Gov. Ron DeSantis’ latest online ad attacking Donald Trump is a bizarre juxtaposition of subtle homoerotic references, Alpha male aspirations, an allusion to a serial-killer movie character — all wrapped in the homophobia that has permeated the Florida governor’s policies on LGBTQ issues.
The video posted on Twitter by the account DeSantis War Room shows the presidential candidate’s worst political impulses. The insulting hodgepodge of footage, memes, news clips and pop-culture references seeks to portray Trump as too supportive of LGBTQ rights. It prompted backlash from Democrats and some conservatives, including Log Cabin Republicans, which describes itself as the nation’s largest organization for LGBTQ conservatives and allies.
Trailing Trump in national presidential polls, DeSantis is proof that desperation can turn a man seeking the highest office in this country into a childish provocateur proud of his own bigotry. Unfortunately, it’s not a stretch to believe that, were this 1963 instead of 2023, DeSantis would appeal to racist fears of desegregated lunch counters and classrooms.
