Source: Politics<\/p>\n
TALLAHASSEE \u2014 Conservative social media influencers have flocked to Florida for “freedom,” “liberty” and another reason: Gov. Ron DeSantis.<\/p>\n
The Republican governor\u2019s team has been courting popular conservative media and online figures, an effort that comes as former President Donald Trump appears to be turning on DeSantis. Some of those whom the governor\u2019s staff are wooing are heavily involved in amplifying the anti-vax movement and downplaying the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.<\/p>\n
In early January \u2014 on the 6th no less \u2014 DeSantis hosted nine prominent social media stars in Tallahassee for a night that included stops at DeSantis\u2019 office, dinner at the governor\u2019s mansion and drinks at Level 8 Lounge, a popular downtown rooftop bar near Florida\u2019s statehouse. Almost all of them have recently very publicly announced on social media that they moved to Florida.<\/p>\n
\u201cThanks for dinner, @GovRonDeSantis<\/a>. I\u2019m no longer an enemy of the state!,\u201d Dave Rubin<\/a>, a conservative television host and YouTube personality, tweeted to his one million Twitter followers. He recently moved from California to Florida. \u201cFlorida is the Future.\u201d<\/p>\n Rubin, who was among the group with DeSantis on Jan. 6, posted the tweet from the Florida governor\u2019s mansion along with a photo of him next to DeSantis.<\/p>\n The gathering in Tallahassee came less than a week ahead of DeSantis\u2019 State of the State address that opened Florida\u2019s 2022 legislative session. DeSantis focused his nearly hour-long address on themes that energize the national Republican base, including the state\u2019s hands-off pandemic response and criticism of Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation\u2019s top infectious disease expert who is regularly condemned by Republicans.<\/p>\n \u201cTune out from the clown show in Washington D.C.,\u201d Jordan Schachtel, a conservative journalist who was at the get-together in Tallahassee, tweeted about DeSantis\u2019 speech to his more than 167,000 followers. \u201cThe leader of the Free World is speaking.\u201d<\/p>\n The meetings were set up in part by DeSantis\u2019 press secretary Christina Pushaw, who sought to minimize the role of the influencers in a statement to POLITICO, saying they are Florida residents who \u201chave consistently supported the governor’s pro-freedom policies.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTurns out that a governor who stands up for individual rights against federal tyranny is popular among conservatives,\u201d said Pushaw, known as the administration\u2019s right wing whisperer.<\/p>\n Most of those on the Tallahassee trip did not respond to requests for comment, but Newsweek Opinion Editor Josh Hammer and Fox News\u2019 Lisa Boothe, both of whom live in Florida, sent identical emails in response to POLITICO\u2019s questions: \u201cYou can quote me as follows: \u2018Florida rocks.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Many conservative media stars, most of whom have long been some of Trump\u2019s most vocal supporters, have been hyping DeSantis in recent months for the governor\u2019s rejection of Covid-related mandates and constant hammering of President Joe Biden. But the support has increased in intensity in recent weeks, a spike easily noticeable on social media and podcasts throughout the conservative media ecosystem. That support is key in helping DeSantis further expand his footprint with influencers in Republican primary politics ahead of his 2022 reelection and as he weighs a 2024 White House bid.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s truly fascinating to watch the ascent of Ron DeSantis,\u201d said Sara Gonzales, a host on conservative BlazeTV network who is based in Texas. \u201cI say this of course, as a native Texan. Florida, under DeSantis\u2019s leadership, has made even Texas look shaky on issues that really matter to the average conservative.\u201d<\/p>\n That attention comes as DeSantis has also drawn Trump\u2019s ire. Trump has repeatedly said he would beat DeSantis in a GOP primary, and just last week on the conservative One America News Network called politicians who will not say if they have gotten the Covid-19 booster shot \u201cgutless\u201d \u2014 a comment widely seen as directed at DeSantis, who has waffled when asked about the issue though has said he\u2019s been vaccinated.<\/p>\n Trump\u2019s team is also eager to highlight the role he played in making DeSantis a national Republican figure.<\/p>\n \u201cThe MAGA world has, in large part, followed President Trump to Florida as it readies for the future,” said Taylor Budowich, a Trump spokesperson. “After introducing the world to Governor DeSantis in 2017 through a Tweet, Floridians have reaped the rewards of President Trump\u2019s America First candidates.”<\/p>\n “Now, with DeSantis up for re-election, it\u2019s an all hands on deck effort to propel Governor DeSantis across the finish line once more,” he added, referring to DeSantis running again this year for governor.<\/p>\n DeSantis, without naming Trump, on Friday also escalated the clash by criticizing the former president\u2019s early handling of the Covid-19 pandemic. DeSantis said the administration listened too closely to Fauci on restrictions like lockdowns.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople like Fauci panicked, they were following the data out of China, which is not trustworthy,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n DeSantis also shut down Florida for a few months in the early days of the pandemic, but was one of the first governor\u2019s to lift restrictions in mid-2020.<\/p>\n \u201cI think it would be a mistake for DeSantis not to run. The more Trump makes the mistake of tying the success of the vaccines to his ego, the more he alienates and insults his base,\u201d said Gonzales, the BlazeTV host. \u201cMany people who supported Trump in the last election are hungry for someone with the guts to speak for them without fear of repercussions, but also without the obvious baggage that Trump carries.\u201c<\/p>\n \u201cDeSantis fits that mold perfectly.\u201d<\/p>\n