DeSantis spars with candidates, gets fiery on COVID and cartels at GOP debate

Lydia Nusbaum and Eric Daugherty contributed to this report.

MILWAUKEE (FLV) – Gov. Ron DeSantis gave a slew of fiery remarks during the Republican Party’s first presidential primary debate hosted by Fox News Wednesday night in Milwaukee.

DeSantis spoke extensively about his work as governor of Florida, while also not shying away from attacking fellow candidates.

“In Florida, we led the country out of lockdown, we kept our state free, and free and open, and I can tell you this, as your president, I will never let the deep state bureaucrats lock you down,” he said.

DeSantis reiterated his message of the U.S. being in “decline.”

The governor sounded off on federal COVID-19 policies and slammed the notion of “coddl[ing]” Dr. Anthony Fauci.

“You don’t take somebody like Fauci and coddle him!” he said. “You bring Fauci in, you sit him down, and you say ‘Anthony, you are fired!'”

The Florida governor joined businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., former U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley, former Vice President Mike Pence, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum.

Former President Donald Trump opted out of the debate and instead sat down for a pre-taped interview with Tucker Carlson that aired while the eight candidates made their case why they should be the party’s nominee.

DeSantis explained how Americans must “reverse American decline” by reversing “Bidenomics.”

When asked about climate change, the governor encouraged the group of candidates to “have the debate” since “we’re not school children.”

On the topic of abortion, Florida’s governor was critiqued on his 6-week abortion he signed into law this year. The moderator quoted a DeSantis donor who claimed that the issue doesn’t make him electable, asking how the governor would “sell” his abortion stance. 

“We sold the biggest election landslide victory in the history of the Republican Party in Florida in 2022,” he replied.

“You gotta do what you think is right. I believe in a culture of life,” DeSantis said. “I was proud to sign the heartbeat bill.”

DeSantis gave no clear answer as to whether he would sign an outright federal abortion ban, painting it as a states’ rights issue.

“I’m going to stand on the side of life. Look, I understand Wisconsin is going to do it differently than Texas,” DeSantis explained. “I understand Iowa and New Hampshire are going to do different, but I will support the cause of life as governor and as president.”

Other candidates like Haley and Burgum opposed national abortion bans because they would not be passable in the Senate and it violated the 10th Amendment, respectively.

DeSantis reminded the moderators and candidates that “crime’s at a 50-year low in Florida” when the Fox News anchor said that crime is purportedly “on the rise” in the state.

“These hollowed out cities, this is the symptom of America’s decline,” he said. “And one of the biggest reasons is that you have George Soros funding these radical left-wing district attorneys.”

When asked whether Pence did the right thing on Jan. 6, 2021 by certifying the 2020 election results, DeSantis responded that the “election is not about January 6 of 2021, it’s about January 20, 2025.”

“Mike did his duty. I’ve got no beef with him,” DeSantis said after being pressed again on whether Pence made the right decision on Jan. 6, 2021.

“Is this what we’re gonna be focusing on going forward? The rehashing of this? [The] Democrats would love that. And they will win if we let them get away with it.”

On foreign policy, DeSantis said that “Europe should pull their weight” to match American funding for aid to Ukraine in their war against Russia.

“I’m not going to send troops to Ukraine, but I am going to send them to our southern border,” DeSantis responded. 

“When these drug pushers are bringing fentanyl across the border, that’s going to be the last thing they do. We’re going to use force and we’re going to leave them stone cold dead,” the governor said.

DeSantis said that “on day one” he would combat the fentanyl epidemic at the U.S.-Mexico border.

“Here’s the thing, the cartels are killing tens of thousands of our fellow citizens,” he said.

“The President of the United States has got to use all available powers as commander in chief to protect our country and to protect the people.”

DeSantis talked about his meetings with “Angel moms” who have lost their child due to illegal immigration and drug cartels.

“Would I use force? Would I treat them [the cartels] as foreign terrorist organizations? You’re darn right I would,” the governor exclaimed.

When he was asked about education, DeSantis commented on his record as governor.

“In Florida, we did what was right,” he said, explaining how he kept schools open during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We eliminated critical race theory from our K-12 schools. We eliminated gender ideology from our K-12 schools. And we have elevated the importance of American civics and teaching our kids about the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.”

Inspired by Sept. 11, 2001, DeSantis deployed to Iraq with U.S. Navy seals. He declared his opposition to mandatory military service when asked by moderators near the end of the debate.

Ramaswamy was the only individual on the debate stage who committed to pull U.S. resources out of Eastern Europe.

As he has gained popularity since launching his campaign, Ramaswamy was at the center of several attacks by different candidates.

Christie said the Indian-American entrepreneur sounded like “ChatGPT” and compared him to former President Barack Obama.

In closing, DeSantis said there are “no excuses” for Republicans losing in 2024.