A.G. Gancarski
Gov. Ron DeSantis is behind Donald Trump in most 2024 GOP polling, but the head of his super PAC suggests the Governor’s theme park tempest may be a political winner after all.
During an interview on the Fox Business Network, Never Back Down PAC founder Ken Cuccinelli suggested the Governor’s ongoing feud with the The Walt Disney Co. will prove potent with Republican Primary voters in 2024.
“Only one candidate, only one Governor has ever protected America against the scourge that Disney has become in the last couple of decades,” Cuccinelli told host Neil Cavuto.
From there, the PAC head went on to question the entertainment company’s Americanism.
“The fond memories people have, that you refer to, of Disney are from a long time ago, and Disney has become more of a force to undermine good, healthy, positive, patriotic American culture than it is a supporter of it,” Cuccinelli said.
Cuccinelli, a former official in the Trump administration, contended DeSantis “didn’t start taking on Disney until Disney started interfering with the efforts to protect children in schools in Florida.”
That was a reference, of course, to the company’s opposition to the Parental Rights in Education law of 2022, which forbade discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity through third grade. On Wednesday, the state Board of Education expanded that law to include the entirety of K-12 education, which was never part of the pitch by proponents of the law last year.
The Governor has recently been out of state frequently for political events, but during an increasingly rare in-state appearance, he threatened more potential actions on Disney’s turf.
On Monday, when discussing new legislation to wrestle control back from Disney, the Florida Governor suggested the state had every right to do what it wanted on land in the former Reedy Creek Improvement District, which is now known as the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District.
“People are like, well, ‘What should we do with this land? Maybe create a state park? Maybe try to do more amusement parks,’” DeSantis said, before adding the prison quip. “Somebody even said, ‘Maybe you need another state prison?’ Who knows? I just think that the possibilities are endless, and so that is now going to be analyzed to see what would make the most sense.”
While DeSantis is in South Carolina, the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District is making moves against the so-called scourge, with a lawyer for the board saying Disney acted like “Scrooge McDuck” in its attempts to evade the intent of the Legislature’s restructuring of the former Reedy Creek Improvement District, which governed Disney from 1967 until the company ran afoul of the Governor.
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Gabrielle Russon of Florida Politics contributed to this report.
14 comments
Take the L and move on, Rhonda.
April 19, 2023 at 5:12 pm
But his polls keep sinking, and his big money donors just announced their pulling their support.
Pursuing this Disney thing is idiotic. But keep digging your political grave, Rhonda.
Rob Desantos
April 20, 2023 at 2:01 pm
First Lady Casey must really hate Disney now for “Governor Ratcliffe” to keep embarrassing himself so badly on this one.
They keep proving that his political instincts don’t match up with her ambitions.
Michael K
April 19, 2023 at 5:21 pm
Perhaps the governor would do better by doing things — you know, policies – that actually help Floridians, instead of destroying Florida institutions and degrading real people just to boost his fragile ego and feed the MAGA hats hunger for hate and ignorance?
Bert Stimson
April 19, 2023 at 5:54 pm
Cucinnelli is a political loser.
Mercury Shampoo Ed 👍
April 19, 2023 at 6:33 pm
As the GOP swirls the toilet in national elections, they continue to make trouble for themselves in the States. People are pissed at these hogs for real. Gonna pay a price.
DeSantis is a crook
April 19, 2023 at 7:51 pm
DeSantis is anti-Florida an anti-business. Why would you attack? When is the largest employers in the state of Florida also one that generates more income for Florida both directly and indirectly
Florida beaches are being destroyed by the red tide.
it will get to the point that Florida has nothing to offer for tourist, which is the largest contributor to the economy
Dont Say FLA
April 19, 2023 at 7:54 pm
The path that makes the most common sense would be for Rhonda to pull his Panties back up and stop showing the nation his stoopid ass. FLA Gov Rhonda’s Panties has absolutely nothing to offer, and that’s why he picks fights over nonsense, thinking he can leverage his widdle fights into wedge issues. Florida might have enough dementia patients for him to succeed, but the rest of the USA has caught on to the GOP’s game. Three Quarters of a Billion Dollars paid out by Fox News for their stolen election lies. Fox News isn’t covering their settlement, but the fat cat, it is out of the bag.
Earl Pitts American
April 19, 2023 at 8:09 pm
Good evening America,
Disney has proven themselves to be a bunch of sick perverted _ucks and real Americans are done with them.
98% of the USA loves and supports Desantis’ spanking of Disney. You 2%’ers who oppose Desantis are irrelevant.
Thank you America,
Earl Pitts “Mouse Hater” American
Elliott Offen
April 19, 2023 at 10:27 pm
You need involuntary psychiatric hospitalization and court ordered medication. Crack cocaine and booze aren’t a substitute for mental health treatment. Seek help before you are arrested or you kill yourself doing something stupid.
Rob Desantos
April 20, 2023 at 1:51 pm
Disney will always be more popular and beloved than Dorksantis and his ilk. Maybe try smiling and enjoying life now and then, you miserable jerks!
Sqoo
April 20, 2023 at 2:47 am
Disney’s corporate & legal are some of the smartest people on earth. RDS & his flunkies are…. not. I’m predicting that 20 years from now Disney World will be somewhere within a two hour drive of Atlanta.
Dont Say FLA
April 21, 2023 at 7:31 am
While that’s possible, Disney would have a knock down drag out fight with Delta for making that happen. Delta isn’t going to surrender that ATL – MCO leg of everyone’s roundtrip. Valdosta / Albany area is more likely. South Georgia = new airport = more money for Delta, not less. Fortunately in Georgia you can still get the drag out!
Dont say FLA
April 21, 2023 at 7:33 am
And stoopid Rhonda’s Panties doesn’t comprendo: He has Delta rooting for him to drive Disney out of FLA. This is not a fight he will win, even if he wins. He can’t see the forest due to his ego.
Dont Say FLA
April 21, 2023 at 7:53 am
KC and the Dont Bend Over band .. of dip sticks … say “Disney started interfering with the efforts to protect children in schools in Florida.” Show me one school in Florida or anywhere else in USA or on Earth the Moon or Mars where Disney has interfered with anyone’s attempts at preventing school children from being shot to death at school. And there we have it, folks. Dont Say Gay is a diversion to keep your mind off of Rhonda’s Panties and Donald Javina’s effective pro-school-shooting positions.
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