A leaked audio clip of the secret DeSantis donor strategy meeting held Thursday at the Four Seasons Hotel in Miami has surfaced, highlighting key aspects of Governor Ron DeSantis’ campaign plans.
In leaked audio obtained by Florida politicspollster Ryan Tyson can be heard addressing donors, expressing his excitement at the level of recognition Governor DeSantis enjoys nationally.
Tyson’s remarks highlight the campaign’s satisfaction with DeSantis’ growing prominence and the positive impact it has had on his candidacy. He argued that his standing against former President Donald Trump will only improve over time.
“He’s known to as many primary voters as the president and he’s better liked,” Tyson said. “That’s the first problem Donald Trump, I feel, has in these primaries. His negatives are too high. And I’ll also say this. The most efficient and effective No. 1 driver of negatives in Donald Trump is Donald Trump.
The audio clip reveals that Governor DeSantis is strongly in favor of keeping abortion rulings at the state level.
“His position is that he understands there are ways the federal government can be helpful in preserving life, the best way to preserve life is at the state level. He fears that if the federal government starts getting involved in abortion, it will actually open the door for Democrats to undo pro-life reforms in many states across the country,” the strategist said.
This position is consistent with conservative principles and reflects sentiments shared by many Republicans across the country. However, the tapes reveal a twist in DeSantis’ approach, indicating a potential shift to the “middle” in the general election.
“If your concern is about the general election…Trust me when I tell you that. It is based on empirical data and qualitative feedback. If you are a voter in 2024… and if you vote on the issue of abortion as one of the two main issues to determine your vote for president. I would tell you that our data suggests that this person has a very strong correlation with typical Democratic voting behavior,” the strategist said.
Advisors to the Governor recognize the importance of appealing to a broader electorate and believe adopting a more moderate tone could help solidify his chances of winning a general election.
“So when you’re talking to a pro-choice donor, I don’t think it’s enough to walk by and say, look, abortion is legal in Florida. It’s legal in Florida. In most situations where people have an unwanted or unprotected sexual situation, they’re going to use the chemical… trendy, right? So you can talk to them directly and tell them it’s legal in Florida. Now it’s restricted. C “is limited. You have to be responsible for it. But I don’t think when you talk to pro-choice Florida you kind of jump on it. You have to point out that this is a big step forward for the Republican Party in terms of moving to the middle on the issue of abortion.
THE National pulse has more on this leaked audio discussion.
You can listen to the full recording below. The subject of abortion begins to 27 minutes at 39 min.
