The Wall Street Journal editorial board, which has remained the only major news publication’s editorial board that is staunchly conservative, criticized former President Trump’s characterization of Florida GOP Governor Ron DeSantis’ record.
Trump issued a statement last Friday in which he made various claims about DeSantis’ tenure which the Journal found untenable. “As the 2024 primaries near, Mr. Trump has suddenly decided it’s in his interest to claim that Florida is really a high-tax hellhole,” the Journal noted in an editorial published Monday, adding, “Mr. Trump knows that Gov. Ron DeSantis could be a formidable rival, and Mr. Trump will apparently say anything to trash him.”
Trump’s statement began by asserting, “The real DeSantis record is one of misery and despair. He has left a wake of destruction all across Florida.” The Journal offered this riposte: “Which is no doubt why the Governor was re-elected last year with 59.4% of the vote.”
The Journal pointed out that the Trump release utilizes Left-leaning studies as well as ESPN. “Is Mr. Trump in the habit of taking policy advice from ESPN? Or was some intern told to do a Google search for this amateur hit job?” the Journal questioned.
Noting that Trump cited a 2022 Oxfam report stating Florida was the 29th best state for workers, the Journal clarified that the scorecard “dings states” that have right-to-work laws and that the report forces Florida to lose points because it doesn’t permit “localities to implement their own minimum wage laws.”
The Journal noticed that Trump cited the Florida Policy Institute, which wants undocumented immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses. “Mr. Trump’s one-night stand with this outfit is bizarre,” the Journal commented.
Trump utilized many rankings from the website WalletHub, prompting the Journal to declare, “Not mentioned by Mr. Trump are many WalletHub rankings that put Mr. DeSantis’s state near the top. Florida has been listed as the No. 2 best state in which to retire, No. 2 for starting a business, No. 2 for fewest coronavirus restrictions, No. 2 ‘most fun’ state, No. 4 best for teachers, No. 6 for low taxes, and No. 7 for best state to live in overall.”
“Whatever WalletHub says, hundreds of thousands of Americans are moving to Florida because they think they can build better lives there,” the Journal pointed out. “The latest Census Bureau numbers say that Florida gained a net 318,855 people via migration from July 2021 to July 2022, making it the top state by far in the competition for U-Hauls. People see opportunity in Florida, and competent conservative leadership is one reason.”
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“Florida is a model of successful GOP governance, and Republicans should be arguing they can do the same for the country if voters put them in charge of Washington,” the Journal wrote. “Instead Mr. Trump is borrowing lefty tropes and sources and making the same kinds of attacks on Florida that President Biden would. Who needs Democrats with Mr. Trump around?”
“The funniest part about Mr. Trump’s effort to claim Florida is a dump?” the Journal concluded. “He still lives there. If he’s really miserable, why not relocate to one of his homes in New York or New Jersey?”