LOS ANGELES.–Florida Gov. Ron DeDantis, 45, fresh off dropping out of the 2024 presidential race Jan. 21, showed today he’s still relevant ordering Florida National Guard and Florida State Guard troops to help Texas install more razor wire at the Mexican border. Setting up a direct confrontation with the federal government, DeSantis acted decisively to aid 66-year old fellow Republican Gov. Greg Abbott deal with an emergency border crisis where thousands of illegal aliens stream across the border. “The goal is to help Texas fortify this border, help them strengthen the barricades, help them add barriers, help them add the wire that they need so that can stop this invasion once and for all,” said DeSantis, rebuking the Biden administration. Homeland Security Secretary Allejandro Mayorkas, 64, faces an impeachment vote in the Republican-controlled House for his negligence in carrying out his duty to protect the southern border, now in emergency crisis.
DeSantis’s move should get GOP frontrunner 77-year-old former President Donald Trump’s attention, perhaps signaling DeSantis would consider a VP nod if Trump is so inclined. DeSantis responded to a Jan. 21 Supreme Court ruling allowing the federal government to cut razor wire installed in the Rio Grande to stop the flow of illegal migrants. Whether the Supreme Court stops DeSantis from sending Florida National Guard or Florida State guard troops is anyone’s guess. President Joe Biden, 81, has only recently acknowledged the border crisis, caused by his reversal or Trump’s more restrictive border policies on taking office Jan. 20, 2021. Biden said he would shut down the border if Republicans green lighted his new $111 billion appropriations Bill to get Ukraine another $60 billion to continue its fight with the Kremlin. Biden and Democrats refuse to fund the border separately, forcing Republicans to accept appropriations for Ukraine and Israel.
When it comes to the border, Biden and Mayorkas have been dragged kicking-and-screaming to any tougher measures designed to restrict asylum seekers or continue to fortify barriers to prevent the endless flow of immigrants crossing the Mexican border. Democrats don’t seem concerned about Latin American gangs and possible Islamic terrorist crossing the border into the United States. Republicans have raised the possibility of more terror attacks with Middle East and African immigrants sneaking across the Mexican border. DeSantis sends a loud message to Congress and the Supreme Court that states will do everything possible to defend their borders from the current invasion, apparently approved by the White House and excused by the U.S. Supreme Court. DeSantis wants his GOP colleagues in Congress to impeach Mayorkas and resist White House attempts to ignore the border crisis. DeSantis tells the White House to put up or shut up.
Speaking in Kissammee, Fl., DeSantis praised the Florida State Guard for doing what’s needed to defend the U.S. border. DeSantis asked the Republican-controlled Florida state house to pass bills to give him the authority to send National Guard and State Guard troops to defend the Texas border. DeSantis looks to stay in the news as a champion of border security at a time when Mayorkas faces impeachment and Biden refuses to sign a border security bill unless it hands $60 billion to Ukraine. Trump is watching DeSantis carefully while working to wrap up the GOP nomination from former U.S. Amb. Nikki Haley. Trump has received many suggestions from VP including former GOP candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, former U.N. Amb. Nikki Haley, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem and now DeSantis. When you look at the strongest candidate for Trump, certainly DeSantis would give Trump the strongest possible candidate to win the White House.
DeSantis’s campaign never really took off despite receiving strong initial support from GOP donors. But when compared to Trump, DeSantis, like every over GOP candidate, looks amateur in comparison. DeSantis would be a perfect conservative choice for Trump, though it doesn’t help win him the women’s vote. GOP strategists are concerned Trump doesn’t attract enough women, urging him to pick former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley. But when Trump looks at his best options to build an exciting 2024 ticket, certainly DeSantis would be an upgrade over Haley. Trump can’t pick Haley who’s gone on record supporting Biden’s proxy war with the Kremlin. DeSantis has completely compatible politics with Trump, especially in domestic and foreign policy. DeSantis showed he can be a forceful voice in conservative politics. Trump needs a fresh face on the ticket, someone the Party can get behind in 2028.
DeSantis showed conviction sending Florida National Guard and Florida State Guard troops to Texas to shore up the border. Biden showed he could care less about the border, only if it gets him his $60 billion for Ukraine, continuing the unending war against the Kremlin. With hot spots around the globe, especially now in the Middle East, Biden could use Putin to help protect global commerce in the Red Sea, Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman where Iran’s proxies have attacked freighters and tankers. If Mayorkas gets impeached, it doesn’t mean he’ll get convicted in Democrat-controlled Senate. All things point to Biden continuing his feckless border policy, largely because he expects Latinos and Blacks to support his 2024 reelection. DeSantis wants to remind voters that the border crisis won’t go away unless everyone pitches in to defend the U.S. border.
Watching Biden horse trade for Ukraine and the border should sicken all U.S. citizens.
About the Author
John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.
