DEFENSE UP: Roger Stone launches pre-emptive strike on DeSantis presidential campaign
Ron DeSantis hasn’t announced his candidacy for presidency yet, but Donald Trump’s fans are already jumping in, with pardoned Roger Stone declaring that the Florida governor would “be working at Dairy Queen” if Trump hadn’t boosted his political career.
He’s not the first, and MAGA is beginning to appear very concerned about the 2024 competition.
Trump himself has, of course, lashed out at DeSantis, demanding to be credited as the architect of the Florida Governor’s political success and to be recognized as the superior (or rather, more beloved) candidate.
His fans took the hint.
We’ve seen MAGA stans attacking DeSantis, spray-painting over his image after throwing support behind him in midterms (video below), and accusing him of disloyalty for running against Trump (even though he hasn’t actually launched an official campaign or even affirmed that he intends to).
Now, Roger Stone — who Trump pardoned after he was convicted of lying to Congress in defense of the then-president — is weighing in.
He says that for DeSantis to run in 2024 would be “an act of treachery,” and that it was “solely because of Donald Trump” that his 2018 campaign was “turbo-charged,” and he was able to make the move from Congressman to Governor.
Though DeSantis was already known for his role in the House Freedom Caucus and other right-wing extremist activity, Stone says he’d be an utter political failure without Trump’s help:
“He was an unknown congressman, his campaign was mired in single digits, he was having fundraising problems…Ron DeSantis’ campaign was turbo-charged by tweeted endorsement by Donald Trump, otherwise he would be working at the Dairy Queen right now.”
See the clip below.
Roger Stone said Ron DeSantis “would be working in a Dairy Queen right now” if Trump hadn’t endorsed him. pic.twitter.com/vTpesEhNJW
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) December 27, 2022
He’s only one in a string of MAGA influencers to attack DeSantis.
A rapper who goes by the name “Forgiato Blow,” and is known for driving around in a vehicle emblazoned with fantastical images of Trump re-imagined as an action hero and writing verses about how much he adores the former president, turned against DeSantis after supporting him through the midterms.
Watch below as he complains about the failure of the Florida Governor to issue a 2024 endorsement for Trump and uses spray paint to deface his own mobile “DeSantis 2022” advertisement.
Desantis supporter during his Governor campaign spray paints over his face because he won’t back Trump for 2024. pic.twitter.com/MAb0P6om2r
— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) December 14, 2022
Even pillow salesmen are getting in the game — Mike Lindell, who has shifted from infomercial infamy to election-denying shame-fame is back to insisting that he has ‘evidence’ of election fraud — but this time, it’s a Florida county won by DeSantis that he’s claiming was tainted with “irregularities.”
While Trump’s allies are on the campaign trail in his defense, Trump himself has barely budged.
He’s held no rallies since his announcement, and most of his political activity in recent weeks has been confined to posting rants on Truth Social.
