Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis told New Hampshire voters ahead of next Tuesday's primary that if elected president, he would embrace the motto “Live Free or Die.”
governor of florida written In an op-ed in Friday's NH Journal, he praised the Granite State's motto on a par with the leadership he has shown in his home state of Florida, and vowed to implement a similar approach if elected to the Oval Office.
“One of my favorite things about New Hampshire is our state motto,” DeSantis wrote Friday in a New Hampshire-based publication. “Live Free or Die” is the motto I have led in Florida, and it is the mindset I will carry with me to the White House as president. ”
The Florida governor, who is far behind former President Trump and former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley in New Hampshire polls, is appealing to voters ahead of the nation's first primary by touting his Florida legislative history. I want to energize the.
In his op-ed, DeSantis spoke of the trend toward “protecting” people's Second Amendment rights, defunding public university diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, and reducing Florida's debt. He emphasized the efforts to
“I defended people's Second Amendment rights and delivered enforcement of the Constitution to Floridians,” DeSantis wrote. “I put indoctrination camps out of business at public universities by defunding the discriminatory Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Cartel. I actually paid off 25 percent of Florida’s debt. In doing so, we reduced Florida taxpayers' entire share of the state debt.”
The Republican candidate vowed to “close” the southern border, advocate “term limits” for members of Congress, and implement a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution to raise government spending.
“I will close our southern border and hold Mexican drug cartels accountable,” DeSantis wrote. “Unrestricted illegal immigration deprives everyone of freedom and opportunity. And illegal drugs like fentanyl flowing across our borders deprives our future generations of freedom.”
When Florida's governor announced he would shift campaign resources and personnel to South Carolina, he also said he would “skip” the New Hampshire primary, which is already voting far behind Trump and Haley. I was asked if this was the case.
He pushed back on that idea, saying he and his campaign “went to South Carolina, canceled some events, and then did what we had planned in New Hampshire.” It was lampooned as somehow “skipping” New Hampshire when it wasn't. Added to that is South Carolina,” DeSantis said.
Mr. DeSantis finished second to Mr. Trump in Iowa, but there were concerns about his potential candidacy in New Hampshire. He currently ranks third in New Hampshire with an approval rating of 9.4%, more than 44 points behind the leading Republican candidate, Trump (53.7%). According to the latest polling averages from Decision Desk Headquarters and The Hill, Haley hopes to solidify her independent and “never-Trump” Republican ranks in the Granite State by the Jan. 23 primary, and currently It ranks second at 25.3%.
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