reopening schools earlier than other states during the pandemic and DeSantis鈥� appointments of conservative Florida Supreme Court justices.
Nunez also pointed to the GOP in recent months overtaking Democrats for the first time in numbers of registered voters, 鈥渕aking Florida red faster than you can say, 鈥楾hank you Brandon.鈥欌��
The pep talks also touched on electing Republicans to school boards and Congress, where Democrats hold majorities.
鈥淚n Florida, we don't just talk, we do. We get things done. We are not afraid to use our authority to advance the public interest and to protect people's freedom,鈥� DeSantis said. 鈥淎nd so, if and when Republicans take majorities in the (U.S.) House or the (U.S.) Senate, we need to see some action to hold Biden and his minions accountable for our open border and his dereliction of duty.鈥�
The speeches wrapped up a day that included a series of debates among candidates in GOP primaries in congressional districts 4, 7, 13 and 15.
Organizers limited the number of media organizations that had access to the summit. DeSantis told the crowd that Republican leaders weren鈥檛 going to allow 鈥渓egacy media outlets to be involved in our primaries.鈥�
鈥淭he left-wing media people are asking our candidates gotcha questions,鈥� DeSantis said. 鈥淚 want to have these debates moderated by people who actually believe in conservative principles.鈥�
Among the most-notable debate moments came when Congressional District 4 candidate Erick Aguilar was asked about reports that he deceived people into contributing money to his campaign for the Northeast Florida seat. He dismissed the reporting as an establishment 鈥渟mear鈥� aimed at 鈥淢AGA鈥� candidates like himself and 鈥渇ake news.鈥�
Aguilar鈥檚 response was one of the few that drew some jeers from a mid-day audience of around 400 people. State Sen. Aaron Bean, a Fernandina Beach Republican running against Aguilar for the congressional seat, said he was 鈥渟hocked鈥� Aguilar showed up for the debate.
According to Politico, Aguilar used WinRed, a popular Republican campaign platform, to solicit donations. The requests, distributed nationally, didn鈥檛 mention Aguilar or other candidates in the congressional race, instead suggesting money would go to DeSantis, former President Donald Trump or U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, Politico reported.
Bean said Aguilar was blaming 鈥渆verybody but himself鈥� and should be viewed as an 鈥渋dentity thief who stole from seniors.鈥�
Most of the questions from debate panelists allowed candidates to tee off on Biden policies involving the economy, foreign policy, immigration and Fauci, who has been a Republican target because of his views on COVID-19 issues.
Candidates were also asked their views on the U.S. Department of Education; assistance for Ukraine; the next U.S. House speaker if Republicans regain control of the House; and the need for states or the federal government to address abortion following last month鈥檚 U.S. Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade.
DeSantis asked candidates for their views on congressional term limits and who is the 鈥渂est鈥� active U.S. Supreme Court justice. All of the candidates picked Republican appointees.
Radio talk-show and Fox News host Mark Levin, who questioned candidates in two of the debates, drilled into District 7 candidate Anthony Sabatini, a state House member from Howey-in-the-Hills who maintained his stance that the U.S. shouldn鈥檛 intervene financially or militarily in the Russian-Ukraine war.
"Our woke beliefs are destroying this country from within,鈥� said Sabatini, who has often clashed with state House Republican leaders. 鈥淲e cannot afford, we need to bring humility back to foreign policy. We can't be getting involved in all the world鈥檚 affairs when our own country is going to hell.鈥�
Levin responded by calling Sabatini鈥檚 foreign policy 鈥渢he most radical鈥� he鈥檚 ever heard.