California Governor Gavin Newsom has criticized Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for signing a bill allowing permitless carry into law last week, just days after the country’s latest school shooting in Nashville.[0] Newsom slammed DeSantis and fellow Republicans on MSNBC’s “Inside With Jen Psaki,” saying, “They don’t care about our kids. Cause if they did, they’d ban these damn weapons of war. They would have background checks that require some common damn sense.”[0]
Florida’s new concealed carry law has broad opposition, even from the state’s Republicans, according to a University of North Florida poll from early March: Sixty-two percent of them said they opposed the bill “strongly or somewhat,” to go along with 93% of Democrats and 77% of Independents.[0] Support was indicated by only 21% of the respondents.[0]
Newsom also weighed in on the possibility of DeSantis running for President in 2024, saying he would advise him to “pack up and wait a few years, and actually do some of the hard work, which actually includes governing, not just identity and cultural war.” He added, “Come back as a more seasoned and capable leader with a little humility. Which, by the way, he could use a little of.”[1]
Newsom went on to predict that if DeSantis did run, he would be “rolled by Trump,” saying, “Trump’s just gonna roll him. Thumped.”[2] Newsom’s comments come amid speculation that DeSantis is positioning himself for a potential presidential run, with some even calling him the “heir apparent” to Trump’s base.
While DeSantis has not yet announced a presidential bid, he has been making moves that suggest he may be considering it. He recently signed a controversial voting rights bill into law that critics say will disenfranchise Black and Latino voters, and he has been vocal in his opposition to COVID-19 restrictions, even banning vaccine passports in his state.
Despite these moves, DeSantis may face an uphill battle in a 2024 presidential race, particularly if Trump decides to run again. The former president still holds a significant amount of sway among Republican voters, and it’s unclear whether DeSantis would be able to garner the same level of support.
For now, it remains to be seen whether DeSantis will take Newsom’s advice and wait a few years before throwing his hat in the ring. But with the 2022 midterms approaching and the 2024 presidential race already heating up, it’s clear that the battle for the future of the Republican Party is well underway.
0. “Newsom says DeSantis ‘scared to death’ – POLITICO” POLITICO, 9 Apr. 2023, https://www.politico.com/news/2023/04/09/newsom-desantis-permitless-guns-carry-00091136
1. “Gavin Newsom says Ron DeSantis ‘going to get rolled’ by Trump in 2024” Washington Examiner, 9 Apr. 2023, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/newsom-jabs-at-weak-desantis-says-he-will-get-thumped-by-trump
2. “Gavin Newsom Says Trump Is Going To Thump DeSantis: He Should ‘Pack Up And Wait A Few Years’” Mediaite, 9 Apr. 2023, https://www.mediaite.com/news/watch-gavin-newsom-says-trump-is-going-to-thump-desantis-says-he-should-pack-up-and-wait-a-few-years/
