A.G. Gancarski
Gov. Ron DeSantis continues to try to get to the right of former President Donald Trump on the abortion issue.
During an interview with Glenn Beck that was posted Saturday, DeSantis warned that Trump’s assertion that Florida’s Heartbeat Protection Act, which bans abortion after six weeks of pregnancy, is “terrible” would be “weaponized” by proponents of a 2024 constitutional amendment that would limit the Legislature’s ability to pass such laws.
“And here’s the thing: the damage that he did with that is more than just his campaign,” DeSantis said.
“There’s going to be potentially on the ballot in Florida a referendum for a constitutional amendment to basically have abortion on demand. The left is pursuing it. And if that passes, that means a Legislature can never do anything to protect life,” DeSantis said.
“Do you think they’re going to run ads to Republicans and independents showing Trump to Trump voters saying Trump didn’t like this vote? The other way for us, of course, they are, they’re going to weaponize what he said to try to defeat the cause of life. And so it was a really hurtful thing, it was really harmful.”
DeSantis had previously called the former President’s position a “big mistake,” but he had not suggested previously Trump’s assertion that the law was “a terrible thing and a terrible mistake” would benefit proponents of reproductive rights on the Florida ballot.
Polling from the University of North Florida this year suggests that 78% of Floridians and 61% of Republicans oppose the newly enacted abortion restrictions, meaning that Trump’s take is the majoritarian view. But for DeSantis, abortion is not an issue where polls matter.
“And it doesn’t matter if 80% of the people think it should be protected or only 20% of the people think it should be protected. It’s not a poll question. It’s a fundamental question about your values, about what you think,” DeSantis said.
10 comments
PeterH
September 23, 2023 at 3:44 pm
YOU Ron DeSantis weaponized the abortion issue. You and your Republican colleagues in red states collaborated and coordinated an assault on women’s health care rights! YOU endorsed Trump’s three SCOTUS picks ….. who in turn reversed 50 years of court precedent. So yes Ron….. Republicans must pay the price for their actions at the voting booth.
Dale A Arnold
September 23, 2023 at 3:49 pm
States Rights huh? What they (Republicans) really meant was the state legislative Republicans will decide.. They do not want to people of their states to decide. It will go the way of Kansas, Kentucky and Ohio all Red States where they reject republican restrictions! DeSantis knows this will also happen in Florida!
Rick Whitaker
September 23, 2023 at 3:50 pm
so according to desantis’ own words, he wants what only 20% of what the people want. why is he running for office? what a dork.
JD
September 23, 2023 at 3:51 pm
“78% of Floridians and 61% of Republicans oppose the newly enacted abortion restrictions,”
Unless insurance and housing get fixed real fast, I think the current FLGOP’s control is going to dwindle on the state.
I, for one, will welcome the Purple State of Florida again.
Michael K
September 23, 2023 at 5:08 pm
Beginning to think that Ron is one of those ultra-right-wing freedom circus crazies who simply want to destroy government at all levels – except of course, for their own personal benefit.
Put the reproductive rights of women, and the power for women to make their own health decisions on the ballot next November. Buh-bye, Ron and other GOP clowns who hate America.
Kathryn Schoen
September 23, 2023 at 7:28 pm
I can’t imagine how Ron DeSantis reconciles the cognitive dissonance he encounters every day. He claims he’s “pro-life” while his policies are responsible for killing children every day.
Guns are the leading cause of death for children and people aged 0 – 25 in the U. S. Why is an incipient organism afforded more protection than a viable, living, breathing child?
JD
September 24, 2023 at 8:36 am
Best comment of the post award – I agree 100%
trump lost
September 24, 2023 at 7:54 am
The opposition will weaponize what nearly everyone in the state wants? Inconceivable!
Esther Weiner
September 25, 2023 at 10:00 am
DeSantis is a racially. Bigoted leader who will lose and continue to espouse his theories that the majority of voters will be forced to accept while he’s governor. We need democrats back in power in Florida to undo all the bigoted changes he’s made to our state in CRT, book bans, voting rights, women’s rights, and college and universities governing boards, to mention only a few of the changes he made to our once liberal lives in Florida.
University of North Florida
September 26, 2023 at 1:01 pm
Trump is positioning himself to win a general rather that trying to pointlessly win his very loyal base.
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