In a recent interview, Florida Governor and 2024 GOP presidential candidate Ron DeSantis doubled down on his rejection of election fraud claims surrounding former President Donald Trump’s loss in the 2020 election.[0] DeSantis firmly stated, “Of course he lost,” in response to a question about Trump’s not-guilty plea to charges related to his alleged efforts to overturn the election.[1] This bold statement from DeSantis comes as the feud between him and Trump continues to heat up.[0]
DeSantis has long refused to acknowledge that Trump legitimately lost the 2020 presidential election.[2] However, he has now taken a step closer to acknowledging reality by recognizing Joe Biden as the current president. DeSantis stated, “No, of course he lost. Joe Biden’s the president.”[3] This clear assertion from DeSantis sets him apart from other Republicans who continue to peddle baseless claims of election fraud.
During the interview, DeSantis also criticized the media’s portrayal of the election as “perfect” and stated that it was not a well-run election. He believes that Republicans did not fight back enough against alleged irregularities. DeSantis said, “I think what people in the media and elsewhere, they want to act like somehow this was just like the perfect election…I don’t think it was a good-run election. But I also think Republicans didn’t fight back. You’ve got to fight back when that is happening.”
DeSantis further argued that the increase in mail-in ballots during the election was due to Trump’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.[4] He claimed that Trump’s reliance on Dr. Anthony Fauci and the implementation of lockdowns led to policies, such as the CARES Act, that funded mail-in ballots. DeSantis stated, “Here’s the issue that I think is important for Republican voters to think about: Why did we have all those mail votes? Because Trump turned the government over to Fauci…They embraced lockdowns. They did the CARES Act, which funded mail-in ballots across the country.”[5]
While DeSantis acknowledges that the 2020 election was not conducted in the ideal manner, he emphasizes that it is crucial to differentiate between legitimate concerns and baseless theories. He stated, “It was not an election that was conducted the way I think that we want to, but that’s different than saying Maduro stole votes or something like that…Those theories, you know, proved to be unsubstantiated.”[6]
DeSantis also addressed his own campaign and the upcoming 2024 election. He believes that the focus should be on Joe Biden’s policies and failures, rather than getting caught up in discussions about past events. DeSantis stated, “If the election is a referendum on Joe Biden’s policies and the failures that we’ve seen and we are presenting a positive vision for the future, we will win the presidency and we will have a chance to turn the country around…If, on the other hand, the election is not about Jan. 20, 2025, but Jan. 6, 2021, or what document was left by the toilet at Mar-a-Lago, if it’s a referendum on that, we are going to lose.”[3]
DeSantis’s rejection of Trump’s election claims comes at a critical time for his own campaign. He recently announced a shake-up in an effort to regain momentum and boost fundraising. However, he still trails behind Trump in various polls and faces criticism from the former president’s camp. Trump’s spokesperson, Steve Cheung, told NBC News, “Ron DeSantis should really stop being Joe Biden’s biggest cheerleader.”[7]
Overall, DeSantis’s firm rejection of Trump’s election claims marks a significant shift in his stance. By acknowledging that Trump lost the 2020 election and recognizing Biden as the president, DeSantis sets himself apart from other Republicans who continue to perpetuate baseless conspiracy theories. As he continues his campaign for the 2024 GOP nomination, DeSantis emphasizes the importance of focusing on Biden’s policies and presenting a positive vision for the future. Only time will tell how this approach will resonate with voters and impact DeSantis’s political future.
0. “DeSantis: ‘Of Course’ Trump Lost 2020 Election—Here’s What Else DeSantis Has Said About Trump’s 2020 Loss” Forbes, 7 Aug. 2023, https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianbushard/2023/08/07/desantis-of-course-trump-lost-2020-election-heres-what-else-desantis-has-said-about-trumps-2020-loss/
1. “‘Of course’ Trump lost 2020 election, Republican candidate DeSantis says” Al Jazeera English, 7 Aug. 2023, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/8/7/of-course-trump-lost-2020-election-republican-candidate-desantis-says
2. “Ron DeSantis Renounces Trump’s Craziest Election Lie” New York Magazine, 4 Aug. 2023, https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2023/08/ron-desantis-renounces-trumps-craziest-election-lie.html
3. “For the first time, DeSantis concedes Trump lost in 2020” Orlando Sentinel, 7 Aug. 2023, https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2023/08/07/of-course-he-lost-desantis-says-of-trumps-2020-defeat
4. “DeSantis says Trump’s stolen-election theories were all false” The Washington Post, 4 Aug. 2023, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/08/04/desantis-2020-trump-election-fraud/
5. “DeSantis takes the gloves off against Trump with the race on the line” Washington Examiner, 9 Aug. 2023, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/campaigns/desantis-takes-gloves-off-trump
6. “DeSantis: Republicans will lose if they behave like Trump” CNN, 5 Aug. 2023, https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/05/politics/desantis-trump-2020-election-theories/index.html
7. “DeSantis says Trump ‘of course lost’ in 2020 when pressed in interview” The Guardian US, 7 Aug. 2023, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/aug/07/desantis-trump-lost-2020-election
