Democrats sound the alarm ahead of Ron DeSantis’ Michigan trip

Gov. Ron DeSantis is headed to Michigan Thursday, and Democrats aren’t happy.

In two separate virtual media conferences, Democrats from that state and his home state of Florida decried the Governor and his allegedly extreme agenda ahead of speeches at the Midland County Republican Party Spring Breakfast and Hillsdale College.

On behalf of the Michigan Democratic Party, Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist said Florida presented a “deep and stark contrast” with Michigan, noting the six-week abortion ban winding its way through the Legislature, and juxtaposing that with expansions of reproductive rights in his state.

“DeSantis already signed an abortion ban last year that had no exceptions for rape and incest,” Gilchrist said, and “called that one of his proudest accomplishments.”

State Sen. Erika Geiss, the second Vice Chair of the Michigan Democratic Party, sounded similar themes, noting advances in “reproductive freedoms” in her state and comparing it to “anti-woman, anti-reproductive freedom” policies advanced by DeSantis.

Geiss noted the arrest of Florida Democratic Chair Nikki Fried and Senate Democratic Leader Lauren Book in her remarks, contending that Michiganders won’t stand for his “MAGA extremism.”

“DeSantis has shown he’ll go to any lengths to out-MAGA the 2024 GOP field,” Geiss claimed.

Sam Inglot, Deputy Director of Progress Michigan, said the goal of his press event was to “educate Michiganders” and “hear from folks in impacted communities who have been working in Florida for many years.”

“The difference between Michigan and Florida under DeSantis’ leadership couldn’t be more clear,” Inglot said, accusing DeSantis of “silencing any voices who don’t agree with his extreme right-wing ideology” on issues like “extremist book bans” and “support for educators” as part of his “crusade against ‘woke-ism,’ whatever that means.”

Andrew Spar, President of the Florida Education Association, said Florida under DeSantis was characterized by “hard to staff” schools replete with teaching vacancies.

“Every day, you see posted on social media, another teacher walking out of the classroom, another support staff member walking out of the classroom,” Spar claimed, accusing DeSantis of “pushing the Betsy DeVos agenda in Florida.”

“He talks about freedom, but he’s taking away the freedom to learn and the freedom to teach here in Florida,” Spar added.

Barbara Zdravecky, former President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida, honed in on the “aggressive, restrictive” six-week abortion ban that passed the Senate, saying it put politicians “between the care” offered to women by their physicians.

“Florida pretends to be a pro-life state, but how hypocritical is it that behind closed doors DeSantis signed a ‘free carry’ bill,” Zdravecky said, referring to the permitless carry bill.

Adonis Flores, Organizing Director at Michigan United, said he was “very concerned” about DeSantis’ policies against immigrant communities. A child of immigrants himself, Flores accused DeSantis of “inhumane” treatment of the Martha’s Vineyard migrants last year.

“These policies are to create problems where they don’t exist, and they are to create fear,” Flores charged.