Florida Governor Ron DeSantis refused to say in a debate against Democrat Charlie Crist whether he would seek the Republican nomination for president in 2024.
The incumbent governor has become a Republican hero for his lax approach to the Covid-19 pandemic, opposing vaccine mandates, and hardline policies against LGBTQ+ rights. All of this has elevated him in the eyes of major Republican donors who have hoped he would make a run for the White House.
During the debate, Mr Crist, himself a former Republican governor from 2007 to 2011 before he switched parties, criticised him for mentioning President Joe Biden so much.
“Ron, you talk about Joe Biden a lot,” he said. “I understand. You think you’re going to be running against him. I can see how you might get confused. But you’re running for governor.”
Mr Crist asked Mr DeSantis to say he would serve a full four years as governor.
But Mr DeSantis did not reply, simply looking straight ahead of him. When Mr DeSantis’s time came up, he did not address the question directly.
“The only worn-out old donkey I’m looking to put out to pasture is Charlie Crist,” he said. Rather, he hit Mr Crist for signing what he called the largest taxes and fees in the state’s history.
Mr Crist blew off the accusation.
“Ron, we know you love to bully people, and the little name-calling you just exchanged, I can take it,” he said. “But you shouldn’t do it when children are standing behind you at a press conference and they’re wearing a mask.”
Earlier this year, Mr DeSantis was caught on video making fun of students who were wearing Covid-19 masks.
“You do not have to wear those masks. I mean, please, take them off. Honestly, it’s not doing anything and we’ve gotta stop with this Covid theatre. So if you want to wear it, fine, but this is ridiculous,” Mr DeSantis said at the time.
Mr DeSantis holds a commanding lead against Mr Crist, according to the latest polling and has raised a prolific amount of money ahead of the November election.
