A.G. Gancarski
Florida’s CFO made a political pundit turn Tuesday, arguing Nikki Haley’s focus on Florida’s fight with The Walt Disney Co. was driven by a desire to be “relevant.”
On “Fox & Friends First,” Jimmy Patronis panned Haley’s recent recruitment of the company to Florida.
“Look, I think Nikki Haley is doing anything to be relevant in a failing presidential campaign. So when she goes out and tries to talk about it, you know what’s happening, we’re talking about it,” Patronis said. “I think it’s futile. Disney is not going anywhere.”
Patronis’ comments are responsive to the former Palmetto State Governor’s pitch to the company, made Wednesday on Fox News, to move to the state given ongoing conflicts with Ron DeSantis’ Florida.
“If Disney would like to move their hundreds of thousands of jobs to South Carolina and bring their billions of dollars with them, I’ll let them know,” Haley said. “I’ll be happy to meet them in South Carolina and introduce them to the Governor and the Legislature. They would welcome it.”
A DeSantis-supportive super PAC is also taking the fight to Haley.
Never Back Down launched last week a new six-figure digital ad buy slamming “Mickey Haley.”
The 45-second spot shows Disney officials discussing “canonical trans characters,” moves to “add queerness” to narratives, targeting “kids who are transitioning,” “LGBTQIA characters,” a creator’s “gay agenda” and “adding queerness,” and so on.
Then the spot cuts to Haley making her recruitment.
The super PAC believes the Disney fight is a winner for DeSantis.
During an interview last month on the Fox Business Network, founder Ken Cuccinelli suggested the Governor’s ongoing feud with Disney 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.
