Welp, it looks like it’s finally gonna happen. After months of pandering and posturing, Ron “Don’t Say Gay” DeSantis has taking the first necessary steps to launching a run for the White House. Ugh.
On Tuesday, Florida’s gay-hating governor removed ties to his main political fundraising committee, according to Forbes. Doing so is a requirement if he wants to campaign for president, because federal law has stricter fundraising rules than the Sunshine State.
In the months leading up to his inevitable run, DeSantis has leaned heavily into the culture wars.
Florida’s Education Department just announced it has rejected dozens of social studies textbooks due to supposed “inaccurate material, errors and other information that was not aligned with Florida law.”
The governor has also spent the past several months embroiled in a futile feud with Disney over its objections to his “Don’t Say Gay” bill, which prohibits the discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity in grades K-12. Most recently, Disney amended its free-speech lawsuit against DeSantis’ administration.
Earlier this year, DeSantis stripped Disney World of its self-governing power, signing a bill that gives the state government control over the Reedy Creek Improvement District. But Disney’s old board, in one of its final actions, passed a new agreement that severely curtailed the oversight board’s authority.
Upset over getting played, DeSantis and the Florida Legislature nullified the agreement, leading to this current legal entanglement. But his battle with Mickey Mouse, the state’s largest private employer and tourism attraction, isn’t playing well with donors.
“What the f*** is wrong with RD?,” asked one of them in a group chat, via Rolling Stone.
In addition, DeSantis has made attacking queer people a central component of his governorship.
In February, the Florida board of medicine outlawed gender-affirming care for trans minors, and a bill recently passed the Florida House that would make it a felony to provide transgender-affirming care to minors. Legislation restricting drag shows seems to be on the way as well.
All of that scorn directed towards the LGBTQ+ community earned DeSantis a stinging rebuke from President Joe Biden–err, “Dark Brandon,”–at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
Brandon is locked and loaded pic.twitter.com/TermHIshaV
— Rogue Stereo ➐ (@Rogue_Stereo) May 1, 2023
It’s been expected DeSantis would run for president ever since he overwhelmingly won re-election in November. But the more people learn about him, the less they seem to like him.
Although that’s not very surprising for a man who reportedly once ate pudding with his hands, and whose personality has been compared to a “piece of paper.”
A couple of weeks ago, DeSantis’ team took him out on an international tour. It didn’t go well.
Following DeSantis’ recent trip to London, British business owners eviscerated him to Politico.
“It felt really a bit like we were watching a state-level politician,” said one.
“He was horrendous,” added another.
Despite those less-than-stellar reviews, DeSantis still appears intent on running for POTUS. Severing ties from his biggest political committee is a big deal: it controls tens of millions of dollars, Politico reports.
Last week, he visited the battleground state of Wisconsin, and is slated to travel to the early voting state of Iowa this weekend.
All the while, Donald Trump continues to dominate the Republican field, garnering 60% of support right now. Meanwhile, DeSantis, whom Trump has attacked for months, is sitting at 19%. (For comparison’s sake, anti-vaccine conspiracy theorist Robert Kennedy Jr. is also sitting at 19% among Democrats. Yikes.)
In a probable sign of desperate times, DeSantis’ Super PAC has targeted Nikki Haley (remember her?), who’s polling in the low single digits. In response, she has fired back by calling DeSantis’ “thin-skinned” and revealing he’s taken more than $50,000 worth of contributions from the allegedly “woke company.”
Exposed!
DeSantis takes more and more hits with each new week. He better officially announce soon, while he’s still barely above water.
Scroll down for more reaction to DeSantis’ latest blunders…
It’s DeSantover
— Sam (BEDARD = HAB) (@Sam613_) April 30, 2023
FUN FACT: Ron DeSantis’s voice can be used to remove paint from patio furniture, lawn jockeys, and siding.
— Mrs. Betty Bowers (@BettyBowers) April 27, 2023
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abfab
Eventually the long, hard, powerful arm of the law will be coming for him, too. He is not sustainable. Remember kids, we will always be the land of the free and the home of the BRAVE. That’s us.
JaredNorthcutt30
Could we also mention the ABC News poll with both Trump and DeSantis over Biden by 6 percent? That is sad. The modern Democrat party is once again being trounced by a reality teevee game show host. Keep picking those winners, gang.
correctio
“but Biden is the only one who can beat Trump!”
the same idiots who thought that Hillary Clinton would be popular in the rust belt
Kangol2
Except that last fall we were told there would be a “red wave” by the polls, including ones pushed by the “liberal” New York Times, and it was anything but. And polls told us that Don the Con was going to win in 2020, except that he LOST the election and then attempted a coup.
So you keep believing this crap, JaredNorthcutt, and feast on FoxNews all you want. We’ll see what happens but you might want to avoid popping the champagne corks. You seem to forget that the “Democrat [sic] party…trounced by a reality teevee game show host” BEAT THAT TEEVEE HOST handily in 2018, 2020, and 2022!!!
Kangol2
@Correctio, except that Biden did defeat Don the Con by 7 million votes in 2020! Did you all sleep through Don the Con’s disastrous year? You know, COVID-19, the social and economic collapse under your fave, “drink bleach,” etc,.
JaredNorthcutt30
All of your points are true. Here’s what that premise fails to take into consideration: Four years of horrendous economic policies and the mere fact that your candidate is this close within a damn game show host AGAIN. What does that say about the state of the Democratic party?
Kangol2
Jared, you’re incoherent.
“Four years of horrendous economic policies”? Are you kidding? After two years of being in office–Biden took office in 2021, not 2019!–2021, gworl, not 2019!–the US has made up the huge job deficit left in the wake of Don the Con’s utter destruction of the US economy in 2020-2021. Again, you must have slept through 2020–you know, when Covid-19 hit and Don the Con kept screwing up and told people to “drink bleach,” nearly died himself, etc.–but:
1) the unemployment rate is lower than it was in 2019-2020;
2) the Black, women’s and Asian American unemployment rates are the lowest on record;
3) the US not only gained back all the jobs lost under Don the Con but has created millions more;
4) there are still more jobs than people to fill them in the US;
5) real wages have grown over the last two years;
6) we are witnessing labor significant gains.
That’s said, the US still has a problem with inflation, a global problem (cf. the UK, Germany, Argentina, Turkey, etc.), as well as serious fallout from the Fed’s rate increase policies, among other challenges. Jerome Powell, a carryover from Don the Con, has created havoc in the housing sector, the banking sector, etc. through his monetary policy approach. He, Larry Summers and others want a recession, but the economy, thankfully, remains resilient. Now the GQP, which you support, wants yet again to crash economy by not raising the debt ceiling. You can deal with the facts or you can traffic in FoxNews fantasy but the record over the last two years is clear.
JaredNorthcutt30
Like the Trump people you disdain, you refuse to read in between the lines. That’s sad, bro. Your ‘facts’ is just regurgitation of White House press releases. You go ballastic on Trump people for this. Here are more context clues that I assume a college graduate needs to deeply assess.
1.) The jobs of future are drastically intertwined with artificial intelligence. Biden has promised for training resources on this issue. He hasn’t delivered. Again, y’all are ‘allegedly’ the party of working-class individuals. The job bleed will start soon.
2.) The Democrats were warned repeatedly that their stimulus checks would begin to cook the economy. Kamala Harris repeatedly RAN on that very issue. Guess what? The economy did exactly like how the damn Republicans warned. Wake up and smell reality.
3.) The minimum wage fallacy: For almost four years, factions of the Democratic party have said, “Oh! You know what we need to do? Just keep raising minimum wage.” Yet again geniuses, this is tied to inflation. Kicking the can down the road has left pockets of extreme poverty in Gavin Newsom’s California as it continues to shed middle-class and working-class families. At a certain point, you need to stop kicking the can down the road. This party has had the same debates for forty damn years.
4.) The Fed also announced that, because inflation was higher and unemployment rate lower than what was necessary to curb inflation, it would be raising interest rates again and that the next year, the US electorate would have to live with a rising interest rate, high inflation, and possibly a recession.
5.) Homebuyers are paying 77 percent more on their loans per month than they paid last year.
6.) Homebuyers are also feeling the pinch in energy costs.
7.) Inflation has eaten away at most of those gains you mentioned. Your minimum wage policy of kicking the can down the court coupled with inflation renders most of those talking points moot.
8.) Stock market confidence is down on Biden’s watch.
9.) Consumer confidence is down on Biden’s watch.
10.) A bear market wiped out the gains of 2021. Again, that eats into a large chunk of your White House-delivered press release talking points. Whoops.
11.) His EPA has finalized a new rule regulating greenhouse gas emissions from cars and trucks. That single regulation could raise the average vehicle price by $1,000. Has Biden and Gavin Newsom really addressed how they’re going to get every American working-class car up to green standards in ten years? Not really. That’s more liberal pipe dreams. Hell, they just bust out the sugarplum fairy at this point. Maybe he could write that legislation in California? Is he available?
12.) Raising the prices on common household necessities while not coming up with concrete plans to enact his green agenda. See above with the sugarplum fairy.
13.) The second and third largest bank collapse has been on Biden’s watch.
14.) Looming debt ceiling decline and his failure to exercise leadership this very week.
ShaverC
Kangol2. So what you’re saying there were so many jobs created that we can’t even fill them?? LOL Maybe that’s why Biden’s letting in so many illegals?
Kangol2
@ShaverC, sorry you aren’t following federal statistics BUT:
According to the US Department of Labor: “The number of job openings decreased to 9.6 million on the last business day of March [2023], the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the month, the number of hires and total separations were little changed at 6.1 million and 5.9 million, respectively. Within separations, quits (3.9 million) changed little, while layoffs and discharges (1.8 million) increased. This release includes estimates of the number and rate of job openings, hires, and separations for the total nonfarm sector, by industry, and by establishment size class.”
Thus, there are more job openings than there are people being hired. The US has a net of open jobs, to the tune of several MILLION, as of April-May 2023.
Kangol2
@JaredNorthcutt30, I do love how instead of addressing the actual FACTS I provided, all of which are verifiable, you toss up various conjectures, etc. I mean, I get it. You really want to believe in the incompetent GQP, Don the Con and MAGA. Your experiences transitioning were traumatic and you are full of rage and want to strike out a liberals, I guess. But the facts are just that. Don the Con was a debacle as president, the GQP usually leaves the country in a parlous state when it leaves office (cf. Hoover, Eisenhower, Nixon-Ford, Reagan-HW Bush, W Bush, and of course Don the Con), and again and again, Democrats have to clean up the messages and try to get things going economically, repair the torn social fabric and safety nets, etc. But you do you. That’s the Republican way anyway, the rest of the country and globe be damned.
JaredNorthcutt30
You don’t address my facts either. What does it say that food lines have sharply risen this quarter? Are the compassionate liberals doing anything about that?
DBMC
There is more than a year to the election, and the more people see Trump the more they dislike him. In the meantime Trump will destroy DeSantis.
dbmcvey
If he’s going to run he’ll have to take on Trump, and Trump will destroy him.
JaredNorthcutt30
And if we’re at war with Russia and China, you really want to take that chance? That’s frightening
Just as much as the game show people on the Republican side.
dbmcvey
What does DeSantis having to take on Trump have to do with war in China? If we’re at war with China I don’t want either of these fools in charge.
JaredNorthcutt30
I’m talking Biden’s early signs of dementia. During the McCain run, we heard “Sarah Palin is one heartbeat away from the presidency.” Y’all want me to seriously believe Kamala Harris’s strange laughing fits is supposed to inspire confidence at this pivotal point in world history? The same people who said the exact same thing about Sarah Palin, mind you.
dbmcvey
What will your roommate who’s the head of “Latins for Trump” think about you putting him down.
You still haven’t said what any of what you’re saying has to do with DeSantis having to take on Trump if he wants to run for President in 2024.
JaredNorthcutt30
She’s like me in realizing that Democrats don’t care about working-class people. She’s like Susan Sarandon. It’s time to burn it to the ground! I respect that as opposed to insane people yapping about the same issues and voting for the same problems every four years. That is the literal definition of insanity. It’s occurred most of my adult life with both problems. Y’all are like hamsters stuck in a wheel. It’s very funny and sad at the same time.
JaredNorthcutt30
Both parties rather. Thanks for the entertainment, dbm! I feel like Meghan McCain on the View!
dbmcvey
I’ve said it before, you sound like Meghan McCain on the view. She wasn’t very bright and, well, it goes without saying.
dbmcvey
Your “roommate” doesn’t exist. You made her up, just like most of your narrative. You just try to come up with something you think will give us pause.
JaredNorthcutt30
If you don’t believe my narrative, why do you spend two days talking to me? Susan Sarandon is real, baby. And people like her exist on the left ready to vote Trump. Just like Susan did in 2016. That’s reality, sweetie. Swallow it.
DBMC
I don’t spend any time talking to you, but your lies need to be challenged.
Susan Sarandon did not vote for Trump, she was a Bernie Sanders supporter and she voted for Biden because she hates Trump so much.
JaredNorthcutt30
However, there is a segment of people on the left fed up with neoliberal policies. Facts are facts. Do better at addressing the needs of 69 percent independents ready to vote Republican. I don’t know what else to tell you.
JaredNorthcutt30
Roseanne Barr is another leftist who voted for Trump. This is the disconnect the polls talk about. But hey, just keep putting your head in the sand and propping up Weekend at Bernie’s with your other arm. It worked so well for you in 2016.
Kangol2
Is Queerty going to report on the federal jury in Manhattan finding JaredNorthcutt’s and Correctio’s beloved GQP cult leader Don the Con guilty of “sexual battery” and “defamation”?
Or right-wing fantasist Congressperson George Kitara Ravache Santos’s indictment on federal charges and pending arrest?
JaredNorthcutt30
I don’t like him either. Your party is the one picking an elderly man with dementia. Your horse isn’t that high, girl.
Jack
JaredHorseFuc*30…there’s nothing sadder than a gay Republican. I can’t even fathom that much internalized homophobia and emotional trauma from childhood bullying and family rejection. You and Caitlyn Jenner should get together and talk girl. We don’t have any dementia problems over here so you and Tucker lick each other. You’re horse wants to trample you girl. Sit down
JaredNorthcutt30
And in sheer hypocrisy, the left bleated about Ronald Reagan’s and John McCain’s age. Now it’s “nothing to see here gang.” The Republicans pull the same crap. If it’s enough for John McCain, it’s enough for Joe Biden.
JaredNorthcutt30
I’m independent. I did meet Caitlyn Jenner’s people last week in LA, though.
Jack
Ok JaredSuckButt30….WHO said anything about age, girl? You. You have every reason to bring up age. You said dementia, Cruella DeShrill. Joe Biden does not have dementia. John McCain didn’t have dementia. Ronald Reagan….sorry girl. McCain didn’t have a chance because he chose the Trailer Park Moose Queen. as his running mate If Biden doesn’t finish his term, you just got an upgrade. You’re welcome. And please tell me who Caitlyn’s “people” are. Kid Rock’s trans niece? LOL. Such a liar.
JaredNorthcutt30
Kamala Harris isn’t equipped to be president just like Sarah Palin. Most of her speeches consist of garbled word salad. I’m saying this to you and this is also what I tell Republicans: PICK BETTER CANDIDATES.
dbmcvey
DeSantis and Trump aren’t fit to be President but that doesn’t stop Republicans from voting for them.
JaredNorthcutt30
That’s what I’m saying. Wake up. Stop doing this to yourself every four years. It’s the definition of insanity.
dbmcvey
Biden seems to be sharp enough to get the Republicans to promise they won’t end Social Security and Medicare on television (although we know what liars they are). I would rather have him than either of these terrible people, and I would MUCH rather have Kamala Harris than Donald “can’t we bomb the hurricane” Trump or Ron “never met a culture war he wouldn’t jump in” DeSantis.
dbmcvey
Not electing Trump or DeSantis is not insanity.
Kangol2
Gworl, it isn’t “my party” but I’ll take the 80-year-old with cognitive issues over the racist, rapist, treasonous, psychopathic near 80-year-old who crashed the US economy, told people to “drink bleach,” and can’t tell the truth from the tiny fingers on the tips of his tiny hands!
JaredNorthcutt30
But you’re totally convinced Biden can take on Putin and Xi when he has trouble getting names out nearly every week? And I’ve got the news and weather for you. Biden is just as guilty of rape culture, too. I know Alyssa Milano convinced you to take the blue pill and forget all about Tara Reade and Hunter knocking up a stripper and refusing to acknowledge his child. Sounds tawdry and Trump-esque!
JaredNorthcutt30
That’s how we differ as people. I refuse to be insane and bash my brains against a wall every four years. That’s the difference between you and me, I guess.
JaredNorthcutt30
I am grateful that DeSantis has vociferously defended his viewpoint on culture wars. Both parties have a totalitarian streak. On the Democratic side, it rears its head in 1984 gender ideology groupspeak. In real-time, you are witnessing the pushback against the totalitarian language revisionists on the left. For voters like me who underwent a slipshod gender transition, it’s time to stop talking about these issues in schools when so many nuances aren’t even bothered to be addressed from a medical and insurance standpoint. As an independent voter, I was marginally impressed (not a small feat)
dbmcvey
Jared, no matter how many times you say that Kamala Harris is like Sarah Palin it’s not true. Kamala is awkward sometimes but Sarah Palin was just stupid.
dbmcvey
I’m completely convinced that Trump and DeSantis might just join Putin in the fight. And really Jared, could you be a more stereotypical incel?
dbmcvey
Jared, you’re coming on an LGBT+ website to hype a politician who has made his career by targeting LGBT+ people, and you’re doing it badly. You’re only earning more distain for Puddin’ Fingers.
JaredNorthcutt30
I’m just telling you my experience as a detransitoner. It’s documented with an article soon. I’ll be sure to email you.
dbmcvey
I don’t believe anything you say Jared. You’re here trying to hype a politician who is making his name by demonizing LGBT people. You’re not fooling us.
JaredNorthcutt30
How is it demonizing gay people when an unproven experimental procedure (medical gender transitions) are not permitted to be talked about in schools? I’d also take pause if the Christians wanted to blather on about Jesus in schools. Same principles, my guy.
DBMC
Jared, that has nothing to do with the don’t say gay laws. Take some time to find out that not everything is about trans people.
JaredNorthcutt30
It does. There is a segment of people who don’t want pronoun propaganda in schools. It’s not the role of school administration to wade into culture wars. Take some time to be less ignorant yourself.
daveku69
yet the phrase ‘don’t see gay’ or even the word ‘gay in the bill/ law. Our kids may not know that 2+2=4, but they do know what to wear during a militaria action in July. We need to get our priority straight
Jack
If you walked up behind DeSatin and dropped a large book she would scream like a 12 year old girl and scream “active shooter!”. She’s about as tough as one ply toilet paper. And ironically both serve the same purpose.
Kangol2
He’s tough when he has on her magic white boots to strut around in!
NOT!
abfab
He and his family wipe on the cheap. They go down to the sugar plantations and scrounge around for cane fronds and blades at the Domino Sugar Corporation. It’s free mulch for the Republicans.
correctio
@abfab you thinking about Ron DeSantis’ butt hole… that’s kinky man
dbmcvey
@correctio
Almost as kinky as your obsession with abfab.
Fahd
The more they fight among themselves, the better off we’ll be. Btw, any politician with a future would tell you that starting a feud with Disney is never a good idea.
inbama
Trump is toast.
And while there is good reason to question oversold and dangerous puberty blockers, burdening children with race-based guilt, and schools transing kids behind their parents backs, DeSantis and his fascistic bullying is not the answer.
Kangol2
I detest Don the Con but I am not counting that thing out yet. He has a LOT of diehard fans. A lot. His cult is still strong. So he’s always in it until they finally cut him loose and among some the fervor for him is religious and fanatical.
inbama
I don’t have a crystal ball, but it seems the noose is tightening.
I think he’ll be charged for the insurrection, and the fake electors in Georgia have been given immunity and the head of their GOP says “I was just following orders.” Base aside, the swing voters will see that his criminality and treasonous behavior is not just a view of partisan politics.
DBMC
The Republicans will absolutely nominate Trump again because that base is crazy.