In Fort Myers, Donald Trump flogs Ron DeSantis for bad poll numbers

Trump (Large)
Without Trump, DeSantis would be a 'lawyer looking for business, if that.'

Donald Trump spent Friday night serving up slams to Florida’s Governor in a county where 69% of people voted for Ron DeSantis just last year.

At the Lee County Lincoln Reagan Dinner in Fort Myers, dinner was served before the former President spoke, but it was clear that for Trump, DeSantis was the main course.

Trump noted he received “1.2 million more votes than your successful Governor’s campaign.”

Then he launched into a mockery of DeSantis begging for his endorsement, for the first time at a home state event.

“Sir. I’d love to have your support, sir. I’d love to have your support. I’m down at about 3%. I’d love to have your support.”

Trump then quoted himself.

“All right, let’s think about it.”

“And it was like a rocket ship after I gave it. Otherwise right now you’d have a lawyer some place looking for business, if that,” he concluded

Trump also spotlighted DeSantis’ congressional votes for cuts to Social Security and Medicare.

“Unlike the Bushes and Ryan and the other RINOs, I will always protect Social Security and Medicare for our great seniors.”

“I wonder who voted for hurting Social Security and I wonder who voted for hurting and partially dismantling Medicare. Who is it? I think there’s somebody around that you know,” Trump suggested.

The former President also mentioned some favorable surveys.

“The polls show clearly that the people are with us in this fight,” Trump said, before spotlighting some of them.

Trump cited a poll from the Clarity Campaign, “where we’re leading by 45 points.”

“In last week’s Morning Consult poll, I led the field by 33 points,” Trump added, with DeSantis at 23% to Trump’s 56%.

“The Harvard Harris Poll has me up 35 points, with Trump 55, with somebody else at 20, and heading south,” Trump said, referring again to DeSantis.

Trump cited the Florida’s Voice poll, an unscientific survey on Twitter that showed the former President up 80% to 16%. He also noted polling from Texas, South Carolina, Iowa and New Hampshire that showed leads of anywhere between 20 and 30 points.

Before all that, Trump noted his list of endorsements, now in double digits among the Florida delegation alone.

“There’s a great feeling in this state and a great feeling in this country,” Trump said, contending “thousands of people” were outside.

A.G. Gancarski

A.G. Gancarski has been the Northeast Florida correspondent for Florida Politics since 2014. He writes for the New York Post and National Review also, with previous work in the American Conservative and Washington Times and a 15+ year run as a columnist in Folio Weekly. He can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter: @AGGancarski


10 comments

  • Ocean Joe

    April 21, 2023 at 8:37 pm

    If Desantis wants to beat Trump he needs to rack up some indictments to get GOP voters on board.

    Otherwise, he should primary Rick Scott, take the senate seat, gain some experience and maturity, and then run for president in 28 when folks have forgotten about the Disney, the abortion ban, the insurance industry giveaway, and guns everywhere except where he is.

    • Earl Pitts American

      April 21, 2023 at 8:56 pm

      Good political analysis Joe,
      I, Earl Pitts American, will advise Ron to take Scott’s Senate Seat. Dont worry I will tell Ron I got the genious idea from my bud Ocean Joe.
      Thank you Joe,
      Earl Pitts American

      • Elliott Offen

        April 22, 2023 at 1:13 pm

        👆 Needs therapy for schizophrenia.. needs court ordered medication. Also need FBI investigation because obvious Russian troll.

  • Kim

    April 22, 2023 at 12:24 am

    Trump is trashing Florida citizens. Florida as a whole. Not just Desantis who is doing a great job protecting our children. While trump sides with Disney who indoctrinates children with gender bending woke ideology. Trump is for himself. Not our children. He didn’t even say anything about our Ian damage for 5 days. He can’t win the general and his bullying nick name hate spreading must stop. We must hope for a Desantis run. Desantis is our native son and we should be proud of that. Vote Desantis 2024

    • Ron Be Gone

      April 22, 2023 at 6:04 am

      Vote for this wannabe fascist, Orban clone? No thank you.

      This manufactured outrage over things that aren’t happening is making YOU the product of echo chamber news outlets. Expand your perspective and talk to people outside of your family and church.

    • Acid Head Ed 👍

      April 22, 2023 at 1:16 pm

      🤡 Protecting kids 🤡
      This is just right wing propaganda… like kids just recently came under attack and bad things happening to kids used to be acceptable or something. Just a bunch of BS.

    • CHAD WASCOM

      April 23, 2023 at 10:48 am

      I live Trumps policies and I lived that he gave the progressives the middle finger most of the time. I don’t like that he provides the opposition a mountain of ammo to brain wash the mindless sheep. BUT I hate that he attacks the best Governor I have ever witnessed in my 50years walking this earth! DJT is selfish narcissistic an A-hole (period)

  • [email protected]

    April 22, 2023 at 2:10 pm

    Just correcting everyone in their fake news statement of “former” President Trump…He is now and will always be President Trump and I am fed up with the enemies within America pushing this false statement. PRESIDENT TRUMP NOW, PRESIDENT TRUMP IN 2024 – AND PRESIDENT TRUMP FOREVER!!! So get your reporting right or get out of journalism!!! You must be a RINO or RINO lover because it’s apparent by your aricle that you do not go along with the Greatest President in History 45!!!! I refuse to share or listen to crappy reporting like this!

    • Maior

      April 24, 2023 at 3:59 pm

      Don’t notice if they all speak with the R……soft

  • Just Jane

    April 23, 2023 at 1:34 pm

    “Greatest President Ever”, really?
    Greatest number of times impeached.
    Greatest number of friends/staff etc indicted & convicted.
    Greatest number of pardons to said buddies.
    Greatest number of proveable lies, over 30, 000 in his 1 term. About stupid stuff, like the weather.
    Greatest disrespect shown to his colleagues & others around him.
    Greatest disaster globally in how USA is seen.
    Low-life charity stealing, conman, tax-evading, document stealing, sanctimonious traitor.

Comments are closed.


#FlaPol

Florida Politics is a statewide, new media platform covering campaigns, elections, government, policy, and lobbying in Florida. This platform and all of its content are owned by Extensive Enterprises Media.

Publisher: Peter Schorsch @PeterSchorschFL

Contributors & reporters: Phil Ammann, Drew Dixon, Roseanne Dunkelberger, A.G. Gancarski, William March, Ryan Nicol, Jacob Ogles, Cole Pepper, Jesse Scheckner, Drew Wilson, and Mike Wright.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @PeterSchorschFL
Phone: (727) 642-3162
Address: 204 37th Avenue North #182
St. Petersburg, Florida 33704