DeSantis contrasts principles with Trump’s at Factory stop

MANCHESTER, N.H. – While many Republican voters still consider former U.S. President Donald Trump to be beyond reproach, Florida Governor Ronald DeSantis is aiming to make the pitch to First in the Nation Primary voters that he is a more conservative and principled option than Trump or other competitors seeking the Republican presidential nomination next year.

DeSantis made a stop at the Factory on Willow on Saturday afternoon, part of a multi-part tour across the state with U.S. Representative Thomas Massie (R-KY-03). After an introduction by State Representative Joe Sweeney (R-Salem), Massie praised DeSantis’ intelligence and integrity when the two knew each other as fellow members of Congress. Massie became well-known during the COVID-19 pandemic for forcing a floor vote on relief packages, something he earned criticism for doing. On Saturday, he defended his actions by noting passing that funding without proper procedure would have been a dereliction of duty and he said that DeSantis praised that approach as standing by principles, something Massie felt that DeSantis did as well through his approach to the pandemic as governor.

Massie also noted that Trump made threatening phone calls regarding that vote and threatened to support a primary opponent, something DeSantis pounced on during Saturday’s event.

“I’ve got news for you. Thomas was right to oppose that and Donald Trump was wrong to sign that bill,” said DeSantis. “That was a mistake.”

DeSantis stated that Trump would not be willing to answer questions from New Hampshire voters regarding his COVID-19 policies as president, also attacking former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley as well.

“The way I see this primary is Donald Trump is running on his issues, Haley is running on her donors’ issues, I’m running on your issues,” he said to the audience.

In discussions with the media after the event, DeSantis criticized actions in Colorado and Maine keeping Trump off the primary ballot due to 14^th amendment concerns, but also stated his criticisms of those actions were on principle whereas DeSantis felt that Trump would likely be gloating if those actions happened to anyone other than himself.

Earlier, DeSantis had built upon this difference, stating that Trump was running for the sake of vengeance while he sought to be a servant of the people.

DeSantis also criticized current U.S. President Joe Biden directly, criticizing support of a proposed World Health Organization agreement, but he also tried to tie Trump to Biden as well as part of an attack on Washington’s political culture.

He claimed that both presidents attempted to limit second amendment rights, failed on border security and were part of a larger trend where U.S. Presidents had not exerted enough oversight over the Executive Branch of Government, stating that his oversight in Florida has increased efficiency and allowed for lower taxes. DeSantis would later add this belief, stating that the U.S. Veterans Administration also requires fewer employees and more private partnerships and volunteers to help reduce red tape.

Regarding the southern border, DeSantis also provided additional attacks on Trump’s failure to “get Mexico to pay” for border walls, saying that he would pay for the wall through fees on remittances by migrant workers. DeSantis added that he seeks to reform U.S. asylum policy, increase enforcement regarding drug cartels and would declare a national emergency on the southern U.S. border and possibly the northern border as well.

DeSantis also questioned the concept of a central bank digital currency as a way for elites to restrict regular Americans from purchasing certain items they may desire, stating that ESG investments were also a method to restrict people with certain viewpoints from obtaining financing, comparing it to China’s social credit system.

He also criticized student groups supporting Hamas and attacking Israel, stating that Israel had the right to defend itself and the United States would do the same given the circumstances.

“If a group shot missiles from the Bahamas into Fort Lauderdale, we wouldn’t stand for it,” he said. “We would flatten them. They’d be done.”