Ron DeSantis intensified his assaults on Randy Positive Wednesday, blaming the representative-elect’s “distinctive issues” for a skinny particular election victory in a district referred to as a Republican stronghold.
The Trump-endorsed candidate won Tuesday night’s special election to take over former Congressman Mike Waltz’s seat via 14 issues, the slimmest margin of victory for a Republican within the district since 2018.
DeSantis, who had already been criticizing Positive’s skill to drag out a victory, referred to as the representative-elect a “squish” who Republican citizens did not even need to solid their ballots for Tuesday evening.
“The president truly needed to bail him out on the finish as a result of this race would had been a lot nearer had the president sat at the sidelines,” DeSantis mentioned. “I feel those have been citizens who did not like Randy Positive however who principally have been like, ‘You understand what? We’re going to take one for the group.'”
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Gov. Ron DeSantis and Randy Positive (Getty Photographs; Fox)
The governor additionally challenged media experiences characterizing the shut race as a mirrored image of President Donald Trump’s schedule.
“I do not believe that is true at focused on this district,” DeSantis mentioned on the press convention. “I feel you could have a candidate in Randy Positive, who, one, he is a squish.”
DeSantis added that Positive “repels” folks, together with his former colleagues within the state legislature. Right through the clicking convention Wednesday, the governor recounted how lawmakers within the state asked he nominate Positive to be the president of Florida Atlantic College so he don’t have to serve within the legislature anymore.
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“I did, and the entire board [at Florida Atlantic] would have resigned somewhat than make him president,” DeSantis mentioned.
Florida Republican state Sen. Randy Positive delivers a speech after successful the sixth District race to exchange former GOP Rep. Michael Waltz, who’s now President Donald Trump’s nationwide safety adviser, April 1, 2025, in Ormond Seashore, Fla. (Joe Raedle/Getty Photographs)
DeSantis and Positive have had a contentious dating for a while, which may also be traced again to a minimum of 2023, when Positive used to be the primary Florida Republican to modify his endorsement from DeSantis to Trump all the way through the 2024 Republican presidential nomination combat. Positive articulated his determination to endorse Trump over DeSantis all the way through the 2024 presidential number one in a next op-ed that slammed the Florida governor for failing to tamp down antisemitism after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, assaults on blameless Israelis.
Consistent with DeSantis, Positive has supported restrictions at the 2d Modification, attempted to defeat his immigration proposal previous this yr aimed toward boosting the enforcement of immigration rules and attempted to enact a de facto sanctuary town coverage.
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In keeping with DeSantis’ criticisms, Positive spoke back on X along video of the governor’s remarks on the press convention Wednesday.
“A loss of life celebrity burns freshest ahead of it fades into oblivion. I’m desirous about running with President Donald Trump to prevent Democrats from taking this nation backwards, now not running with them,” Positive wrote. “Let’s pass.”
Trump counseled Positive forward of Tuesday’s particular election victory and congratulated him Tuesday night time in a publish on Reality Social for defeating an opponent who had a “money avalanche” in the back of him. (Getty Photographs; Fox Information)
Allies of Positive had been unsatisfied about DeSantis’ public criticisms of the representative-elect, who will now upload some other the most important vote to the GOP’s slender House majority that had dwindled on account of a number of participants going to paintings within the Trump management.
“Ron and Casey DeSantis are disloyal and constantly put their schedule forward of the president’s,” a countrywide Republican operative in Trump’s orbit advised Fox Information Virtual. “With the congressional majority at the line in their very own yard, Ron and Casey didn’t elevate a finger to lend a hand President Trump’s counseled applicants. Worse, Ron undermined President Trump, brazenly attacked his applicants main as much as the particular election, which can have suppressed Republican turnout, after which crowed about it on Fox Information.
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“DeSantis’ private politics as soon as once more betrayed the Trump schedule and the MAGA motion.”
Gov. DeSantis’ place of business declined to offer remark for this newsletter.
