Ron DeSantis takes ANOTHER step towards a 2024 run: Florida Governor fuels further speculation by kicking off nationwide law and order tour in Democrat-run cities that are ‘putting woke policies ahead of your safety’

Ron DeSantis is taking his ‘anti-woke’ message on the road with a visit to Staten Island Monday morning for a breakfast with law enforcement and remarks on his ‘blueprint on keeping communities safe’ while kicking off his Law and Order tour.

He delivered remarks at Privé catering hall on the South Shore of Staten Island and accused lawmakers in New York and other Democratic enclaves of trying to ‘out-woke’ each other with policies that have led to a spike in crime and breakdown of law enforcement power.

The Florida governor’s swing through the northeast is fueling speculation that he is inching closer to announcing a bid for president in 2024. His trip will also feature stops in Philadelphia and Chicago.

Some local reporters say DeSantis should expect to be met with protesters who are particularly peeved at the governor’s plan to send migrants to Democratic bastions like New York and other northeast cities.

The visit coincides with the President’s Day holiday and comes as former President Donald Trump continues to launch attacks against DeSantis, who is quickly emerging as the most likely to be able to take down the former president in a primary.

Following a breakfast with law enforcement, DeSantis spoke to a room full of supporters at the Privé catering hall in the South Shore of Staten Island – the most red borough of New York City 

Supporters of DeSantis gather outside Privé catering hall in Staten Island on the President’s Day holiday as the Florida governor spoke with law enforcement about his ‘blueprint for keeping communities safe’

During the breakfast and pro-law enforcement rally, DeSantis began his remarks by claiming that leaders in cities like New York are putting policy above safety.

‘The reason why you have what you have in some of these other jurisdictions, is because they’re putting woke ideology ahead of your safety – as New Yorkers, as people from Illinois or wherever you have this type of policy taking place,’ DeSantis said.

He also accused Democratic politicians of trying to ‘out-woke one another’ in order to win a primary in left-leaning enclaves like New York and going on to win primaries because of the extreme political imbalance in these areas. 

He also repeated at the conclusion of his speech a line he used during his inauguration remarks last month, claiming that Florida ‘is where woke goes to die.’ 

Staten Island is New York’s most red borough and the only one that voted for Trump both in 2016 and 2020. In the 2020 election, 57 percent of Staten Island cast their ballot for Trump’s reelection.

The trip on Monday put to the test DeSantis’ chances among some of Trump’s strongest backers in his former home city.

It appears that a few hundred people showed up for the event, and the room was filled with enthusiasm for DeSantis. Some cheered when DeSantis asked if they plan to move to Florida. 

DeSantis was introduced by former Representative Lee Zeldin, who retired from the House to run for the State House against Governor Kathy Hochul. Despite losing, Zeldin did receive the highest percentage of the vote for a Republican gubernatorial nominee since 2002 – and the highest raw vote total for a Republican gubernatorial nominee since 1970.

Much of his strides in the race in the deep blue state was attributed to his focus on returning to old New York law and order ideals.

DeSantis’ President’s Day speech kicks off his multi-city tour about his pro-cop, law and order style of governing – touting that it has led to a 50-year low crime rate in Florida.

He said that policies in Florida help with this mission. This includes, DeSantis said, ‘backing the blue’ with funds and morale. 

‘You know, the frustrating thing is you’ll have these people running for like district attorney or this stuff, and they’re in the Democrat primary, and they’re all running to be left of the left,’ DeSantis said of elections in blue states. ‘But then whoever wins the primary wins the general because you have so many such an imbalance.’

‘So it creates this race to try to out woke one another,’ he alleged. ‘And that ends up creating these disastrous policies.’

DeSantis began his remarks by claiming that leaders in cities like New York are ‘putting woke ideology ahead of your safety’ and trying to ‘out-woke one another’

Former New York Representative Lee Zeldin, who lost his bid for governor in the 2022 midterms, introduced DeSantis for his remarks at Privé on President’s Day morning

A fact sheet on the tour notes that the governor’s remarks are aimed at ‘sharing Florida’s blueprint for keeping communities safe and offer support as blue cities turn their backs on the law enforcement community.’

DeSantis has remained relatively quiet on the presidential ambitions front, saying at a press conference this month ‘wouldn’t you like to know?’ when a reporter asked if he would enter the running now that former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley announced her bid. 

Republican member of the New York City Council Joe Borelli speculated the trip is a ‘sign’ that DeSantis is entering the race – even suggesting he could announce his bid.

‘Staten Island was the HQ of the GOP’s first presidential campaign in 1856 for John Fremont. Maybe it’s a sign,’ Borelli wrote. Fremont did not go on to become president.

Trump has relentlessly attacked DeSantis by sending nearly daily insults toward the Florida governor before he has even announced a presidential run.

The latest came late Sunday when Trump posted about a new poll showing support waning for DeSantis in a head-to-head with the former president and utilizing his often-used moniker for the governor – ‘DeSanctimonious’. 

Supporters flanked DeSantis after his remarks, trying to snap an image of the Florida governor and potential 2024 presidential candidate

The tour is fueling the speculation that DeSantis will soon launch a presidential GOP primary bid against former President Donald Trump in 2024

‘Of course it [support] cools,’ Trump said. ‘He wants to cut Social Security and Medicare, loves ‘Throw them over the cliff’ Paul Ryan, who is destroying FoxNews (sic) and the WSJ, Piglet Karl Rove, and ‘Jeb.’ Also, Ron DeSanctimonious is for Globalist Club For NO Growth, and Open Borders Charles Koch. We want AMERICA FIRST, NOT AMERICA LAST!!!’

Just before midnight on Saturday, the former president also accused DeSantis of being a ‘RINO in disguise.’

That post on Trump’s social media website Truth Social came nearly 24 hours after he promised not to fat shame DeSantis following reports that he privately referred to the GOP governor as ‘Meatball Ron.’

The flood gates opened against DeSantis when Trump hit the campaign trail late last month. He told reporters on his plane between events in New Hampshire and South Carolina that it would be very ‘disloyal’ if DeSantis launched a 2024 primary bid against him.

DeSantis earned his first term as Florida governor by partially riding on the coattails of Trump’s endorsement in 2018.

Trump now lives in DeSantis’ state full-time at his residence at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida.

So far, Trump and his former Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley are the only two major Republicans to launch an official bid for the White House in 2024. But at least a few dozen others are considering or rumored to be weighing a run, including former Vice President Mike Pence, South Carolina Senator Tim Scott and former Maryland Governor Larry Hogan.