DeSantis brand emerges in new book about Florida’s success

NEWS AND OPINION:

“Florida’s blueprint.”

This little phrase could very well carry Florida Gov. Ron. DeSantis right into the 2024 presidential race. He has a book arriving Tuesday titled “The Courage to Be Free: Florida’s Blueprint for America’s Revival,” which has already reached No. 1 on the Amazon bestseller list.

“This book is a winning blueprint for patriots across the country. And it is a rallying cry for every American who wishes to preserve our liberties,” publisher Broadside Books said in advance notes for the book.

Mr. DeSantis is a nimble governor with a well-defined political brand.

He has already released a dynamic new video that extols the civic victories and positive economic outcomes in his state during his time in office. In under two minutes, the video lists the positive developments in the Sunshine State on his watch.

“When the world lost its mind, when common sense suddenly became an uncommon virtue, Florida was a refugee of sanity, a citadel of freedom for fellow Americans, and even for people around the world,” Mr. DeSantis advises in the carefully crafted presentation.

He cited the “floundering federal establishment in Washington D.C.,” specifically faulting the “inflationary spending binge which has left the nation weaker, and our citizens poorer.”

The governor also blasted pandemic restrictions and mandates, along with “recklessly facilitated” open-border policies and production-crippling energy policies.

“This has caused many people to be pessimistic about the country’s future. Some even say that failure is inevitable,” Mr. DeSantis said.

“Florida is proof positive that we the people are not destined for failure. Florida is leading the nation. We are the nation’s fastest growing state. We rank number one in education freedom, we are number one in economic freedom. Florida is also ranked number one in public higher education. This is a record we can all be proud of,” he said.

“Decline is a choice. Success is attainable. And freedom is worth fighting for,” Mr. DeSantis advised.

GREENE CITES WORLD WAR III

One lawmaker has adopted a unique approach to her campaign fundraising. That would be Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who cites both Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and President Biden in a new public outreach released Monday.

“Biden has continuously failed the United States, and now he’s one more mistake away from throwing us into World War III,” the Georgia Republican’s outreach said.

“Not a single dime in my ad campaign will go to Zelenskyy or any other Ukrainian bureaucrat. Biden has already given them billions of your taxpayer dollars.

“Americans shouldn’t be required to fund their own demise for a foreign war that could force us into World War III,” the statement advised.

“At any moment, China could provide physical support to Russia in their invasion against Ukraine, and given Biden’s inability to stand up to China — it’s not looking good,” it continued.

“I’m concerned for the future safety of everyone in this country, and you should be, too. Help me in the fight to prevent World War III and stop the nonsense in D.C. I know Biden and the rest of permanent Washington don’t want the American people knowing what they’re up to, so it’s up to us to warn Americans of the impending storm,” Ms. Greene’s outreach concluded.

FACING A TENACIOUS FOE

One longtime political observer has some advice for those who are standing by their conservative values in an increasingly hostile political landscape.

“The only time we hear words such as compromise, negotiation, bipartisanship is when Republicans, conservatives, are in a majority position. When leftists are in the majority position, you never hear these words. You see, leftists in the minority are tenacious, leftists in the majority are tyrannical. They may appear to be compromising, but in actuality, it is just a repositioning,” said Allen West, executive director of the American Constitutional Rights Union.

A retired Army officer, Mr. West represented Florida’s 22nd Congressional District in the House of Representatives from 2011 to 2013 and served as chairman of the Republican Party of Texas from 2020 to 2021.

“I am not running away from confronting the progressive socialist leftists. I am not surrendering any ground to them, as we have done in so many other areas. We have surrendered language and expression to the left. … We must now endeavor to meet and confront the left at every turn where they seek to advance,” Mr. West said in a written statement shared with Inside the Beltway.

ERNST’S POWER-PACKED VISIT

Here’s one way for lawmakers to ensure that they know and understand the people who elected them. Sen. Joni Ernst plans to personally recognize a small business in each of Iowa’s 99 counties.

The Iowa lawmaker, who is the top Republican on the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, says she has been traveling the Hawkeye State “from river to river” and visiting with small business owners, job creators and entrepreneurs.

On Monday, she named PSC Distribution — a fourth-generation, family-owned plumbing and heating supplier in Iowa City — her official “Small Business of the Week.

I’m proud to see another family-owned small business thrive in our state,” Ms. Ernst said in a statement shared with Inside the Beltway.

POLL DU JOUR

• 25% of U.S. adults say they are “very dissatisfied” with the Social Security and Medicare systems; 32% of Republicans, 27% of independents and 17% of Democrats agree.

• 20% of U.S. adults say they are “somewhat dissatisfied” with Social Security and Medicare; 25% of Republicans, 19% of independents and 20% of Democrats agree.

• 32% say they are “somewhat satisfied” with the systems; 30% of Republicans, 31% of independents and 37% of Democrats agree.

• 13% say they are “very satisfied” with the systems; 10% of Republicans, 13% of independents and 14% of Democrats agree.

• 9% did not know, or refused to answer the question; 4% of Republicans, 9% of independents and 12% of Democrats agree.

SOURCE: A Gallup Poll of 1,011 U.S. adults conducted Jan. 2-22 and released Friday.

• Contact Jennifer Harper at jharper@washingtontimes.com.