Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis warned of the betrayal Democrats have up their sleeve if they can keep the White House and Senate and retake the House in 2024.
While DeSantis has yet to get into the presidential race, he’s been through the moves — including hobnobbing Friday with the DC crowd at the Heritage Foundation’s 50th anniversary celebration.
In that venue, he spoke about the national ramifications Republicans would face if they failed to successfully challenge President Joe Biden.
“The left plays for money,” DeSantis said. “If you look at what happens in 2024, when Democrats can sweep all offices — President, Senate and House — what are they going to do with that power? They’re going to try to grab the US Supreme Court, they’re going to try to abolish the Electoral College.’
“They’re going to try to make Washington, DC a state so they can get two left-wing senators practically for life,” he continued. “And they’re going to try to eliminate voter ID across the country and order the ballot harvest.”
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis warned of the betrayal Democrats have up their sleeve if they can keep the White House and Senate and retake the House in 2024
DeSantis takes a selfie with an attendee at the Heritage Foundation’s 50th Anniversary Leadership Summit at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center on Friday
He has not spoken openly about his presidential ambitions – and was not asked about a possible run by the moderator, Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts.
Roberts instead asked, “Should everyone wear cowboy boots with suits?”
DeSantis said yes — and wore them.
But he played up the success he’s had in the formerly purple Florida — turning it into a conservative red state.
DeSantis mentioned the controversial abortion ban he recently signed into law.
It bans abortions after six weeks, effectively banning the procedure as most women are unaware they are pregnant at that point.
It gave Florida one of the most restrictive abortion laws in the nation.
DeSantis had failed to mention it in his previous appearances before conservatives, including a speech he gave to conservative Baptist Liberty University.
But he mentioned it in passing on Friday and was greeted with applause.
Kevin Roberts, the president of the Heritage Foundation, didn’t ask DeSantis about his presidential ambitions, but rather, “Should everyone wear cowboy boots with suits?”.
DeSantis wore cowboy boots with his suit during his appearance at Friday’s Heritage Foundation event, which was held just outside of Washington, DC
“We recently signed the Heartbeat Safeguarding Life Act,” he said before discussing another law he signed that allowed Florida residents to carry guns without a state license.
DeSantis reiterated his call to build a wall on the southern border, citing President Biden by name when the Florida governor boasted he could do it.
“I think in order to finally solve the problem of illegal immigration at the border, you need a lot of things. But you must actually build a wall along the southern border. Walls are resources that can be used efficiently, and what I said to President Biden is, you know I have some know-how.
He went on to describe the Pine Island Bridge that Hurricane Ian wiped out as it swept through Florida, causing billions of dollars in damage and killing 120 people.
DeSantis claimed he cut red tape and reopened the bridge in two weeks.
He noted that he brought up this story because “I’m willing to send these guys in Florida to the southern border to build a wall.”
A spokesman for the Heritage Foundation said 1,070 people were in the crowd at Friday’s event at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center
“Come on Joe,” he added to great applause from the crowd.
After the event, DeSantis stayed for about 10 minutes, taking selfies, shaking hands, and chatting with the crowd.
Security had to set up a rope line to hold back the crowd that rushed onto the stage to see the governor.
When one attendee mentioned that he was from London and was happy to see him, DeSantis, accused of being unwilling to make small talk, stopped to chat about the city and mentioned the trade mission, which he would be taking to Britain next week.
A spokesman for the Heritage Foundation said 1,070 people were in the crowd to see “America’s Governor” when DeSantis was introduced by Roberts.
The event took place at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center just outside of Washington at National Harbor in Maryland.
Former President Donald Trump chaired the Conservative Political Action Conference at the same venue in March – albeit in a larger ballroom.