Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis began Wednesday night's Republican presidential debate in Milwaukee by saying the country needs to say goodbye to Bidenomics.
President Joe Biden has claimed his economic policy, which he has labeled Bidenomics, is working.
DeSantis disagreed strongly.
"Our country is in decline," DeSantis said in answering the first question of the debate. "This decline is not inevitable. It's a choice. We need to send Joe Biden back to his basement and reverse American decline.
"And it starts with understanding we must reverse Bidenomics so that middle-class families have a chance to succeed again."
The governor said, "We cannot succeed as a country" under Biden.
"You are working hard and cannot afford groceries, a car or a new home. Hunter Biden can make hundreds of thousands of dollars on lousy paintings; that is wrong," he said. "We also cannot succeed when the Congress spends trillions and trillions of dollars. Those rich men north of Richmond have put us in this situation.
"Finally, we need to lower gas prices. We need to open up all energy production. We will be energy dominant again in this country. I showed it could be done in the state of Florida. I pledge to you as your president we will get the job done."