DeSantis accuses Randy Fine of ‘lying’ in ‘underperformance’ of special election
In a recent public statement, Florida governor Ron DeSantis criticized republican State Senator Randy Fine following Fine’s victory in a special election. DeSantis accused Fine of misleadingly inflating his performance, noting that Fine won by a 14% margin, compared to desantis’ own 35% victory in the same district during the previous election. DeSantis referred to fine as a “squish Republican,” suggesting that Fine’s past support for Second Amendment restrictions hurt his electability. Despite the criticism, DeSantis acknowledged that President Trump’s support helped Fine’s campaign, although he stated that many Republican voters were not excited about Fine as a candidate. DeSantis emphasized the need for strong leadership from the Republican Party in Florida to maintain their political dominance, especially in the upcoming gubernatorial election. Additionally, he hinted at potential candidacy developments, notably regarding his wife, Casey DeSantis, while discussing the political landscape in the state.
DeSantis accuses Randy Fine of ‘lying’ in ‘underperformance’ of special election
Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) took a swipe over Republican state Sen. Randy Fine’s victory on Wednesday, accusing the “squish Republican” of overselling his margin of victory against his opponent.
Fine’s race in Florida’s 6th District was called Tuesday evening, in which he led his opponent, Orlando teacher Josh Weil, by approximately 14% when 95% of the votes were counted. DeSantis argued that Fine was “lying” when he claimed he won the district “by the same time I did in ‘22,” when the governor won the district by 35%, meaning that the candidate did turn in an “underperformance” in his race.
Beyond this lack of voter turnout, DeSantis claimed that Fine’s record as a “squish Republican” also hindered his electability, citing how the lawmaker had supported Second Amendment restrictions and also supported making Florida a “de facto sanctuary state.” Despite this, DeSantis credited President Donald Trump and the tele-town halls he conducted for Fine as a lifeline for the candidate.
“I don’t think it was a reflection of the president’s agenda, but I think a lot of these Republican voters basically, ‘alright, we’re going to take one for the team,’” DeSantis argued on Fox News’s America’s Newsroom. “They didn’t really like the candidate, but when the president phoned it in, they said, ‘alright, we’re gonna go do it,’ and so that was a good Election Day turnout, I think better than people were anticipating. But they had to spend a lot of money on the Republican side for that, too, and I think that was because the candidate didn’t get a lot of support from our grassroots.”
DeSantis was then pressed on Florida’s 6th District, moving by 10% in the 2024 presidential election, prompting the governor to push back and argue that Trump won this district by 30% against former Vice President Kamala Harris. He argued that various Republican super political action committees spent around $5 million in the 6th District, where the party “usually” would not have to spend any money to win, which was due to the “problems” that Republican voters had with Fine.
The governor also rebuked the idea that some could spin this underperformance as a reflection of Trump’s leadership, contending that it is because of the president’s help that Fine got a boost in his election.
FLORIDA AND WISCONSIN RESULTS OFFER FIRST GLIMMER OF HOPE FOR DEMOCRATS SINCE NOVEMBER
Regarding Florida’s gubernatorial election next year, DeSantis stated that the Republican Party needs “a strong leader” if the party wants to keep its hold on the state, warning that the state will revert to being “purple” if it does not. When asked if his wife, Casey, would join the race as a candidate, DeSantis at first attempted to evade the question. Fox News host Bill Hemmer then pressed him for a direct answer, and DeSantis touted the relationship Florida’s first couple has with President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump before adding he’d “let everyone know” once a decision has been made, urging people to “hold tight” until then.
In February, Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) officially announced that he would seek the governor’s mansion in 2026, with his campaign surging in financial donations since then. Donalds, who is endorsed by Trump, has also expressed confidence he will also receive DeSantis’s endorsement; earlier this year, the lawmaker said his friendship with the governor “frayed” when Donalds endorsed Trump over DeSantis in the 2024 presidential election.
" Conservative News Daily does not always share or support the views and opinions expressed here; they are just those of the writer."
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
Now loading...