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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Defiant arsenic ever, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis fiercely defended his effect to the COVID-19 pandemic and his absorption connected divisive taste issues successful his archetypal and lone reelection statement Monday, arsenic Democrat Charlie Crist accused his Republican rival of being distracted by his nationalist governmental ambitions.
Crist charged that DeSantis was already focused connected moving for president and pressed his hostile to perpetrate to serving his 2nd afloat four-year term. DeSantis didn’t straight reply the question.
“I cognize that Charlie is funny successful talking astir 2024 and Joe Biden, but I conscionable privation to marque things very, precise clear: The lone worn-out aged donkey I’m looking to enactment retired to pasture is Charlie Crist,” DeSantis said of his 66-year-old opponent.
“You won’t adjacent accidental if you privation to beryllium the politician of Florida aft this election,” Crist said.
The Florida governor’s contention whitethorn not beryllium the nation’s astir competitory predetermination this fall, but it is nary little consequential for DeSantis, a 44-year-old Harvard-educated Republican who could motorboat a statesmanlike bid successful the coming months. He hopes to usage a beardown reelection triumph connected Nov. 8 successful Florida, a authorities helium carried by conscionable 32,000 votes retired of 8.2 cardinal formed 4 years ago, to show the breadth and spot of his support.
Monday’s statement besides offered voters successful Florida and beyond a uncommon accidental to spot DeSantis nether pressure. Like galore starring GOP officials crossed the federation this fall, helium has mostly avoided unscripted moments successful caller months prevention for periodic interviews with affable blimpish media.
DeSantis, a blimpish firebrand, has delighted his supporters implicit and implicit with his bonzer willingness to combat -- whether facing governmental adversaries, the national authorities oregon almighty Florida businesses. Crist, a erstwhile Republican politician who astir precocious served arsenic a Democratic congressman, has tried to formed himself arsenic a mean alternate to pb the perennial plaything state.
The candidates, some successful acheronian suits and purple ties, faced each different from down woody lecterns successful Fort Pierce, Florida’s Sunrise Theater. And some men seemed to relish the combat during a testy one-hour affair.
Crist charged that DeSantis closed businesses and schools crossed the authorities aboriginal connected during the pandemic and past ignored subject by opening them excessively soon, starring to tens of thousands of unnecessary deaths.
“You’re the lone politician successful the past of Florida that ever unopen down our schools,” Crist said. “You’re the 1 who’s the shutdown guy.”
DeSantis lashed back: “I kept the authorities unfastened and I kept the authorities free,” helium said.
Over and over, DeSantis attacked Crist arsenic a adjacent state Biden, who’s popularity is sagging successful Florida and crossed the nation. “Charlie Crist has voted with Joe Biden 100% of the time,” DeSantis said, referring to the Crist-Biden agenda.
DeSantis besides defended his absorption connected divisive taste issues, which person been a hallmark of his archetypal term.
Crist repeatedly highlighted DeSantis’ absorption to termination rights, seizing connected the instrumentality helium signed successful April banning abortions astatine 15 weeks of pregnancy, with nary exceptions for rape oregon incest. DeSantis declined to reply a question from the moderator astir whether helium supports a implicit termination ban.
“You merit a amended politician who cares astir state and your close to choose,” Crist said.
DeSantis besides defended a instrumentality helium signed banning critical contention theory and LGBTQ issues from galore Florida schools. He led efforts to eliminate the Disney Corp.’s peculiar taxation status for condemning his alleged Don’t Say Gay bill. And erstwhile Crist accused him of utilizing Hispanic immigrants arsenic “political pawns,” DeSantis defended his determination to alert dozens of Venezuelan immigrants from Texas to a tiny land disconnected the Massachusetts seashore to telephone attraction to amerciable migration astatine the U.S.-Mexico border.
“It’s each astir civilization wars. It’s each astir dividing us,” Crist said of DeSantis.
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