Slumping in the polls and thirsty for attention, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ presidential campaign promoted a provocative video that attacks former President Donald Trump’s record on LGBT rights.
Circulated over the weekend on Twitter, the video is a montage of news clips and interviews that attempts to cast Trump as a protector of gays and reliable ally for trans women. Trump is contrasted by an emotionless, warrior-like DeSantis, who has targeted the LGBT community with extreme measures.
The DeSantis campaign retweeted the video under the caption: “To wrap up ‘Pride Month,’ let’s hear it from the politician who did more than any other Republican to celebrate it…”
Gay conservatives — from former German Ambassador Ric Grenell to New York Congressman George Santos — immediately condemned the video. The Log Cabin Republicans called it desperate and homophobic.
“You could have gone after radical queers, @RonDeSantis, but instead you went after the ones who win the @GOP votes and get Republicans elected. People like me. Wrong fight to pick, bud,” tweeted LCR President Charles Moran.
DeSantis advisor Christina Pushaw, the callous foreign agent who is reportedly paid a six-figure salary to mean-tweet all day, doubled down on the video and attempted to diminish the significance of Pride month.
“Opposing federal recognition of ‘Pride Month’ isn’t ‘homophobic.’ We wouldn’t support a month to celebrate straight people for sexual orientation, either … It’s unnecessary, divisive, pandering,” Pushaw tweeted.
Meanwhile, Trump expanded his lead among Republican voters to nearly 35 points over DeSantis in polls conducted by NBC News and Fox News during the month of June. Trump described DeSantis’ fall from favor, “like a rock heading to HELL.”
“The DeSanctimonious campaign is DEAD!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.