Gov. Ron DeSantis’ campaign shared a controversial video Friday criticizing former President Donald J. Trump’s approach to “LGBTQ rights.”
The video, produced by Twitter user Proud Elephant, and shared by the account “DeSantis War Room,” begins with a clip of Trump saying, “I will do everything in my power to protect our LGBTQ citizens.”
To close out “Pride Month,” we hear from the politician who did more than any other Republican to celebrate…
pic.twitter.com/FT7LdW4vls
— DeSantis War Room 🐊 (@DeSantisWarRoom) June 30, 2023
These comments were made at the Republican National Convention in July 2016, following the tragedy of the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida, which left 49 dead.
The video later shows Trump supporting the rights of “transgender” people to use the bathrooms of their choice. Contrast this stance with DeSantis’ more hard-line approach, which features a series of aggressive images of DeSantis (including one with lasers emanating from his eyes), along with right-wing Internet memes, news headlines, and references to the pop culture
There were a number of sharp reactions to the video on Twitter.
“I spent the last 7 years of my life working with Trump to make the GOP a more welcoming place for gays, and at the same time anti-danger, anti-woke and pro-religious freedom,” said David Leatherwood. I have all worked WITH DeSantis on this agenda. This ad is a slap in the face and makes any LGBT person who supports DeSantis look like an absolute idiot.”
“Desperation is not a good look. DeSantis is done,” stated Justin Pulitzer.
“I’m a fan of DeSantis, but that’s not necessary. Ron, you’re better than that,” Fred Hundt replied.
“As a two-time Trump voter, it’s clear as day that Ron DeSantis is more conservative and MUCH MORE electable than Donald Trump,” argued video creator Proud Elephant. “He has my vote!”
“First, not a DeSantis ad. Created by someone named Proud Elephant, then kicked out by D War Room, who is affiliated with DeSantis, but still not an ad,” Rod Thompson noted. “Second, you have to separate the question. LG is one thing and a big tent for the GOP. But the T has become heinous, it preys on children and parents, and it must be stopped. I know many Republicans gays, and everyone is against the trans agenda, which you seem to be. So let’s not lose sight of the end goal.”
Throughout his career, DeSantis has often portrayed himself as a target of unfair liberal criticism, using those attacks to galvanize his political base. The video may be partially intended to provoke outrage from the left at a time when it is trailing in the polls against Trump.
Despite appearing relatively uninterested in LGBTQ issues early in his career, in this Republican nomination campaign, Mr. DeSantis has been emphasizing and expanding his conservative credentials to position himself to the right of his main rival.
The video drew criticism not only from Democrats, but from within his own party, including Log Cabin Republicans, who described the video as “divisive and desperate” and that it had crossed into homophobic territory.
DeSantis has passed a number of child protection laws in Florida, including restricting teachers from discussing sexual orientation and gender identity with young students, penalizing businesses that allow minors to attend “live adult entertainment ” such as drag shows and criminalizes the use of bathrooms in public buildings. it does not correspond to the sex of the individual at birth.
DeSantis’ video was shared on the same day the Supreme Court ruled in favor of a Christian web designer’s freedom of conscience rights to refuse services to same-sex wedding websites.
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