Florida - Wednesday May 24, 2023: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Wednesday filed with the Federal Election Commission declaring his candidacy for President of the United States, but as he sets out on his campaign, some Florida Democrats are accusing him of having an extreme culture-war driven agenda, unfit for the Presidency.
“Governor DeSantis has been more interested in running for President than running the state of Florida," said Congressman Maxwell Frost, a Democrat who represents portions of central Florida. He was one of the speakers at a Tuesday news conference of Democrats warning what’s in store for the nation if DeSantis becomes President.
“What’s been happening in Florida should scare ever single person across the entire country," said the Congressman. "He has pushed an extreme MAGA agenda. He’s focused on constant culture wars, book bans, attacking LGBTQ+ youth, erasing history. His quote. unquote Florida blueprint is actually a disaster for families across the state.”
Representative Anna Nixon, a Jacksonville Democratic, accused DeSantis and republicans of attacking working class Floridians and union busting, referring to Senate Bill 256, which places restrictions on public employee unions, except for police and firefighters. "That’s why they often carve out police and firefighters from these harmful bills," she said, "because they know it will end their union too. But they count on them as a constitute voting block for them.”
“Whether its banning abortions at six weeks, attacking LGBTQ+ people, busting unions, losing gun laws, or censoring what we talk about in our classrooms, it will only get worse if Governor DeSantis gets anywhere near the White House," said Representative Anna Eskamani, a Democrat from Orange County.
A Quinnipiac poll, release Wednesday, found that Trump’s lead over DeSantis has doubled, with 56% favoring the former President, and just 25% backing the Florida Governor.