Sunday night’s debate between Republican candidate for governor of Florida Congressman Ron DeSantis and his Far-Left Democratic opponent Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum had plenty of fireworks, and in our view one clear winner: Ron DeSantis.
While Gillum went through the usual litany of "free stuff from the government" and charges of racism that Democrats have been running on for years, DeSantis nationalized his message and homed-in on the issues on every television and computer screen in America: law and order and illegal immigration.
“Andrew is a failed mayor. He’s presided over a crime-ridden city. He’s involved in corruption. He’s not the guy to lead our state,” DeSantis said in this opening statement, and despite efforts to get him off message, he kept hitting that theme.
One of the high points of the debate for DeSantis was when he asked Gillum if he would cooperate with law enforcement on immigration. The short answer was NO.
You can see the exchange through this link to Twitter.
Gillum’s well-known anti-police views prompted Jeff Bell, president of the Broward County Sheriff’s Office Deputies Association, to go on Fox News prior to the debate to lambaste Gillum. “From a law enforcement perspective, when you have a potential candidate for the next governor whose willing to sign a pledge with an anti-law enforcement, anti-government radical group such as the Dream Defenders,” Bell said, “he’s clearly sending a message to the voters before Election Day that he’s willing to support, defend and recognize radical groups like the Dream Defenders and he supports radicalization over the rule of law.”
DeSantis cast Gillum as soft on crime, bad for the economy and keen on higher taxes. He also hammered him over a continuing FBI investigation into possible corruption at Tallahassee City Hall.
At one point asking him, “Did you pay for the Hamilton ticket, or did the undercover FBI agent?”
You can see the exchange through this link to Twitter.
While CNN’s liberal “moderator” Jake Tapper did his best to push the debate towards ground favorable to Gillum, DeSantis did a solid job sticking to his themes.
DeSantis also did a good job of sticking Gillum’s with his support from the Far-Left and their plans to impeach President Trump.
“He [Gillum] wants to impeach Trump, he’s always saying bad things about him ... I think I will be better positioned to advance Florida’s priorities because I have a productive relationship with the administration,” said DeSantis.
And of course Congressman DeSantis is right, billionaire leftwing political activist Tom Steyer has already made a big investment in the 2018 election, but in the closing days of the campaign, Steyer has picked his favorite candidate and is pulling out all the stops.
Steyer is personally donating $2 million to Andrew Gillum's "Forward Florida" political action committee, which is aligned with the Gillum campaign. Through his organization, "Need to Impeach," he is directing a massive direct mail pitch to 300,000 Florida voters who have signed up to support his effort to impeach President Donald Trump. The mail piece makes specific reference to Gillum's support of impeachment.
Another organization funded by Steyer, NextGen America, has already spent more than $5 million on efforts to get Gillum elected.
The consensus among conservatives was that DeSantis won the debate, with Jacksonville Sheriff Mike Williams saying, “Ron DeSantis’ debate performance was what I expected from a decorated military veteran, former prosecutor and proven leader. He was direct, thoughtful and strong. However, it is Ron’s support for law enforcement that I think will resonate with Florida families and it’s why he won tonight’s debate. Andrew Gillum hasn’t supported law enforcement, he signed an anti-police pledge, and he didn’t do anything tonight to calm the nerves of people rightfully concerned about public safety under his failed leadership.”
Even President Trump leaned in tweeting this:
"Ron @RonDeSantisFL DeSantis had a great debate victory tonight against Andrew Gillum, a mayor who presides over one of the worst run, and most corrupt, cities in Florida. Ron will build on the great job done by Governor Rick Scott. Gillum will make Florida the next Venezuela!"
However, we think our Twitter friend Amy Mek @AmyMek summed it up best when she tweeted:
"ALERT FLORIDA!
"Gubernatorial candidate, Soros & CAIR-backed Andrew Gillum is a threat to National Security.
"Gillum is supported by Communist Donors, Militant Socialists, Muslim Brotherhood & PLO terrorists trying incite a revolution in America & destroy Trump."
We urge all our CHQ readers and friends to pull out all the stops and to get behind Ron DeSantis with everything you’ve got. Amy Mek is right, this isn’t just about Florida, it is about turning back the Far-Left revolution funded by Soros and Steyer.
ConservativeHQ.com (CHQ) is an online news source for conservatives and tea partiers committed to bringing limited-government constitutional conservatives to power.
