Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has vowed to “do better” than former President Donald Trump in appointing conservative judges to the federal judiciary.[0] In an interview with radio host Hugh Hewitt, DeSantis criticized Trump’s three Supreme Court nominees, Justices Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett, saying “none of those three are at the same level of Justices Thomas and Justice Alito.”[1] DeSantis praised Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito as the “gold standard” and pledged to appoint judges “along the lines of a Sam Alito and a Clarence Thomas.”[2]
DeSantis, who is seen as a potential Republican presidential candidate in 2024, has been actively differentiating himself from Trump in recent months. He has also been touting his record of appointing conservative judges to Florida’s state supreme court. “I was able to replace three of the four liberals my first month in office with conservative justices,” DeSantis said.[3] Since then, I have been able to schedule several appointments.[4] So, we now have the most conservative state Supreme Court in the country.”I’ve since been able to make a number of appointments since then.[4] So, we now have the most conservative state Supreme Court in the country.”latest flip-flop has left many wondering if he tripped in his high-heel boots and hit his head or is simply hallucinating.”latest flip-flop has left many wondering if he tripped in his high-heel boots and hit his head or is simply hallucinating.
0. “Ron DeSantis says his SCOTUS picks would be ‘better than’ Donald Trump’s” Florida Politics, 12 Jun. 2023, https://floridapolitics.com/archives/617873-ron-desantis-says-his-scotus-picks-would-be-better-than-donald-trumps/
1. “Trump and DeSantis clash over Supreme Court picks: ‘Tripped in his high-heel boots'” Washington Examiner, 12 Jun. 2023, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/campaigns/trump-and-desantis-clash-over-scotus-picks-tripped-in-high-heel-boots
2. “DeSantis Throws Some Serious Shade at Trump’s SCOTUS Picks” The Daily Beast, 12 Jun. 2023, https://www.thedailybeast.com/ron-desantis-throws-shade-at-trumps-scotus-picks
3. “Ron DeSantis Goes After Trump’s Supreme Court Justices” Newsweek, 12 Jun. 2023, https://www.newsweek.com/ron-desantis-goes-after-trumps-supreme-court-justices-1806113
4. “DeSantis pledges to ‘do better’ than Trump on picking Supreme Court justices” The Hill, 12 Jun. 2023, https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4045796-desantis-pledges-to-do-better-than-trump-on-picking-supreme-court-justices
5. “Ron DeSantis is drawing from the Trump Supreme Court playbook” CNN, 6 Jun. 2023, https://www.cnn.com/2023/06/06/politics/desantis-thomas-leo-supreme-court-2024/index.html
