Ron DeSantis 'uncomfortable' with Matt Gaetz fundraising off House Speaker removal

The Governor accused the Congressman of 'trying to generate lists' by moving against McCarthy.

Ron DeSantis is rebuking Matt Gaetz for fundraising off of the successful motion to remove Kevin McCarthy as House Speaker.

One of Gaetz’s congressional colleagues called the Panhandle Republican out for sending out fundraising pitches tied to removing McCarthy, and DeSantis told Fox News’ Neil Cavuto that he wasn’t comfortable with the prospect of a politician fundraising off of the removal push.

“Well, look, when I see the Republican Congressman pointing out that there’s a lot of fundraising going on around that, you know, that makes me uncomfortable,” DeSantis said.

“I think when you’re doing things, you need to be doing it because it’s the right thing to do. It shouldn’t be done with an eye towards trying to generate lists or trying to generate fundraising,” he added. “And so that is not the way I would operate.”

The Governor’s rebuke of Gaetz, who was central to his successful 2018 campaigns against Adam Putnam and Andrew Gillum, is yet another sign that a dynamic that served both men five years ago has long since been exhausted.

Gaetz helped DeSantis with debate prep in 2018, as footage leaked to ABC News revealed. Gaetz advised him to employ a “likable, dismissive tone … not condescending.”

Gaetz accompanied DeSantis on a three-stop tour of cities in June 2018, joining DeSantis during question-and-answer sessions at those events. He also accompanied DeSantis to at least one debate during the primary campaign.

And once the Primary was in the rearview, Gaetz only got rougher with DeSantis’ General Election opponent.

While the Gaetz-DeSantis dynamic persisted into 2019, with the Congressman serving as part of the gubernatorial transition, it soon enough frayed amid political troubles and legal complications for Gaetz. Asked about his former ally at a press conference, DeSantis said he didn’t “have anything to say.”

For his part, Gaetz was an early and has been an enthusiastic backer of Trump’s 2024 campaign, advising DeSantis and others not to run.

“This is no time for amateurs or impersonators or understudies. There is no success without victory and there is no Trumpism in 2024 without Donald J. Trump,” Gaetz said in March.

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7 comments

Suze
October 3, 2023 at 7:56 pm

The whole GOP is slime imploding. The only ones governing are the democrats trying to make Americans lives better. The wing nuts just attack , want to shut dow and destroy our government and support violence to continue the big lie.
Rick Whitaker
October 3, 2023 at 8:03 pm

a circular firing squad is what they call it.. desantis criticizing gaetz for what he does. sounds like something trump would do it’s a maga cult thing. maga can’t ever be trusted. remember that come voting time. what a pile of _urds all trying to flush each other .
Cheesy Floridian
October 4, 2023 at 11:28 am

I really hope no one wants Matt G. As gov. He might be worse then DeSantis
- Rick Whitaker
  October 4, 2023 at 9:06 pm
  
  it would be a hard climb for gaetz to achieve desantis’ level of corruption. i predict that florida’s next governor will be a dem
Tropical
October 4, 2023 at 10:31 pm

I’m ‘uncomfortable’ with both of you worthless people.
Sonja Fitch
October 5, 2023 at 4:31 am

Both Desantis and Gaetz are real MAGA men! It is impossible to give one or the other the any credibility! Vote common Good!
TJC
October 6, 2023 at 11:46 am

It’s laughable to hear DeSantis express concern about fundraising ethics. He attacks and dehumanizes minorities to raise money. If he felt “uncomfortable” about Gaetz raising money, he must have had gas. Gasbags usually do.