Democrats slam ‘MAGA extremists’ ahead of Tampa convention drawing big GOP names

A constellation of MAGA stars — including the center of its universe, President Donald Trump — will be in Tampa for Turning Point USA’s weekend get-together, and Democrats are looking to frame the group’s views as extreme in messaging to voters.

Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison and U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor held a virtual news conference ahead of this weekend’s Student Action Summit to discuss “MAGA extremism.” They framed Republicans as pushing for forced birth for 10-year rape victims, tax breaks for billionaires, and overturning elections they don’t agree with.

“Turning Point USA is an extremist group,” Castor said. “They are known for misinformation. They are known for promoting election fraud, misinformation. They’re known for promoting COVID-19 misinformation. They promoted the Jan 6 rally.”

A mobile billboard telling people that the MAGA Republican Agenda is too extreme and dangerous for America will be circling just in case that hadn’t occurred to the summit’s attendees. The event is expected to draw some 3,000 attendees to the Downtown Convention Center in Tampa.

Turning Point USA did not respond to an inquiry regarding the Democrats’ characterization of the Tampa event.

Street furniture just outside of the center has been plastered with posters advising parents on where they can get COVID-19 vaccinations for their kids, in case Gov. Ron DeSantis’ refusal to order them for county health departments is affecting them.

In addition to Trump, DeSantis is set to attend. Castor riffed about DeSantis’ role in Florida’s position as 45th in the country for student spending, his promotion of “(Vladimir) Putin-style” civics lessons that she argues whitewash aspects of American history, and his position on COVID-19.

“Though there’s no scientific or medical reason for Gov. DeSantis not to have ordered the COVID-19 vaccine (for kids), he did it to play to his base,” Castor said. “But how outrageous it is that he’s willing to put the health and safety of our kids in our community on the line, willing to sacrifice them to his political ambition?”

DeSantis has explained his position that the vaccine has not gone through enough testing and clinical trials, despite the attestations of the vaccination’s safety for kids from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Mayo Clinic and others.

The weekend will have its popcorn-worthy moments, however, Castor said, particularly with DeSantis and Trump under the same roof.

“It’s going to be interesting to watch them duel in their personal political self-interest here this weekend,” Castor said.

But she argued voters shouldn’t be distracted.

“There are very dangerous consequences to their extreme agenda,” Castor said, predicting that DeSantis, although quiet now, will call for a total ban on abortion in Florida, without exceptions for rape or incest.

This “celebration of youth and freedom” in Tampa will also feature Donald Trump Jr., Fox News anchor Laura Ingraham, U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz and Rick Scott, and U.S. Reps. Matt Gaetz and Marjorie Taylor Greene, to name a few.

“Let’s box it, underline it, put it in a circle,” Harrison said.

“They will do anything for power and to help line the pockets of their friends and their biggest donors, no matter what it costs everyday folks, no matter what it costs America, and even including our freedoms. Their attendance at this extreme convention should remind Americans who these Republicans really are and what’s at stake,” he added.