Earlier this week, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis officially announced he’s running for President in 2024. The news itself isn’t shocking. Political pundits have long been saying that the Republican nomination will likely come down to DeSantis and former President Donald Trump.
Nonetheless, his announcement makes things official and certainly paves the way for must-watch television moving forward.
DeSantis and Trump are outspoken, polarizing figures who will stop at nothing to reach their political aspirations. Legacy media producers must be chomping at the bit for the type of ratings both pariahs are likely to draw.
The announcement was unconventional. DeSantis took to Twitter in an hour-long discussion with CEO Elon Musk. The audio stream between the two crashed several times, making it virtually impossible for most listeners to hear the candidate in real-time.
DeSantis’ biggest rival was quick to pounce on the unintended glitch. Trump posted the following message on his TruthSocial page:
“Wow! The DeSanctus TWITTER launch is a DISASTER! His whole campaign will be a disaster. WATCH!”
Despite the technical glitches, DeSantis’ campaign said it raised $1 million online in the first half hour after the announcement.
One of the Governor’s stronger moments came when he said the following;
“American decline is not inevitable, it is a choice. And we should choose a new direction — a path that will lead to American revitalization.”
Can DeSantis Actually Win?
DeSantis’ meteoric rise from a relatively unknown congressman to two-term governor of one of the bigger economies in the US suggests he’s not to be taken lightly. Moreover, despite early polls indicating he is well behind Trump, don’t be so quick to dismiss the man.
In the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, Florida was one of the few states to flourish. The 44-year-old Harvard graduate exhibited true leadership by reopening Florida while much of the country remained on lockdown.
In addition, DeSantis was quick to blast the Biden administration for approving COVID-19 vaccines for young children to drive pharmaceutical profits. The critique’s subtext was that Biden was a subsidiary of drug companies; not a stretch of the imagination for anybody with a shred of critical thinking.
It will not be an easy path for DeSantis to the White House. Many of his far-right policies may prove too extreme for fence-sitting voters. His strengths include his age and strong track record as Florida’s leader. He stands by his beliefs and has proven under duress he’s unlikely to waver when times get tough. He also served in the military, a rarity in today’s American political landscape.
Ultimately, time will judge if the former military officer can pose a legitimate threat to Trump for the Republican nomination.
Would I personally bet on DeSantis beating Trump for the right to face off against Biden in November of 2024? If I’m being honest, no.
Nonetheless, many doubted Trump’s chances in the 2016 election against Hillary Clinton and we all know how that played out.
DeSantis and Guns
In April of 2023, the Governor went to the Florida Capitol to sign a bill that would allow Floridians to carry guns without a permit or training – the bill easily passed both chambers before being signed into law by DeSantis.
DeSantis is a strong proponent of the Second Amendment. Time and again, he’s championed legal gun ownership for all Americans.
Many of his right-leaning views could potentially alienate those with left-leaning political beliefs. However, it’s tough to refute the man’s performance as Governor. The proof, as they say, is in the pudding. Worth mentioning that the policy he pushed goes into effect this July. Florida will be the 26th state in the Union to allow residents to carry concealed firearms without a permit.
Buckle up — Trump vs DeSantis has all the makings of Hagler vs Hearns.
Target Gets Woke and Promptly Goes Broke
Target Corp received prompt backlash from consumers after rolling out their Pride Collection earlier this month. The company has thousands of products ranging from clothing, books, and music, all celebrating the LGBTQ community.
What had many Americans up in arms was the age range some of these items were catered to. Much of the merchandise in question is tailored specifically for children, which was enough to draw the ire of conservatives throughout the land.
Compounding the controversy was one company’s collection – Abprallen. The brand’s LGBTQ line was created by British designer Erik Carnell. Several of his designs are littered with images of pentagrams, horned skulls, and other Satanic symbols, I kid you not.
Godlessness is nothing new in the world of design. However, the recklessness of designing children’s clothing with occult imagery is a new level of depravity, particularly for a mainstream shopping outlet like Target.
This was on the heels of the backlash Anheuser-Busch experienced for their ill-fated Bud Light campaign featuring transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney.
It’s apparent consumers want nothing to do with the ideological pandering of companies when it comes to the products they buy.
We’ll see how much of their Pride Collection Target walk back. If consumers continue to willingly boycott the store, thus affecting their bottom line, the days of their Pride Collection will surely be numbered.
Note: Shares have dropped more than 12% since the furor over their Pride merchandising, which amounts to $9.3 billion in market value
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