Staff Reports
Fans of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, take note: one ex-Trump administration official has some critical words for the Sunshine State leader. On Thursday, Fox Business host Larry Kudlow spoke out against DeSantis, arguing that his focus on battling Disney was misdirected while waiting to announce his intended presidential bid. Kudlow said he believed that DeSantis was hurting his chances by becoming “obsessed” with what he called “Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse.”
DeSantis has had the mouse on the brain https://t.co/1Nw70qIYjq
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) April 21, 2023
Meanwhile, fellow former Trump officials Kellyanne Conway and Chris Christie have also joined the chorus of conservative voices bashing DeSantis for his focus on “culture wars.” Conway posits that the Florida governor should instead have been dedicated to the development of a robust tax plan, energy plan, education plan, and crime plan in the interest of promoting growth. Woke policies, she argues, are insufficient as a replacement for a comprehensive set of actionable plans.
Moreover, Conway argues, DeSantis has erred by allowing himself to be cast as a possible antidote to Trump rather than emphasizing his role as an alternative to Biden. According to Conway, Republican primary voters are less concerned with perceived electability and more focused on a candidate’s leadership potential.
But DeSantis isn’t simply in the crosshairs of former Trump officials. Kudlow believes that DeSantis has plenty of time to get his campaign up and running, but he cannot afford to waste any more of it. So far, DeSantis has spent what Kudlow deems to be five-and-a-half unproductive months failing to lay effective groundwork for his candidacy.
DeSantis’ allies, however, have sought to promote his record as Florida’s governor, particularly with regard to parental rights legislation and his efforts to combat illegal immigration. Political action committees advocating for DeSantis’ 2024 campaign have even sent mailers to voters in early primary states.
DeSantis has yet to respond to the criticisms of Kudlow, Christie, and Conway. However, it remains to be seen whether the former President will also take a shot at DeSantis. Regular Fox News contributor, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, endorsed DeSantis saying he was a friend and that he would do a great job if he becomes the President of the United States.
