Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis rips weak Republicans

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis denounced the state of his party during an address to a Republican think tank Friday, bemoaning the GOP’s “culture of losing” and political timidity.

Sagging in some polls, the presumptive 2024 presidential candidate asserted his state administration managed to transcend a wider party malaise — and pointed to Florida’s economic and population booms as proof.

“We reject the culture of losing that has infected the Republican Party in recent years,” DeSantis said at a gathering hosted by the Heritage Foundation.

Locked in an increasingly bitter war with former President Donald Trump for GOP supremacy, the Floridian pointedly argued some elected Republicans fail to surround themselves with like-minded and authentic conservatives — and flounder as a result.

‘We’ve been able to operate an administration that doesn’t get consumed in petty controversies or drama or palace intrigues,” he said.

“We basically executed the mission day after day and keep a lot of people on their toes in the process.”

A willing combatant in the nation’s culture wars, DeSantis criticized fellow Republicans who avoid direct conflict in the interests of political self-preservation.

“I look around and sometimes Republicans will get into office and they’re almost like potted plants,” he said.

“They don’t want to do anything with the authority that they have…If you just don’t do anything then maybe you alienate fewer people.”

DeSantis told the crowd he resolved to take the opposite approach — and was rewarded with a resounding rout of Democratic gubernatorial challenger Charlie Crist in November.

“We need to go on offense,” he said.

“We need to lean into issues.

“We need to raise issues when other people are not willing to do it and we’re not going to worry what the left and the media says about it.”

DeSantis renewed his attacks on progressive movements, asserting they’re fomenting division and confusion — especially among younger Americans.

“Woke ideology is a form of cultural Marxism that seeks to divide our society on the basis of identity politics,” he said.

“It is an attack on merit and an attack on achievement. It represents a war on truth. Don’t tell me that babies are born racist.

“Don’t tell me that men can get pregnant. That is not true and I don’t accept that.”

He went on to denounce “profligate” spending by the Biden administration, porous borders and political “indoctrination” in public schools.

“We need to reject the pessimism that is in the air about our country’s future,” he said.

“At the end of the day, decline is a choice, success is attainable, and freedom is worth fighting for.”

DeSantis, 44, has yet to announce a White House bid but is widely expected to throw his hat into the ring.

Trump has intensified his attacks on the Florida firebrand in recent months, accusing him of disloyalty and neglecting the Sunshine State in recent weeks while running a “shadow” campaign for president.