Gov. Ron DeSantis is visiting a Florida technical aviation school in Brooksville on Monday after a visit to Wisconsin for a Republican event — and amid a controversial video leak.
The video ABC News published on Sunday shows a mock debate recorded in 2018 and advisers discussing “a mini version of Kavanaugh,” referring to then-Supreme Court Justice nominee Brett Kavanaugh, to deal with a statement Democrats viewed as racist.
DeSantis was facing criticism over a request to Florida voters asking them not to “monkey this up by trying to embrace a socialist agenda.” DeSantis later clarified that his comment had “zero to do with race.”
“If I show any weakness on that, I think I lose my base,” DeSantis said in the leaked video. “I think that I appear to be less than a leader, and so I just think I’ve got to come at it full throttle and say that’s wrong.”
The leaked video also shows Rep. Matt Gaetz told DeSantis he was coming in “too hot.” Gaetz is supporting former President Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign.
During one of the sessions, the state’s first lady said DeSantis said “monkey” because he had been reading their daughter’s favorite book, “Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed” at night.
She also asked the advisors if that explanation would “matter,” and Gaetz said, “Nobody cares ... Not even a little.”
Watch DeSantis’s Monday news conference on FacebookLive