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Florida is “Turning on DeSantis,” But GOP Candidates for Governor Are Still Singing His Praises
New reporting from Politico details how Florida is “turning on” Gov. Ron DeSantis, as his approval rating plummets, in-state COVID-related hospitalizations are leading the nation, and as Florida businesses, school districts, doctors, and working families across the state are defying his miserable handling of the pandemic.
In fact, Florida’s largest school districts, including those in Republican strongholds, are rebelling against DeSantis’ anti-mask mandates. Even elected officials from DeSantis’ own party are blasting his response to COVID. Carlos Hernandez, the Republican mayor of a community in Miami-Dade County recently called DeSantis “a dictator” for prohibiting local governments from implementing life-saving COVID-19 protections.
Despite DeSantis’ growing unpopularity and his abject failures in governing, GOP candidates for governor across the country in states like Virginia, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Nevada, among others, are singing his praises and promising to mimic his same brand of incompetency if elected.
In Virginia, Glenn “Youngkin has lauded DeSantis’ handling of multiple aspects of the coronavirus crisis,” while in New Jersey, Jack Ciattarelli praised his “leadership.”
In Pennsylvania, GOP candidate for governor Lou Barletta claimed DeSantis and his “utterly irresponsible” policies gave people “freedom,” and in Nevada, Sheriff and gubernatorial candidate Joe Lombardo suggested Gov. Steve Sisolak should’ve mirrored DeSantis’ pandemic response.
“As Florida turns against Ron DeSantis, GOP candidates for governor across the country continue to praise his dangerous agenda that threatens the lives of countless individuals,” said DGA Communications Director David Turner. “Republicans are delusional to think voters in their states will resonate with Ron DeSantis’ leadership failures. If they continue to run on promises to use the disastrous DeSantis playbook as a blueprint, the GOP is in for a rude awakening from voters in 2021 and 2022.”