DeSantis hopes primary debate opponents attack him
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (FLV) – Gov. Ron DeSantis said he welcomes potential incoming attacks from his GOP primary opponents at the upcoming Milwaukee debate, to take place Aug. 23.
“Trump is not going to be on stage at the debate. You’ll be the next front runner in line. Do you feel like people are going to be aiming their attacks at you? And how are you preparing right now for that first debate?” DeSantis was asked by News Nation.
“Yes, I hope so,” he replied, urging his opponents attack him. “When they’re attacking you, that means you’re over the target.”
“So we’re happy to feel that and we’ll hold our own because, at the end of the day, you know, I’m running to actually win the presidency and do all these great things,” he added. “I don’t have any other motive.”
“I don’t want to get a cable news deal. I’m not trying to sell anything. I don’t want a cabinet post,” DeSantis said. “We’re running to win, and we’ve got a record of achievement that I think our voters appreciate because politicians over-promise and under-deliver, we’ve actually delivered on everything we’ve promised, and over-delivered in many respects.”
“That’s what we need in Washington. The time for excuses is over, we got to get the job done.”
DeSantis fulfilled one final requirement to get on the debate stage in Milwaukee this week, signing the Republican loyalty pledge, meaning he will support whoever the GOP nominee is in 2024.
The pledge is titled the “Beat Biden Pledge.”
“You’ve got to beat Biden, you got to get in there and you got to get all this stuff done,” DeSantis concluded. “We will do it because at the end of the day, our country is in decline and we need to reverse the decline.”
The perceived frontrunner, former President Donald Trump, declined the loyalty pledge to participate in the debates.
“I have a problem with the debate for another reason: I wouldn’t sign the pledge,” he declared. “Why would I sign a pledge? There are people on there that I wouldn’t have, I wouldn’t have certain people [as president].”
“So, they want you to sign a pledge, but I can name three or four people that I wouldn’t support for president,” he continued. “So, right there, there’s a problem.”
On debating, Trump said he’s pondered to himself, “What’s the upside?”
“Am I going to go at one point? But they could go up, you know,” he said. “They’re not dumb people, they’re senators, they are governors, they’re intelligent people. You have some very good people.”
DeSantis urged Trump to debate Thursday.
