Florida Governor DeSantis burnishes conservative credentials with Disney feud
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By Alexandra Ulmer
(Reuters) – Florida Governor Ron DeSantis opened a brand new entrance within the tradition wars this week, taking over one in every of his state’s greatest employers and strongest lobbyists: Walt Disney Co.
In doing so, DeSantis is trying to bolster his conservative credentials forward of a doable run for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. However he additionally dangers coming into a tit-for-tat with a strong, deep-pocketed company that helped entice 76 million guests to Orlando in 2019 forward of the COVID-19 pandemic.
On the governor’s request, the state’s Republican-led legislature swiftly accredited a invoice throughout a particular session this week that can strip Walt Disney Co of its designation as a self-governing entity.
The transfer got here after the corporate’s opposition to a brand new state regulation limiting dialogue of LGBTQ points in faculties. Critics dubbed the measure the “do not say homosexual” invoice and known as it hateful, however DeSantis mentioned it was wanted to guard dad and mom and youngsters.
DeSantis, 43, has been on the forefront of a number of partisan fights taking part in out throughout the nation.
He pushed again in opposition to COVID-19 restrictions, touting Florida as a “citadel of freedom” amid the pandemic. He known as for a first-of-its-kind election police power to analyze election crimes and final week signed into regulation a ban on abortions after 15 weeks of being pregnant.
His rising nationwide profile is driving hypothesis that the previous federal prosecutor, who’s searching for re-election this November, can be eyeing a run for the White Home.
That might pit him in opposition to former President Donald Trump, who endorsed DeSantis, then a low-profile congressman, in his 2018 bid for Florida’s governorship. Trump, who misplaced his re-election marketing campaign in 2020, has repeatedly hinted he needs to hunt the presidency once more.
DeSantis shares lots of Trump’s views however would supply the Republican Occasion a contemporary face and fewer inflammatory fashion.
“DeSantis is the rising center method. If Trump have been to stop politics tomorrow, DeSantis can be the heavyweight within the 2024 major,” mentioned Dan Eberhart, a outstanding Republican donor and the CEO of oilfield companies firm Canary, LLC.
DeSantis’ spat with Disney carries dangers, nevertheless, each with centrist voters and companies.
DeSantis is predicted to signal into regulation the invoice that does away with a particular tax district created by a 1967 regulation that enables Disney to self-govern the roughly 25,000-acre Orlando space the place its Walt Disney World theme park advanced is situated.
The monetary impression of the laws on Disney stays unclear, however it could current a serious blow to the autonomy it has loved for many years at its sprawling Orlando theme parks. It may also flip right into a protracted authorized combat between DeSantis and Disney.
Democrats might body the Disney measure as “anti-economy” within the Orlando space, mentioned Eberhart, including he thinks DeSantis is “at risk of overplaying his hand on Disney.”
Nick Iarossi, a Tallahassee lobbyist who represents enterprise pursuits and is a DeSantis supporter who lauded his Disney measure, mentioned the transfer was “elevating eyebrows” amongst Florida corporations.
“Firms are calling me and asking: ‘Hey if I weigh in on this, what occurs?’ These corporations are positively reevaluating how, or whether or not, they weigh in on legislative points in Florida as a result of there can be hostile penalties,” Iarossi mentioned.
Democrats nationally are concentrating on DeSantis for his stances on Disney and LGBTQ points.
California Governor Gavin Newsom mentioned on Tuesday that “punishing companies for talking out in opposition to hatred” was the hallmark of an authoritarian authorities.
The governor’s spokesperson, Christina Pushaw, didn’t reply to a request for remark.
On Twitter, she mentioned Disney had thrown away its family-friendly model to aspect with opponents of the Florida regulation that bans classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identification for youngsters in kindergarten via third grade.
“Go woke, go broke,” she tweeted.
DeSantis remained resolute in a marketing campaign fundraising electronic mail to supporters on Wednesday.
“If Disney needs to select a combat, they selected the unsuitable man,” acknowledged the e-mail, which was reported by a number of media shops. “Now’s the time to place the facility again within the palms of Floridians and out of the pockets of woke executives.”
(Reporting by Alexandra Ulmer; Further reporting by Maria Caspani; enhancing by Bernard Orr)