DeSantis sidesteps Trump talk at gathering of MAGA conservatives.
Gov. Ron DeSantis Focuses on Cultural Wars at Conservative Conference
Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) took the stage at the Faith and Freedom Coalition’s “Road to Majority” policy conference in Washington, D.C., where he captivated the audience with his passionate speech. Instead of mentioning his chief 2024 rival, former President Donald Trump, DeSantis chose to focus on a topic that has fueled his political rise: the cultural wars.
“As president of the United States, I will lead the effort to extinguish the fire of cultural Marxism once and for all,” DeSantis declared.
DeSantis pitched himself as the candidate who stands firmly in the corner of parents who want greater influence over their children’s education. He emphasized the importance of parental rights and their role in directing the upbringing of their children. Topics such as transgender athletes were raised to highlight the need for parental involvement.
The governor didn’t shy away from attacking “woke” ideology, which he sees as a scourge on the nation. He boldly stated, “Don’t tell me that a man can get pregnant and expect me to accept that — I will not accept that.”
DeSantis also addressed the criticism he faced from fellow Republicans regarding his feud with Disney. He defended his stance on limiting conversations over gender and sexuality in elementary schools, stating, “We oppose the sexualization of children.” The crowd responded with a standing ovation.
DeSantis’s Silence on Trump
It is worth noting that DeSantis chose not to mention his chief rival, former President Donald Trump, during his speech. This is significant considering DeSantis’s efforts to challenge Trump’s dominance over the Republican base. However, Trump will address the conference as the keynote speaker on Saturday evening.
The conference serves as a platform for various Republican 2024 presidential hopefuls, highlighting the influence evangelicals still hold in choosing the next GOP standard-bearer.
This gathering is also the first major conservative conference since the Department of Justice charged Trump with a 37-criminal-count indictment. The charges include allegations of mishandling classified documents, obstructing justice, and making false statements.
While DeSantis and his affiliated super PAC, Never Back Down, have become more critical of Trump, they have primarily focused on targeting “woke ideology” among corporate companies and criticizing Democrats and the media. DeSantis has chosen to condemn the “weaponization” of the Department of Justice against GOP targets instead of directly addressing Trump’s legal problems.
Despite their disagreements, Trump and DeSantis have engaged in spats over various topics, including their COVID-19 responses and conservative qualifications. DeSantis appears to be positioning himself to the right of Trump, but dislodging the former president’s popularity has proven challenging.
During his speech, DeSantis didn’t hesitate to criticize “Faucism,” referring to Dr. Anthony Fauci and his role in the nation’s pandemic response under Trump.
DeSantis has yet to clarify whether he would support Trump if he becomes the Republican presidential nominee. The Republican National Committee requires candidates participating in its primary debates to pledge their support for the eventual nominee.
One area of agreement among Trump, DeSantis, and other 2024 hopefuls is their criticism of the preferential treatment received by Hunter Biden, President Joe Biden’s son, compared to alleged targeting of Republicans by federal agencies. Conservatives argue that this demonstrates a two-tiered justice system.
At the conference, many speakers passionately embraced an anti-abortion stance. Former Vice President Mike Pence challenged his rivals to endorse a 15-week federal ban, while DeSantis has already signed a six-week ban into law at the state level. However, DeSantis has been selective in championing his legislation on the campaign trail, sometimes omitting it in audiences receptive to looser abortion restrictions.
“We have also delivered in Florida on promoting a culture of life,” DeSantis proudly stated. “That means signing the heartbeat bill into law that protects unborn children when there is a detectable heartbeat. It was the right thing to do.”
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