Casey DeSantis warns that her ‘claws come out’ when government goes after ‘our children’

Casey DeSantis — the wife of 2024 Republican presidential candidate and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis — told Iowa voters Thursday that her “claws come out” when government policies get between her and her children. 

The 43-year-old former TV news journalist, breast cancer survivor and mother of three made the comment while launching “’Mamas for DeSantis” –  the national version of a grassroots group she started in Florida –  during her first solo public event on behalf of her husband’s campaign. 

“It’s one thing when your policies come out after us – the mamas. It’s another thing when they come after our children. And that’s when the claws come out,” DeSantis said as she sat alongside Republican Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds inside a packed barn in Johnston, Iowa.

The Florida first lady is attempting to harness the growing “parental rights” movement that has been sparked by growing fears that children are being indoctrinated with left-wing ideology by “woke” teachers in public schools across the country. 

Backlash to COVID-19 measures in public schools, such as lockdowns and mandatory masking, has also contributed to the growth of the movement. 

“It should be up to the parents to decide what education they think are best for their children. And government should, again, get out of the way,” DeSantis told the crowd.

“It was COVID that was really what led to a lot of this parental empowerment revolution because for the first time parents were peering into the classroom, and they did not like what was being taught they saw – the sexualized curriculum being thrust in front of five year olds,’”DeSantis said.

She argued that her husband’s track record on parental rights in the Sunshine State demonstrates he is the best GOP presidential candidate for voters who prioritize education issues.  

“A lot of bad things going on,” the first lady of Florida said. “I can tell you with what Governor DeSantis has done, he will lead the charge, he will clean house and he will ensure that parents have the rights to be able to make the decisions that they think best for their family.” 

Last year, the governor signed legislation in the Sunshine State to make school curriculums more transparent for parents. The new law allows parents to lodge complaints against school library books and reading lists without administrative reprisal and prohibits classroom discussion or instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity. 

“They’re not doing the woke Olympics, by the way in the state of Florida, there’s no discrimination if you use the wrong pronoun,” Casey DeSantis said.

“As long as I have breath in my body I will fight for Ron DeSantis – not just because he’s my husband; that is part of it – but it’s because I believe in him,” she added.