(Headline USA) Ron DeSantis, Florida’s conservative governor, warned of a Republican “culture of losing,” on Saturday at an event in Iowa.
DeSantis, gave a formal speech promoting his willingness to embrace conservative cultural fights and sprinkled his remarks with indirect jabs at Trump.
“Governing is not about entertaining,” he said. “Governing is not about building a brand or talking on social media and virtue signaling.” DeSantis continued. “It’s ultimately about winning and producing results.”
DeSantis has burnished his reputation as a conservative governor willing to push hard for conservative policies and even take on a political fight with Disney, which he highlighted in Sioux Center.
DeSantis devoted much of his remarks to his embrace of conservative cultural priorities, including his opposition to diversity and equity programs in public schools and laws aimed at curtailing transgender rights.
But, in an indirect jab at Trump, he highlighted the GOP’s recent string of electoral losses.
“We must reject the culture of losing that has impact[ed] our party in recent years. The time for excuses is over,” DeSantis said. “If we get distracted, if we focus the election on the past or on other side issues, then I think the Democrats are going to beat us again.”
The pro-DeSantis super PAC, Never Back Down, has hired Iowa staff and begun trying to organize support for the governor before a 2024 announcement. The group announced Thursday that state Senate President Amy Sinclair and state House Majority Leader Matt Windschitl would endorse DeSantis’ candidacy. On Friday, it rolled out roughly three dozen more state lawmakers who would endorse him.
During DeSantis’ appearance in Sioux Center, Gov. Kim Reynolds and Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst were in attendance.
Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press
