Democrat Strategist Wants to Use Conservative Media to Defeat Ron DeSantis
July 21, 2022 Updated 3:08 P.M. ET
FLORIDA (FLV) – Lis Smith, a Democrat campaign strategist, advised Democrats to use “right-wing media” to trash Gov. Ron DeSantis.
“There’s a very, very vibrant, right-wing news ecosystem. And so what I would try to do is try to launder stories through there—Breitbart, Fox, Newsmax, Daily Wire, Daily Caller, Free Beacon, those sorts of sites,” the strategist told Vanity Fair.
Smith noted that typically, “right-wing news” will not “pick up” hit-pieces from mainstream media. To combat the change in media ecosystem, Smith wants DeSantis critics to send out hit-pieces via conservative media sites for criticism to “take root, and especially among Republican primary voters.”
“I would go straight to the right.”
DeSantis Surpasses Trump in Poll of Florida Republican Voters
On DeSantis, Smith believes that some of DeSantis’ actions as governor will “put him at adds with the Republican base.” She did not clarify what those actions may be.
On 2024, neither DeSantis nor Former President Donald Trump have announced candidacy, and DeSantis has repeatedly balked at the idea of a presidential run.
“I’m trying to think like, what is this obsession with 24? Like we don’t even have the 22 election,” DeSantis said in June. “I think it’s because the media knows that the Democrats are going to get hammered in 2022. They don’t want to talk about it.”
When Trump was asked about choosing DeSantis as a running mate, Trump responded, “I get along with him.”
“I was very responsible for his success because I endorsed him and he went up like a rocket ship,” Trump continued. “At the right time I’ll be saying what I want to do.”
