Stopping short of officially announcing his 2024 GOP primary campaign, Florida GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis hailed Iowa's legislative victories and move to become a reliably red state.
"Why aren't other Republicans doing what you're doing in Florida?" DeSantis told a rally in Sioux Center, Iowa, which aired live on Newsmax on the question he hears around the U.S. "They're doing it in Iowa here.
"Iowa's like the Florida of the Midwest, they said," he continued. "But I just want to let you know, after watching all the good stuff you've done in Iowa, it may be that Florida is the Iowa the Southeast, so we'll see."
Moving former battleground states like Iowa and Florida to Republican strongholds is a route to win in 2024, according to DeSantis.
"Iowa and Florida show Republicans across the country that Republicans can win again and can win big," he said. "We just have to make sure we're leading with purpose and conviction and that we are delivering results to the people."
DeSantis blasted President Joe Biden's administration and the "absentee president."
"I think if you look around the country, you see a lot of reason for pessimism," DeSantis said. "I mean, we have hundreds of thousands of people fixing to storm across our southern border with an absentee president in the White House.
"We have big cities that have been hollowed out because of massive crime waves."
DeSantis even took a shot at the GOP leadership, which could be seen as a veiled shot at former President Donald Trump.
"As Republicans, we've underperformed in elections for many, many years now, so there is reason to be pessimistic," DeSantis said. "But I'll tell you, Florida should be a source for hope.
"Florida shows there is a better way forward and that we have it within our capacity to get that done."
About NEWSMAX TV:
NEWSMAX is the fastest-growing cable news channel in America!
Eric Mack ✉
Eric Mack has been a writer and editor at Newsmax since 2016. He is a 1998 Syracuse University journalism graduate and a New York Press Association award-winning writer.
© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.