Gov. Ron DeSantis said he did not have the “good political fortune” of having America’s southern border with Mexico in his state of Florida in the latest sign of a growing 2024 rivalry, according to a new report.
A reference to Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX), DeSantis told donors last year that Texas’s 1,254-mile border with Mexico was good political fortune that he was not lucky enough to have, according to a report from the New York Times. The comment came as both men eye a possible Republican White House bid in 2024, with DeSantis considered the front-runner if former President Donald Trump does not run.
“No one has ever been elected governor of even a small state who didn’t, somewhere deep in their heart, start dreaming about being president,” Chris Wilson, a pollster who has worked for both men, told the outlet. “So it’s not shocking to see both Abbott and DeSantis jockeying at least a little toward 2024 or beyond.”
HURRICANE IAN NOW A CATEGORY 3 STORM, BRINGING STORM SURGES TO FLORIDA’S WEST COAST
Both governors have dominated the Republican conversation in recent months. Most recently, both governors have transported illegal immigrants from the southern border to liberal “sanctuary” cities. Abbott started the operations in April and has sent a total of 11,000 immigrants to Washington, D.C., New York City, and Chicago so far. DeSantis followed suit earlier this month when he flew immigrants who illegally crossed Texas’s border with Mexico to Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts despite being Florida’s governor.
“Every state that wants to help, I’m happy for it,” Dave Carney, Abbott’s top campaign strategist, told the New York Times of DeSantis’s actions.
Both states have passed similar bills that ban transgender students from playing in female sports teams at public schools and cut funding for cities in their respective states that have retracted funding for police departments, including Austin, Texas. Despite the rivalry, both men have a solid working relationship, according to Abbott’s press secretary Renae Eze.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
“Gov. Abbott and Gov. DeSantis have a solid working relationship, having worked together on various initiatives through Republican governors organizations,” Eze said.
Both men are up for reelection during the midterm elections in November, with Abbott facing Democratic opponent Beto O’Rourke (D-TX). DeSantis faces former Rep. Charlie Crist (D-FL).
