After kickstarting his 2024 campaign on Twitter Spaces, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said he intends to "counterpunch" former President Donald Trump.
DeSantis, once a loyal Trumpists, seems ready to take on his great mentor and once-a-upon-a-time even an idol.
At his first formal campaign event in Iowa, the Florida governor subtly made fun of his main competitor. But when he spoke to reporters following the event, he had much to say about Trump, launching a barrage of insults meant to paint him as egotistical, corrupted, and petty.
DeSantis asserted that he believes Trump's onslaught against him will ultimately backfire.
DeSantis has spent most of the days since making his announcement defending his unconventional campaign strategy and escalating his criticism of Trump after mainly avoiding talking about him this spring.
He has criticized Trump's handling of the pandemic and the economy and accused him of being ineffectual and soft on crime.
DeSantis asserted that he believes Iowa would offer a unique chance to compare his "values" with Trump's.
He said his plan achieves conservative aims, such as banning abortions after six weeks and additional limitations on discussing racial or LGBTQ issues in the classroom.
Never Back Down, a super PAC backing DeSantis has been setting up an operation in the state for weeks, employing personnel and securing the backing of numerous legislators.
Meanwhile, the former president's team claimed that DeSantis' campaign slogan, "Great American comeback," was a copy of Trump's.
Trump has argued with the evangelical community, accusing church leaders of "disloyalty" for not fervently supporting his campaign. Trump has enraged the religious right by being silent about whether he would support a federal abortion ban.
Donald DeSantis Once corruptTrump has also launched a full-on meme war on Ron DeSantis and Elon Musk.
Do you want Trump to win the Republican nomination this time?
Leave your comment below and share this story on social media.
Comments / 5