Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) dodged questions about whether he’d commit to serving a full four-year term as Florida governor, instead calling his Democratic opponent a “worn-out old donkey” whom he is focused on defeating.
The dig came during the first and only debate between DeSantis and Democrat Charlie Crist as the two met on Monday night to give their final pitches to voters just two weeks before Election Day. The race has had national implications for DeSantis, who is considered to be a likely contender for the GOP presidential nomination in 2024 — prompting the challenge from Crist.
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“You’re running for governor, why don’t you look in the eyes of the people of the state of Florida and say to them that if you’re reelected, you will serve a full four-year term as governor,” Crist said. “Yes or no? It’s not a tough question.”
“Listen, I know Charlie is interested in talking about 2024 and Joe Biden, but I just want to make things very, very clear,” DeSantis replied. “The only worn-out old donkey I’m looking to put out to pasture is Charlie Crist.”
Although DeSantis has not announced whether he plans to launch a presidential bid in 2024, the Florida Republican is widely considered to be a top contender in the race. DeSantis has become increasingly popular within the party, with 72% of Republican voters saying DeSantis should have a great deal or good amount of influence over the party’s direction compared to 64% who said the same about former President Donald Trump, according to a recent ABC News/Ipsos poll.
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The Florida Republican has spent much of his midterm campaign building his national profile, cultivating donors nationwide and appearing alongside candidates from swing states to bolster their election chances.
DeSantis is poised to win reelection against Crist in November, leading the Democrat by an average of 8 percentage points, according to election forecaster FiveThirtyEight.
