(CNN) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis used a 40-minute speech before a room full of donors Thursday night to cement himself as the governor who will go places other Republicans will not — characterizing other GOP leaders as sitting back “like potted plants,” according to audio of his remarks obtained by CNN.
“I’m going on offense,” DeSantis told the audience at the conservative Club for Growth event at The Breakers Palm Beach resort. “Some of these Republicans, they just sit back like potted plants, and they let the media define the terms of the debate. They let the left define the terms of debate. They take all this incoming, because they’re not making anything happen. And I said, ‘That’s not what we’re doing.'”
DeSantis, seen as a potential 2024 presidential contender, did not reference that race during his lengthy address. However, he did define himself as a leader of not only Florida but the country as a whole, detailing what he saw as his “courage to lead” in a political environment when others are afraid to “step out and fight back.”
The Florida governor also defended his strong-arming of corporations and Wall Street before the traditionally business-friendly conservative audience. He criticized CEOs as being “just weak” for giving in to what he described as the “woke mob” that pushes environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) policies, among other “leftist” issues.
“Republicans need to not shy away from these fights just because the media and the left are going to call you names,” DeSantis said.
Ahead of DeSantis’ upcoming visit this weekend to California, where he’ll appear at the Reagan Library and also deliver a speech at a fundraiser for the Orange County Republican Party, he took a shot at the state’s Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom, for being “preoccupied” with DeSantis and Florida.
“Literally, how many other governors does anyone even care about? I mean, when you go to California, they got all these problems there. Their governor’s preoccupied with me, and what we’re doing in Florida. … It’s incredible,” DeSantis said. “And honestly, I just know that game. If they’re not shooting that means you’re not getting anything done. That they’re coming after me, because I’m standing up for the people that I represent, I view that as positive reinforcement.”
DeSantis’ remarks to the Club for Growth were first reported by Fox News. Spokespeople for the group and DeSantis did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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