The future of the national GOP is rooted in “bold colors,” not “pale pastels,” according to a former and perhaps future presidential candidate from the Free State of Florida.
Gov. Ron DeSantis says Republicans need to counter-message Democratic socialism by giving young people a meaningful alternative and not simply falling into the trap of being “Democrat-lite … apostles for big government.”
During remarks Thursday to the Heartland Institute, DeSantis acknowledged “serious debates” about how support from young people has declined since 2024 are leaving people “concerned” in the national GOP.
He said the “conventional” wisdom was that younger voters are “looking into Zohran Mamdani … the socialism, and all this stuff.”
He summed up that argument: “They don’t believe in capitalism. You can’t do it. We have to respond with other types of government to offset Mamdani.”
While DeSantis acknowledges “a lot of problems, particularly economically, for young people,” he says issues like college tuition hikes elsewhere in the country and debt were byproducts of government intervention in the free market.
“Whose problem was that? Who created that problem? Did Free Enterprise create that problem? No, government created that problem. You want to look at the cost of groceries? You want to look at the cost of living that has gone up since COVID? Was that because of Free Enterprise? No. It was because of the COVID spending, the Biden stimulus, the Federal Reserve,” DeSantis said.
“Government created the inflation. Government created the interest rates. Government has made it more difficult for young people to get by. So the idea that the answer is going to be more government, but in a conservative direction, that’s a fool’s errand.”
DeSantis went on to say that “free enterprise” actually hasn’t been the prevailing economic model for the last 15 or 20 years.
“We’ve had various forms and various iterations of crony capitalism and venture socialism. And, yes, they should oppose those things. If we end up having the AI bubble pop, some of these companies are going to go to the government and ask for a bailout. Is the government going to give it to them? I hope not, but if they do, is that free enterprise? Is that capitalism? No. It’s warmed over socialism. So let’s just be clear here, when free people are able to make free choices under a system of a rule of law with a limited government, there will be more opportunity for people, from all walks of life and all ages. If you’re going to have government engage in cronyism and venture socialism, you’re distorting how a market would work, and you’re ultimately picking winners and losers.”
DeSantis said the federal government’s reaction to the pandemic exemplifies the dangers of “picking winners and losers,” facilitating a “massive, upward, artificial” transfer of wealth to the Mag 7 companies like Amazon and Meta, which persists to this day via tax breaks for hyperscalers in recent years.
“Do you get that as a small business person? Do you get that as a sole proprietor? No.”
“There is no way (Republicans are) ever going to be able to outdo a Mamdani in promising government benefits to people. It’s a fool’s errand to do that game, and when we’re true to the principles that have made this country great, adapted for changing circumstances, and making you can’t just recycle policies from 40 or 50 years, you’ve got to adapt. You’ve got to understand what’s going on, but please do not fall for this,” he said, saying that Democratic socialists “are promising the moon and will fail to deliver.”
DeSantis acknowledged that he didn’t know how politics would shake out during the current midterm cycle or the 2028 presidential cycle. Though he continues to avoid committing to a run for higher office during public remarks, he didn’t rule it out Thursday, making the case that he had the best governing record of anyone in the potential field.
“We’ve got a lot of great people in the Republican Party. We’ve got a lot of people who underperform,” he said. “You know, I think I’m the one guy that has shown how (to) lead with courage and conviction.”
“How do you deliver really big results on all the policies that we’ve all talked about for so long? You know, I knocked every one of them out, and then, to not only do that, but then create a massive realignment in your state in favor of your own party,” he added.
Stakes are high, he believes.
“We’re a 50/50 country. This thing’s got to break one way or another, and it needs to break in our favor, and if it doesn’t, you’re not just going to end up with some type of Jimmy Carter, you’re going to end up with a far leftist and things can get ugly very quickly.”
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