NEW YORK CITY — Florida Governor Ron DeSantis spent Presidents’ Day offering Americans a glimpse of what his presidential campaign might look like, holding pro-law enforcement rallies in three of the nation’s most iconic cities.
The governor kicked off the tour on Staten Island on Monday morning, before jetting off to Philadelphia around lunchtime. He is set to speak in Chicago at 5:25 pm EST. The first event looked and felt like a presidential campaign rally as he engaged with the audience, who cheered his slogans and laughed at his jokes.
“As you see crime that has spiraled out of control in all these areas around our country over the past few years, Florida right now has a crime rate that’s at a 50-year low,” DeSantis told his supporters in New York. “The foundation of Florida’s success has been a commitment to law and order and support for the men and women who wear the uniform.”
I visited Staten Island to talk about how law & order has been central to FL's success.
— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantisFL) February 20, 2023
FL leads the nation in protecting LEOs & our crime rate is at a 50-year low, while NYC saw a 23% surge in major crime in 2022.
Anti-police politicians should stop catering to the woke mob. pic.twitter.com/FpFDy0V4DZ
“GOOD LUCK WITH A SOCIAL WORKER”
DeSantis juxtaposed strong law enforcement reforms ushered in during his first term with lenient policies and anti-police sentiments growing in major cities run by Democrats.
“You go in, you risk your life, you do something and then you have to worry about all these feckless politicians out showboating to try to run you down. Nobody wants to have to put their life at risk and then have to face that nonsense,” he said. “Good luck responding to some of these crimes with a social worker.”
The governor highlighted the state’s recruitment and retention incentives, anti-rioting legislation and prohibitions placed on local governments ability to defund the police. He pointed to Florida’s strong law enforcement as a reason for the state’s influx of new residents and lowest crime rate in half a century.
“The reason is we support strong policies to keep our communities safe and we back the blue and support their mission,” DeSantis said. “The reason you have what you have in all these other [Democrat-run] jurisdictions is because they’re putting woke ideology ahead of your safety.”
“I WANT THE COUNTRY TO DO WELL”
At numerous points in his speech, DeSantis proffered his vision for national reform – offering a glimpse of what his widely anticipated presidential campaign might look like.
“As much as I want to see Florida do well, I want the country to do well,” he said. “Let’s get communities all across this country to recognize the vital role the people that wear the uniform play. Let’s put this ‘defund the police’ movement on the ash heap of history.”
