A.G. Gancarski
Gov. Ron DeSantis was too busy to help conservative School Board candidates this year, and the man who beat him in this year’s presidential race may be partially to blame.
That’s one takeaway from comments he made in Titusville, when he said assisting Donald Trump was one reason he couldn’t help his endorsements get over the finish line.
“I will confess, in ’22 we had a whole operation dedicated to this and we did a lot of resources and we had all that,” DeSantis said. “I wasn’t in a position to do that this time, at least for the Primary. Maybe we’ll help in the General because I’ve got all these other things I’ve got to do.”
DeSantis went on to itemize how his political operation is “doing a lot of different things.”
“I’m raising money for the super PAC helping Trump against Kamala Harris. I’ve got stuff we’re doing with the Legislature. I’ve got, you know, these amendments that they’re doing,” DeSantis said, referring to work to defeat the Adult Personal Use of Marijuana or the Amendment to Limit Government Interference with Abortion pushes.
DeSantis delivered the remarks during a press avail Thursday at the Valiant Air Command, Inc. Warbird Museum. It’s unclear if they will reassure people of his commitment to conservative outcomes in the state.
Out of DeSantis’ 23 endorsed School Board candidates, voters rejected 11 outright. Six others failed to get majority support, meaning they must face a General Election runoff. Meanwhile, seven of the 11 Florida Democratic Party (FDP)-supported School Board candidates won their Primaries statewide.
DeSantis framed the night’s results positively, including in Duval County, where “two of the three that I supported won” even as he “really had nothing to do.”
But he knows he could have done more, except that he wasn’t “in a position to put resources behind those races, unfortunately.”
“It probably could have made a difference” in one race, DeSantis said, referring to Becky Nathanson’s loss to incumbent Duval School Board member Cindy Pearson.
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Gabrielle Russon of Florida Politics contributed to this report.
9 comments
Michael K
August 22, 2024 at 1:05 pm
Ever notice how no one in the GOP ever takes responsibility for anything – other than someone else’s success?
One of these days, Ron may realize that nobody wants what he’s trying to peddle – except the lawyers who are getting filthy rich off the countless lawsuits generated by his failed harmful policies.
Tjb
August 22, 2024 at 4:22 pm
Thank you Michael. Accountability is not a trait of most Republican politicians.
Frankie M.
August 22, 2024 at 6:23 pm
AG said Pearson would lose because of Covid & her inaccessibility or you know typical M4L talking points.
ScienceBLVR
August 22, 2024 at 3:03 pm
Yep, Ronnie just can’t paste that fat red L on his forehead even when his Moms lose spectacularly..guess the voters rejecting his culture war anti woke education agenda had nothing to do with it. Notice all those tasks he’s soooo busy with all seem to be designed to thwart the true will of Floridians. Nothing oh nothing for the people. Feed kids- Nope- Ronnie is too busy. Help with housing, insurance costs, inflation, climate crisis- Nope, Nope, Nope!
tom palmer
August 22, 2024 at 4:25 pm
Loser!
Billy Nash
August 23, 2024 at 8:27 am
DeSantis sure doesn’t have Floridians’ best interest in his busy schedule. Too busy sucking up to tRump and the MAGA base to do anything that addresses all the problems in Florida – homelessness, child hunger, poverty, crime, out of control insurance rates … ugh.
Skeptic
August 23, 2024 at 10:44 am
If he wasn’t in it to win it, he shouldn’t have picked the fight. Now, all that unite the right energy is dissipating and he is starting to be recognized as small and weak. Maybe he will do better with his initiative to privatize the state parks.
Dont Say FLA
August 23, 2024 at 1:34 pm
Anything and everything a MAGA doesn’t feel up to doing, it is impossible and that’s the Democrats fault. LOL, whiner
Delusions
August 25, 2024 at 1:27 pm
I see the project build Florida and get the Green. I guess Republicans have a bunch at stake
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