Dexter Filkins on the Rise of Ron DeSantis

The New Yorker Radio Hour

WNYC Studios and The New Yorker

News, David, Books, Arts, Storytelling, Wnyc, New, Remnick, News Commentary, Yorker, Politics

4.2 • 5.5K Ratings

🗓️ 17 June 2022

⏱️ 20 minutes

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Summary

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has shown himself uniquely skilled at attracting attention beyond the borders of his home state. Just this month, DeSantis blocked state funds for the Tampa Bay Rays stadium after players voiced support for gun control in the wake of the mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas. He’s also continuing a fight to punish the Disney Corporation for criticizing Florida’s so-called Don’t Say Gay law. An Ivy League-educated anti-élitist firebrand, he is willing to pick a fight with anyone—reporters, health officials, teachers, Mickey Mouse—to grab a headline. DeSantis “practically radiates ambition,” the staff writer Dexter Filkins tells David Remnick. “He sounds like Trump, except that he speaks in complete sentences. … He’s very good at staking out a position and pounding the table and saying, I’m not giving in to the liberals in the Northeast.” Yet despite having been anointed by Donald Trump in his primary election, DeSantis has refused to “kiss the ring,” and many see DeSantis as a possible opponent to Trump in a 2024 Republican primary.

Transcript

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0:00.0	This is The New Yorker Radio Hour, a co-production of WNWC Studios and The New Yorker.
0:09.4	Welcome to The New Yorker Radio Hour, I'm David Remnick.
0:12.5	Governor Ron DeSantis has shown himself to be uniquely skilled at attracting attention
0:17.6	to himself well beyond the borders of Florida, his home state.
0:21.7	He's willing to pick a fight with just about anyone to grab a headline.
0:26.4	He's got a lot of players, health officials, teachers, even Mickey Mouse.
0:30.7	Just this month, he blocked state funds for the Tampa Bay Rays stadium when players
0:34.5	tweeted in supportive gun control in the wake of the slaughter in Newvalde.
0:39.2	And he's trying to punish the Disney Corporation for criticizing Florida's so-called Don't
0:43.5	Say Gay Law.
0:45.0	Staff writer Dexter Filkins has been reporting from Florida and looking into see whether
0:49.0	Ron DeSantis is the potential heir to Trump or maybe his biggest political opponent.
0:56.1	So right now we're watching the January 6 hearings.
1:00.1	And at the same time, Ron DeSantis, the governor of Florida, is making a lot of noise as a
1:06.7	politician.
1:07.7	Is it very likely that he's the number one contender behind Trump to inherit the mantle
1:12.2	of the Republican Party?
1:13.6	Yeah, I think so.
1:15.1	All the polls suggest that if Trump doesn't run DeSantis is in pole position and he's
1:22.2	ready, I mean, he's got more than $100 million in the bank.
1:26.9	And he practically radiates ambition.
1:29.8	Well, let's talk a little bit about his background.
	...

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