DeSantis could win Republican votes with Disney battle: poll

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ ongoing feud with Disney over a state law forbidding public school lessons on sexual orientation and gender identity could win him key Republican support as he gears up for a potential White House run, a new poll revealed.

DeSantis, 44, has been sparring with the Walt Disney Co. since it denounced the controversial Parental Rights in Education bill, also known as the “Don’t Say Gay” law.

According to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll of 1,005 US adults, 44% of Republican respondents had a more positive view of the governor because of his back-and-forth with the Mouse House.

DeSantis fanned the flames of the conflict in February, when he signed a vengeful law aiming to strip the iconic company of its autonomy over its Orlando theme parks.

The move wasn’t popular with everyone: 73% of respondents – including 63% of Republicans and 82% of Democrats – said they were less likely to back a candidate who penalized a company of political or cultural differences.

While DeSantis has argued that he is justifiably scaling back Disney’s unique privileges, the vast majority of Democrats, Independents, and 37% of Republicans said that he is punishing the company for exercising free speech.

DeSantis’ Disney debacle is also helping to raise his national profile as the 2024 election kicks into gear. Fifty-four percent of respondents said they were following the story, while 55% of Democrats said the governor’s actions deterred them from visiting Florida altogether. 

Thirty-one percent of Republicans countered that they were more likely to visit the Sunshine State thanks to DeSantis.

The poll revealed that Americans remain staunchly divided on whether to teach gender identity or sexual orientation in schools. Three-quarters of Democrats are in favor of the discussions, while a similar amount of Republicans are opposed.

Previous Reuters/Ipsos polls indicated that DeSantis’ other hard-right stances on abortion and guns could help him gain momentum among Republicans, but could alienate him from more moderate voters later on.

Meanwhile, DeSantis and Disney show no signs of burying the hatchet. Earlier this week, it was reported that Disney has instructed lobbyists to ramp up their efforts to convince Tallahassee lawmakers to shoot down the governor’ proposed restrictions.

DeSantis, however, lately appears unbothered by poll results placing him behind former President Donald Trump.

“I’m not a candidate, so we’ll see if and when that changes,” the Yale graduate told a reporter in Tokyo.

With Post wires