OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, seen by many as a contender for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, has some serious detractors.
The governor was giving a speech in Manchester, New Hampshire on Friday night when protesters shouting “Jews against DeSantis” rushed the stage.
As security moved in and removed the protesters from the stage DeSantis did not move and quipped at the situation.
“If you looked at governor races, president races, 2010, 12, 14, 16, 18,” the governor said at the Amos Tuck fundraiser dinner before being interrupted.
“You gotta have a little spice in the speech right?” he said as the two women protesters were taken away by security.
“Why would you want to pay for the ticket to get in just to do that? I don’t know, but different strokes for different folks,” he said.
#BREAKING: Protestors storm an unphased Gov. Ron DeSantis at New Hampshire event
They chanted "Jews against DeSantis!"
DeSantis: "Why you'd want to pay the ticket to get in just to do that, I don't know!" pic.twitter.com/zwNnlz7590
— Florida’s Voice (@FLVoiceNews) April 14, 2023
During the speech the governor touted his credentials, though he still has not announced a campaign for president.
“We’re leading the nation on a whole host of issues. We’re number one in the country.. for net-in migration… we’re number one in new business formations, one number in tourism. We’re number one in economic freedom… we’re number one in education freedom. We’re number one in parental involvement in education,” he said. “We lead not merely with words but with deeds.”
He never mentioned former President Donald Trump in his speech but did appear to take a swipe at him.
“There is no substitute for losing. Republicans need to the shake the culture of losing that has developed throughout our party in recent years. The time for excuses is over. We must get it done once and for all,” he said.
The Florida governor significantly trails the former president, whose poll numbers have skyrocketed since he was indicted by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
“In the just-released Rasmussen Reports survey, Trump moved ahead of Biden 47%-40% with support from women and independents,” the Washington Examiner reports.
The survey conducted on Wednesday was the first test of the 2024 general election since the Manhattan hush money indictment against the 45th president was released last week. The survey was conducted before Tuesday’s hearing, during which Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 charges, the outlet reported.
In a tweet on Wednesday showing the results, the pollster included February numbers and wrote, “Reversal of Fortune — Massive Strategic Backfire.”
“The survey weighted Democrats heavier than Republicans and independents, 36%, 33%, 31%,” the Examiner noted.
Tomorrow AM: Reversal of Fortune
Massive Strategic Backfire – Stay Tuned. pic.twitter.com/rl0ujh9d2X
— Rasmussen Reports (@Rasmussen_Poll) April 4, 2023
In addition, Biden is trailing behind Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, who has a more significant lead at 46% compared to Biden’s 38%.
Both DeSantis and Trump are performing well among women and independent voters, which are considered critical to winning in 2024. Trump leads Biden among women with a 47% to 39% margin. DeSantis, on the other hand, leads among women with a 43% to 39% margin.
“With independent voters, Trump leads Biden 44%-36%, and it’s DeSantis over Biden 44%-32%,” the outlet continued. The pollster also noted that both Trump and DeSantis would have 26 percent of the black vote if the election were held this week.
During a speech last night after his indictment, Trump laid out his latest argument to regain the presidency, criticizing multiple prosecutions that he claimed were instances of “political persecution” reminiscent of a banana republic. He also criticized Biden’s management of the economy, immigration, and foreign policy.
“Our country is going to hell,” he said.
A February survey released just before Biden’s State of the Union address revealed that his own party is not happy with him.
According to an AP-NORC poll, Biden only has support from 37 percent of Democrats for a second term. Prior to the midterms in November, the same poll found that 52 percent wanted Biden to run again in 2024.
“While Biden has trumpeted his legislative victories and ability to govern, the poll suggests relatively few U.S. adults give him high marks on either. Follow-up interviews with poll respondents suggest that many believe the 80-year-old’s age is a liability, with people focused on his coughing, his gait, his gaffes, and the possibility that the world’s most stressful job would be better suited for someone younger,” the Associated Press reported.
“I, honestly, think that he would be too old,” said Sarah Overman, a Democrat in Raleigh, North Carolina. “We could use someone younger in the office.”
A lawyer in Michigan, who the AP referred to as “Truckey,” said he did not vote for Biden or Trump in 2020 but said Biden has been a “subpar” president.
“His age and possibly his mental acuity is not where I would want the leader of the country to be,” Truckey said. “He, at times, appears to be an old man who is past his prime. Sometimes I feel a little bit of pity for the guy being pushed out in front of crowds.”
