Ron DeSantis doesn’t want you to write his name in for President
Image via AP

DeSantis.
A radio host asked the Governor about people 'toying with this idea' of a write-in protest vote.

Florida’s Governor may have wanted people to support him for President this time last year during his attempt to get the GOP presidential nomination. But with that option long since foreclosed to him, Ron DeSantis is discouraging Republicans and others who may be dispirited about Donald Trump from marking his name down as a misguided protest vote.

As DeSantis told radio host Guy Benson, the stakes are just too high in November.

“I’m not a candidate. You know, I’m voting for Donald Trump because I think that he will reverse Joe Biden’s border policies. I think he will appoint much better Judges than what Kamala Harris would do. And I think he would be much better on national security and national defense. And I think those are three clear contrasts between Trump and Harris,” DeSantis said.

“I don’t see as a conservative how you can have any common ground with Kamala Harris. She is the most left-wing candidate that the Democrats have run, certainly in my lifetime and maybe their entire time as a party.”

DeSantis’ response to Benson’s question isn’t completely academic.

When respondents were forced to choose between the major candidates in an Emerson College Poll this week, 8% of those who like the Governor say they will vote for the Vice President, who DeSantis has called a “vapid San Francisco liberal” and “impeachment insurance” for Biden.

DeSantis also hasn’t ruled out a run in four years.

While recent polling for now says VP nominee JD Vance, a thematic and stylistic analogue of the Governor in ways ranging from a blue-collar background to an Ivy League education, has supplanted DeSantis atop a list of 2028 presidential hopefuls, Florida’s Governor told supporters after leaving the 2024 race that he may make another run.

“I heard from a lot of people on the ground in these early states that, you know, they thought I was so wonderful, such a great President, but they wanted to give Donald Trump one more shot and they would just support me in ’28.”

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


52 comments

  • Tom Palmer

    October 24, 2024 at 6:02 pm

    Don’t worry. Mickey Mouse would probably be higher on the list.

    • Billy Rotberg

      October 24, 2024 at 8:05 pm

      A box of rocks is a better choice than anything you excrete onto the ballot.

      • The Cat In The MAGA Hat

        October 25, 2024 at 7:35 am

        You live in banana Republic, people like you will be at the mercy of immigrants,when all the old people die Google Florida Shrinking Population

        • FLPatriot

          October 25, 2024 at 10:08 am

          I’ll take immigrants over the GOP

          • Rude Eye

            October 25, 2024 at 3:34 pm

            What’s the difference between an immigrant and the GOP? Immigrants aren’t hypocrites and they don’t lie.

      • MH/Duuuval

        October 25, 2024 at 10:25 am

        Another high-minded comment?

        • MH/Duuuval

          October 25, 2024 at 1:27 pm

          From the high-minded Rottenberg…

  • Michael K

    October 24, 2024 at 6:53 pm

    Don’t worry, I won’t.

    Ever.

    But it’s a good idea to siphon votes away from Trump to keep him out of the WH. Dan Coats, Director of National Intelligence during the Trump administration, calls Trump a “Russian Asset.”

    • Bobblehead Kammy

      October 24, 2024 at 7:27 pm

      Did you watch Kammy last night? She has got to be the dumbest human being ever running for President. A full day of prep for that word salad?

      • Billy Rotberg

        October 24, 2024 at 7:49 pm

        Putin would destroy her, and we’d end up freeing another arms dealer in exchange another lesbian dope fiend. All in the name of pandering.

        • I Am Speaking.

          October 24, 2024 at 8:07 pm

          Kammy is absolutely horrible. Not very bright. Not very articulate. Poorly prepared even after taking the previous day off. She did do very well in the debate against Trump. Now more than ever I am absolutely on convinced someone at ABC tipped her and her team the debate questions. No wonder she was the first out in 2020. Crash and burn Kammy.

          • MH/Duuuval

            October 25, 2024 at 8:04 pm

            The Putin Twins check in.

          • Ocean Joe

            October 26, 2024 at 8:07 am

            Go watch the debate again. Even if she had all the questions ahead of time, nobody has ever manhandled Trump on stage like that.

            He didnt want to shake her hand, he wanted to be the uncivilized cretin that he is, but she forced his hand.
            And nobody is eating the cats and dogs despite what the moron says. If it stokes his pitchfork crowd, he’s down for it.

      • Michael K

        October 24, 2024 at 10:15 pm

        The double standard at work: The felon is lawless, while the Vice President must be flawless.

        Trump cheated multiple times on all three wives, paid off porn stars, is liable for sexual assault, and publicly degrades women. The Vice President openly dated a man for a year, and somehow she is a whore?

    • Billy Rotberg

      October 24, 2024 at 8:03 pm

      Trump didn’t exchange a lesbian dope fiend for a Russian arms dealer who’s guilty of contributing to the deaths of many people…That was YOU PEOPLE. that’s why Putin endorsed Karambula. He wants weak opposition. YOU PEOPLE want this too which makes YOU the Russian assets.

      • MH/Duuuval

        October 25, 2024 at 10:26 am

        Your comments are more high-minded than usual.

      • The Cat In The MAGA Hat

        October 26, 2024 at 7:53 am

        Trump is a Russian asset,he met with a Russian agent at Trump Tower

      • MH/Duuuval

        October 26, 2024 at 10:18 am

        “The nature of Putin’s comments suggests he was joking, or trolling the Harris campaign, at a time when the US government under the Joe Biden administration has levelled new allegations that Russia is seeking to interfere in the November vote, to favour former President Donald Trump.”

        Al-Jazeera, Sept. 2024

  • EARL PITTS AMERICAN

    October 24, 2024 at 6:53 pm

    Thank you Ron,
    Just to be safe I’m also adding my name to the Dont Write-In list too.
    AMERICA:
    VOTE TRUMP and DO NOT write in Ron or The Beautiful Casey Desantis or me EARL PITTS AMERICAN.
    Thanks again Ron as I’m sure my brother YEWOWEME [FKA RICK WHITTAKER] would write my name in on the ballot.
    EARL PITTS AMERICAN

  • Bobblehead Kammy

    October 24, 2024 at 7:18 pm

    So many rising stars in the Repub Party. Who do you Dems have? AOC, Tlaib, Omar, Schiff, Johnson? If Kammy loses, you gonna put her up again in four years after she gets years of finishing school? Boy does she need it.

    • MH/Duuuval

      October 25, 2024 at 10:31 am

      Clones of Trump?

  • Billy Rotberg

    October 24, 2024 at 7:57 pm

    Thanks to Ron, Antifa and BLM Doxxers in other states have been arrested and transported to Florida for illegally posting google map images of people’s houses on Facebook to try and silence them. Now we are free to post more personal information without being concerned about their mob violence. It’s pathetic that laws must be enacted to protect but that’s just how the left rolls.

    • MH/Duuuval

      October 25, 2024 at 10:33 am

      Looks like the Russkies have taken over your postings. Did they overwhelm you, or did you invite them in exchange for a Kremlin vacay?

  • Michael K

    October 24, 2024 at 9:34 pm

    So, why do you think the Russians are smearing Harris and Walz with misinformation and fake AI? Simple: Trump is Putin’s useful idiot. He is blackmailing Trump. Trump is also known as Putin’s Pocket P*ssy.

    • I Am Speaking.

      October 25, 2024 at 4:24 am

      Just the fact that Putin waited until Trump was out of office to invade Ukraine proves that your fantasy in your head is BS. We have world chaos right now. Something that did t exist prior to Dumb and Dumber taking office. Truly the most incompetent administration in a lifetime. Joe is brain dead and Kammy can’t answer a question.

      • Ocean Joe

        October 26, 2024 at 8:09 am

        He didnt want to embarrass his buddy. He wanted him to be reelected. Hey, why do they talk on the phone so much?

    • Bobble head Kammy

      October 25, 2024 at 8:17 am

      Absolutely hilarious. You call Trump a p***y. Biden is getting bitch slapped by every bad guy leader out there. We had none of this world wide chaos that we do now. The Biden / Harris administration is simply incompetent.

      • Ocean Joe

        October 26, 2024 at 8:10 am

        Trump got bitch slapped all over the debate stage by a chick! He must have needed a diaper change during that break.

  • Cat 5 Patty

    October 24, 2024 at 9:48 pm

    You can write Cat 5 Patty on the ballot,she will have winds of 130 miles near the Florida coast on Election day,the track could be from Miami to Jacksonville all election day,with flooding tidal surges,damaging winds of 130 miles per hour and power outage,all over Florida,that why Republicans should brave the storm and vote in the hurricane,while Democrats and others against Trump vote early and often,and evacuate while are trapped by the storm

  • Frankie M.

    October 24, 2024 at 11:34 pm

    Too late

  • The Cat in the Hat Moving Out of Florida

    October 25, 2024 at 7:31 am

    Cat 5 Patty will finish off what Hurricane Debbie,Helene and Milton did do too Florida,it will put the final in Florida,lots of people are done with Florida,those with money will flee for safer harbor,while Florida finally became what it was a banana Republic Google Floridian Selling Home Moving Google Florida Tropical Storm Patty

  • LexT

    October 25, 2024 at 10:00 am

    Yeah, this should not be a protest vote election. Please don’t write in Ron Desantis for President. Ron would have been my first choice, but Donald Trump may not have been the best guy, but Donald Trump was an exceptional president. Trump will do the job correctly and Ron will get his chance in four years. Maybe JD Vance can stay VP for 12 years. JD is really young.

    • Michael K

      October 25, 2024 at 10:28 am

      Trump did an exceptional job with COVID, promoting horse medications, overseeing the deaths of 1 million Americans, and secretly giving a COVID machine to his pal Putin. And he sure did run up the deficit with his tax cuts for billionaires and the enormous subsidies to farmers to offset his disastrous agricultural tariffs. He’s so wonderful, his vice president and half of his former cabinet members refuse to endorse him. What an endorsement!

      • Ocean Joe

        October 26, 2024 at 8:12 am

        Covid…we lost a lot of preachers over that one.

    • YEW OWEME

      October 25, 2024 at 11:13 am

      LEXT , every word in your post was maga cult insanity. some of us can see clearly, you can’t. i just told you a truth, but i’m sure you will reject it. that’s what maga is good at, rejecting truth.

    • The Cat In The MAGA Hat

      October 26, 2024 at 7:56 am

      Trump did not do anything for America,let millions of Americans die from Covid,when he was warn ahead of time,he did not do anything for you,you still want to live your miserable life under a miserable President

  • FLPatriot

    October 25, 2024 at 10:08 am

    EVERY DeSantis supporter should write his name on the ballot so everyone knows he should be the candidate.

  • MH/Duuuval

    October 25, 2024 at 10:28 am

    Dee: I think he will appoint much better Judges than what Kamala Harris would do.

    It would be easy to appoint better judges than Dee.

  • MH/Duuuval

    October 25, 2024 at 10:30 am

    Looks like Peachy is running more scared than ever.

    • Bobble head Kammy

      October 25, 2024 at 12:28 pm

      If you are calling me out then I offer as Exhibit A your complete lack of confidence in Rick Scott getting defeated. You continue to pass on my offer for a wager. With regards to “word salad” Kammy, I have always said this will be a very close election and she just might win. However Trump has the momentum now with Kammy ‘s bizarre interviews and answers to questions. The world is witnessing a party girl that is completely out of her league. You can’t giggle yourself through as CIC of the United States.

      • MH/Duuuval

        October 26, 2024 at 10:31 am

        Tell this to Willie Nelson.

      • YEW OWEME

        October 26, 2024 at 9:47 pm

        PEACHY , i see you’re still cranking out that sexist crap you love to spew so much. you must really really really HATE your mother, sisters, daughters, nieces, aunts and grand mothers. i love harris’ giggles, smiles, and competent speech. you can’t seem to get by her sex long enough to see what a fine choice for president she’ll make. what the hell is wrong with you dude. you can’t possibly be married, what woman would have you. you must be a woman-hating gay boy. as earl shitts would say, relax your sphincter, harris will serve us well, relax dude. go throw darts at pictures of women, maybe that will relax you. dude you’re a mess.

    • JustBabs

      October 25, 2024 at 3:43 pm

      He doesn’t want to end up in Trump’s Camps as an “enemies from within”. Hitler started his camps with his own people.

      • Ocean Joe

        October 26, 2024 at 8:14 am

        If Hitler and Trump had been in charge at the same time, we’d all be speaking German and Hitler would keep a copy of “The Art of the Deal” on his nightstand in the bunker.

        And Trump’s dog eared copy of Mein Kampf would have been autographed by his hero.

  • MH/Duuuval

    October 25, 2024 at 1:33 pm

    Trump proved you could BS and bluster through four years, and on J6 a handful MAGAs lined up for more BS.

    Now DJT is on the skids, weaving like a punch-drunk amateur pugilist.

    • I Am Speaking

      October 25, 2024 at 2:48 pm

      Trump is running circles around Tele Kammy. Again it’s gonna be close but Kammy is doing her best to blow it. Well she’s good at blowing things, right Willie?

      • Ocean Joe

        October 26, 2024 at 8:17 am

        And Trump’s celibate or something?
        Three marriages and he cheated on all of them, paid a whore $125,000 not to talk and paid who knows how much to get with her since nobody would ever touch him for free.

      • MH/Duuuval

        October 26, 2024 at 10:32 am

        Willie Nelson is supporting KH.

  • KathrynA

    October 26, 2024 at 7:35 am

    Never fear, it will never be your name I would write in!

    • Iowa Took His Money and Sent Him Back

      October 26, 2024 at 8:19 am

      If you write in “Cowbell Man” or “Pudding Fingers” they’ll know who you meant.

  • A Day without Gas and Voting in Florida

    October 26, 2024 at 7:59 am

    Florida to declare state of Emergency for Hurricane Patty during election,better gas up now or be still be waiting in line to vote and for gas Google Hurricane Patty Florida

  • Random

    October 27, 2024 at 11:38 am

    Our illustrious former President, having lost 3 elections (in 2018 he lost the House; in 2020 he lost the Senate and Presidency; in 2022 he lost the “Red Wave” midterms by endorsing losers like Dr Oz, Blake Masters, and Herschel Walker), is now running again. But this time he told us that if we did not support him in the primary, he doesn’t want our vote in the general. Since I supported Ron DeSantis in the primary, I am happy to comply with his rejection of my vote now. I cannot vote for Harris, so wrote in Ron DeSantis for President.

Comments are closed.


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