During a recent event at his Iowa campaign headquarters, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis strongly disapproved of Senate Republicans’ approach to securing a border deal.
The Republican governor accused his party colleagues in the Senate of conceding too much to Democrats in the ongoing border negotiations.
DeSantis’s stance on border policy and Republican strategy
DeSantis voiced his frustrations to his supporters, stating, “I’m sick of Republicans; you see what they’re doing right now in Washington with the senators doing some border agreement, which is basically caving on everything to the Democrats.”
This statement reflects his dissatisfaction with the direction of the discussions and the perceived lack of firmness from Republican senators.
The Governor’s remarks followed his appearance on Fox News, where he commented on the recent border deal reached between Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Democrats.
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DeSantis slams GOP border deal amid shutdown deadline
DeSantis asserted that if he were President, such a deal would be dead on arrival.
“You know, some of these Republicans are just so out of touch with the voters,” he said, emphasizing a disconnect between Republican senators and their constituents.
DeSantis’s criticism comes at a crucial time as congressional leaders work to avert a government shutdown.
The House and Senate face a deadline to approve a deal by Friday night to prevent a partial shutdown. This context underscores the urgency and contentious nature of the border discussions.
Border policy debate sparks controversy among GOP Senators
The debate over border policy has seen various proposals from conservative senators.
Senator Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) suggested distributing aid to Ukraine in $5 billion increments, tied to the number of migrants crossing the border each month.
However, this proposal faced resistance within the GOP. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell reportedly told Senator James Lankford (R-Okla.), who is leading the border talks, that he rejected Johnson’s proposal.
Lankford noted that Johnson’s demands are causing division within the GOP conference.
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DeSantis addresses GOP stance on immigration amid Southern border surge
The surge of migrants at the southern border remains a pivotal issue in both the campaign trail and Capitol Hill discourse.
DeSantis highlighted the Republican base’s desires regarding immigration policy earlier this week.
“Republicans want people that are here illegally to be deported, which we need to do. They want to end these insane border policies that Biden’s doing,” DeSantis said.
He also mentioned the public’s support for building a wall and taking action against drug cartels.
DeSantis’s skepticism on border deal outcomes
Governor DeSantis expressed skepticism about the likely outcomes of the current border deal, likening it to a recurring disappointment.
He metaphorically referenced a scene from the “Peanuts” comic strip, saying, “And I think what you’re likely to see out of this deal is the typical Lucy with the football, promising you’re going to deal with the border and then of course, the football gets pulled away, and it’s the same old song and dance.”
This analogy captures his doubt about the effectiveness and sincerity of the proposed solutions.
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