On Friday, the Miami Herald endorsed Democratic Gubernatorial nominee Charlie Crist for Governor over incumbent Ron DeSantis.
The Miami Herald is one of the largest newspapers in Florida, though it is unlikely that the endorsement will make a significant dent in the polling and fundraising gap between Crist and DeSantis.
The Miami Herald holds its endorsement as the ‘most compelling case’ for supporting Charlie Crist for Governor.
The Editorial Board begins by calling DeSantis’ Florida a ‘place of meanness’ and attacks the Governor’s support for individual rights.
“Gov. Ron DeSantis’ Florida is a place of meanness. It’s a place where dissent is muzzled, where personal rights triumph over the greater good, where winning is more important than unity — especially if that victory moves him closer to a White House run.”
Team DeSantis had some choice words for the Miami Herald in response
From @MiamiHerald endorsement of Crist: Individual rights don't matter. Your rights mean nothing if government declares lockdowns or fuel rationing for "the greater good."
Many Floridians, especially from countries like Cuba & Venezuela, know how this ends. We won't fall for it. pic.twitter.com/PbdQMVtFJm
— DeSantis War Room 🐊 #FloridaStrong (@DeSantisWarRoom) October 22, 2022
DeSantis’ Rapid Response Director Christina Pushaw disputed the claim that ‘dissent is muzzled’ under DeSantis’ leadership, saying that the Florida press regularly writes ‘screeds’ against DeSantis.
The absurdity of Florida liberal media claiming that "dissent is muzzled" when ALL THEY DO is sit on the computer writing screeds against Governor DeSantis ALL DAY EVERYDAY. Including this very article.
— Christina Pushaw 🐊 🇺🇸 (@ChristinaPushaw) October 22, 2022
After claiming that DeSantis focuses on culture war issues to the detriment of substantive issues, the Herald lists off a litany of DeSantis’ education accomplishments, including record per-pupil spending in education.
“The governor guaranteed $500 million to raise the minimum teacher salary and provide raises for veteran teachers and other instructional personnel; secured the highest-ever per-pupil spending totals at $7,793 per student; replaced standardized tests in schools; invested more than $124 million for Florida’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities; and gave parents an outsize voice in their children’s education” The Editorial Board said.
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There are multiple other instances where the Editorial Board lists DeSantis’ accomplishments, despite claiming that he only focuses on meaningless ‘culture war issues’. Towards the end of the article, they highlight their biggest issue with DeSantis, that he confronts the radical left.
“He has marginalized, penalized, and ostracized entire groups of people — his constituents — though he spurns them relentlessly. Four more years of this, and what will be left of civil society in Florida?” They said.
“We’ll become unrecognizable. Charlie Crist is the best choice. He’ll work to unite us — Democrats, Republicans and independents alike.”
The picture that the Miami Herald tries to paint is very different from reality, where a day after Crist received the Democratic nomination for Governor, he told DeSantis supporters that he did not want their vote.
Crist: "Those who support DeSantis should stay with him and vote for him and I don't want your vote. If you have that hate in your heart, keep it there." pic.twitter.com/S0B93bw52i
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) August 24, 2022
While there are many more flaws in the Miami Herald’s ‘compelling’ case for Crist, Team DeSantis summed it up best; who cares?
Florida Democrats posting their L's. pic.twitter.com/Zjwu9Q5Eno
— DeSantis War Room 🐊 #FloridaStrong (@DeSantisWarRoom) October 22, 2022
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