schadenfreude

Ron “Don’t Say Gay” DeSantis caps of 2023 with his most embarrassing loss yet

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Ron DeSantis wearing a dark suit jacket with a white dress shirt and red tie.

Ron “Don’t Say Gay” DeSantis is closing out the year with a giant egg on his face.

And no, we’re not just talking about his futile presidential bid.

A federal judge ruled this week that DeSantis repeatedly spread false information in his push for a transgender health care ban. The Florida governor signed a law in May making it illegal for health care professionals to provide gender-affirming care for minors.

Leading up to the bill signing, DeSantis repeatedly talked about doctors mutilating kids’ genitals. Judge Robert Hinkle, who was appointed by President Bill Clinton, said there’s been no documented evidence of such procedures.

“When I’m analyzing the governor’s motivation, what should I make of these statements?,” he said. “This seems to be more than just hyperbole.”

Indeed! DeSantis, like Republicans across the country, has mislabeled gender-affirming medical care as child abuse, in an effort to demonize trans people.

Three Florida families with transgender children sued the state over the draconian edict, arguing the law infringes upon their rights as parents.

Judge Hinkle has temporarily blocked the law, and says he will decide early in the new year whether the ruling illegally targets trans youth.

“The law was sold as defending children from mutilation when it is actually about preventing trans children from getting health care,” he told the state’s attorney.

DeSantis launched his once-promising presidential bid on the back of his LGBTQ+ policies, many of which are now being held up in court. Another judge struck down Florida’s ban on Medicaid coverage of gender-affirming care, while DeSantis’ drag show ban was halted as well.

Hypocritically, DeSantis uses the term “parental rights” to push homophobic policies, such as “Don’t Say Gay.” Speaking of hypocrites, a cofounder of Moms for Liberty, the right-wing group that championed “Don’t Say Gay,” is embroiled in a sex scandal.

It’s all falling apart for “Meatball Ron,” just weeks away from the Iowa Caucus. DeSantis, who’s pinned his presidential hopes on the Hawkeye State, is trailing Donald Trump by 38 points (58-22).

Worse yet, the anti-gay governor is now a distant third place in New Hampshire. While Trump still leads the group, Nikki Haley has closed the gap significantly. The ex-South Carolina governor now leads DeSantis by 18 points(!) in the Granite State.

One of DeSantis’ recent stops in Iowa symbolizes his dying campaign to a tee.

While DeSantis is melting down on stage, his political operation is imploding. His Super PAC, Never Back Down, is in shambles.

Five senior officials have left the group since late November, and its CEO, Jeff Rowe, resigned Sunday.

Though it’s illegal for campaigns to coordinate with Super PACs, Never Back Down appeared to be running DeSantis’ bid. The group was seeded with an unprecedented $82.5 million at the start of his presidential run.

Now, DeSantis is fending off accusations that he violated federal election laws.

As a defense, DeSantis is pointing to the group’s dysfunction. “I mean, give me a break. Trust me. I have no doubt,” he said. “There’s a lot of things that happened that I wish I had control over.”

Umm… that’s not exactly the best argument!

With its masthead in disarray, Never Back Down is, you guessed it, backing down! The Super PAC recently canceled all of its 2024 ad reservations in Iowa and New Hampshire.

Meanwhile, DeSantis is already talking like a defeated candidate. He complained this week that Trump’s criminal indictments “distorted” the Republican primary.

Let the countdown to Ronnie’s exit begin. Let’s hope he’s wearing his best heels for the occasion.

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