Florida is a favorite vacation spot, loved by Canadians and Americans alike. It is also one of the most populous states in the U.S., and on the political front, it has become an emblem of the political struggles that are shaking this country.
The Woke, the Right, and the Extreme Right
The last few days have offered us insight into the intense fight being waged between progressive activists and those who have sworn to kick all woke people out of Florida.
It all started with the publication of a travel advisory intended for tourists planning travel to Florida.
The advisory came from the NAACP, the oldest Black civil rights organization. Thea advisory denounced Gov. Ron DeSantis for devaluing and ignoring the history and contributions of minorities. A representative excerpt from the advisory stated, “Let me be clear — failing to teach an accurate representation of the horrors and inequalities that Black Americans have faced and continue to face is a disservice to students and a dereliction of duty to all […].” We can be permitted to question whether this message has been effective, considering some of the events and reactions that have since occurred. First, in a new manifestation of cancel culture, one school just prohibited reading the poem that Black poet Amanda Gorman wrote for President Joe Biden’s inauguration in 2021.
In response to the NAACP’s message, Republican Sen. Tim Scott created his own travel advisory. In it, he affirms that Florida is hostile to socialists. Even tourism is political.
Finally, Florida, like Texas, attracts increasingly more followers of the extreme right. How many? Enough to color the speeches and legislative bills of influential politicians. It seems that the NAACP might be preaching in the wilderness.
Trump v. DeSantis: A Fight to the Finish
Florida Gov. DeSantis announced tonight on Twitter that he is running for the Republican presidential nomination. He’ll be fighting against the most famous citizen of his state, and it will likely be quite difficult, with an article from The New Yorker evoking nothing less than a fight to the death.
These two candidates are popular in the polls, and both defend ideas that please their partisan base. Nevertheless, they are handicapped by the same reality: to win the presidential race, they will have to be less zealous and extreme if they want to win over other voters.
Between the two, I believe DeSantis will be able to make this adjustment more easily. Even if his preaching isn’t as charismatic, he is more organized and disciplined. More than that, he knows how to avoid untimely improvisation and has shown that he’ll be able to win over an important percentage of the Latino vote. And above all, let’s not underestimate his campaign machine, which steamrolled through the midterm elections.
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