Who is David Jolly? 'Threatened' ex-GOP lawmaker labels Casey DeSantis 'America's Karen' in vile attack
MIAMI, FLORIDA: In a recent segment on MSNBC's 'Saturday Show with Jonathan Capehart', former Republican congressman David Jolly directed sharp criticism towards Casey DeSantis, the wife of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and a prominent figure on her husband's campaign trail.
Jolly, who has become a vocal critic of former President Donald Trump since leaving office, labeled Casey DeSantis as "America's Karen," a term increasingly used to describe White women who exhibit entitled and difficult behavior. "Casey DeSantis is a fairly compelling political figure in Florida and now nationally. For many, she’s the brighter side of Florida’s angry governor. To others, she’s become America’s Karen," Jolly said Sunday, July 9, on MSNBC.
Who is David Jolly?
David Jolly, an American attorney and former lobbyist, served as the US representative for Florida's 13th congressional district from 2014 to 2017. In September 2018, he publicly announced his departure from the Republican Party and has since emerged as a notable Republican critic of Donald Trump. Jolly expressed concerns that Casey's emergence as a political figure campaigning for her husband could potentially backfire.
While acknowledging her effectiveness as a messenger for Ron DeSantis, Jolly argued that if she continues to amplify what he views as the wrong message, it would only highlight the weaknesses of Ron's presidential bid. "Look, she's a more effective messenger than Ron DeSantis, but if all she’s doing is amplifying the wrong message, she’s clarifying Ron DeSantis’ weaknesses," Jolly stated. "It doesn’t matter if it’s presented in heels or boots; the DeSantis doctrine’s a losing one. We’re gonna learn that the more Casey DeSantis gets out there."
Casey recently launched the "Mamas for DeSantis" initiative in Iowa, accompanied by a fiery and defiant video portraying her husband as a fighter. The video emphasized issues such as parental rights in the classroom, which have been central to Ron's gubernatorial tenure. However, Jolly argued that the message itself is problematic and does not resonate with a broader electorate.
Ron DeSantis defends his wife Casey
"My wife is an incredibly strong first lady of Florida, a fantastic mother, and a great wife, and that threatens the left," Governor Ron DeSantis defended his wife on Fox Business Network's 'Varney & Co'. "She’s a great advocate for families, a great advocate for children. And I’m thankful that she’s my wife," DeSantis said. "And I’m honored that she’s willing to go out there and press the case. And so we wear criticism from MSNBC as a badge of honor," as per New York Post.
According to the Florida governor, the barrage of criticism against his wife stems from left-wing fears that her message resonates with voters. “She and I kind of shrug it off because we know it just shows they view her as a threat, because the message that she was bringing in Iowa about the rights of parents and how we are not going to take this anymore with the left trying to indoctrinate our kids, they understand that that resonates not just with Republican parents, with independent parents and, yes, with Democrat parents,” he added.
While Ron is considered a top contender in the 2024 Republican presidential race, he still trails behind Trump by a significant margin in the latest RealClearPolitics average, with a gap of 32.1 points. However, Ron dismissed the polling gap during the interview, emphasizing that the media's focus on him is due to their perception of him as a viable challenger to President Biden.
"I think it’s pretty clear that the media does not want me to be the candidate," DeSantis stated. "I think they have tried to create a narrative that somehow the race is over. This is going to be a state-by-state contest. We have worked hard to build the type of organization in places like Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina that you need to be able to win these early contests. And we are going to continue doing that. We have got a lot of work, but we have had a very, very favorable response, and we’re going to keep building off that momentum."