Ron DeSantis touted his record as Florida governor and focused his attacks on President Joe Biden as he looked to reset his campaign at a gathering of GOP presidential hopefuls.
(Bloomberg) — Ron DeSantis touted his record as Florida governor and focused his attacks on President Joe Biden as he looked to reset his campaign at a gathering of GOP presidential hopefuls.
“This is our chance in 2024 to send the Biden-Harris administration to the dustbin where it belongs,” DeSantis said at the Lincoln Dinner in Des Moines, a showcase event for Iowa Republicans six months before their caucus. “The time for excuses is over. We must get the job done.”
The event drew much of the GOP field, including his top rival, former President Donald Trump. It marked the first time the two have shared a forum since DeSantis entered the race, but the governor steered clear of criticizing the Republican frontrunner, instead emphasizing his accomplishments in office to applause from the crowd.
DeSantis embraced many of the social issues that have helped him rise to national prominence, citing efforts to restrict the teaching of critical race theory and for reopening schools during the Covid-19 pandemic.
And he hit back at Vice President Kamala Harris, who has rebuked DeSantis over Florida educational standards that say enslaved Black Americans gained beneficial life skills from slavery.
“I got Kamala Harris coming down to Florida, trying to create a phony narratives because she understands that Florida has stood up to the left’s agenda,” he said.
DeSantis entered the race to fanfare, seen as an electable alternative to Trump, but has lost ground after a series of errors and a focus on social issues. Financial filings revealing a cash-strapped operation and sliding poll numbers in early-voting states sparked alarm among donors.
The Florida governor is in the midst of a reboot, having fired staffers and shaken up his leadership. As part of the changes, the campaign intends to focus more on early-voting states such as Iowa and curb its spending. DeSantis at the dinner vowed to visit all 99 counties in Iowa.
Donors have pressured DeSantis to focus on national issues that are important to Republican primary voters such as the economy — seen as a liability for Biden.
“We will repeal Bidenomics so that middle class people actually have a chance to get ahead in this country,” DeSantis said. “We will stop the Congress from borrowing and spending this country into oblivion.”
DeSantis has visited multiple Iowa cities this week on a tour organized by his super PAC to reconnect with voters. On Monday, he will deliver a major speech on the economy in New Hampshire, where he’ll call for faster growth, unleashing US energy production and further decoupling the US from China.
Read more: DeSantis to Unveil Economic Agenda in Bid to Revive Campaign
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