DeSantis during Houston stop: 'They know you don’t mess with Texas — and you don’t tread on Florida'

Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) spent two days in the State of Texas in an effort to shore up support from fellow Republicans for what he calls a fight against the “woke” left. 

A Texas Tribune article that was run by Houston CBS affiliate KHOU reported that the 44-year-old DeSantis, a purported GOP nod for the 2024 race for the White House, addressed fellow party members in Houston on Friday.

Per the report, DeSantis called the Lone Star State a partner in countering liberal ideology, dispelling the notion the two states are rivals.

Both Texas and Florida have predominantly right-leaning leadership and voted for the GOP presidential nominee for at least the last two decades.

“They know you don’t mess with Texas — and you don’t tread on Florida,” the visiting governor said, per The Texas Tribune. “I really believe if it hasn’t been for Texas and Florida playing the role we have in this country in recent history, our entire country would be one big woke, neo-Marxist Dumpster fire.”

Houston National Public Radio (NPR) affiliate Houston Public Media (HPM) reported that DeSantis was also raising money for the GOP in Harris and Dallas counties, two of Texas’ most populous. 

The alleged rival to former President Donald J. Trump headlined a $250-a-plate fundraiser at the George R. Brown Convention Center (GRB) in Downtown Houston on Friday and graced a similar event in Dallas the next day, HPM reported. 

Per the station, DeSantis, who was reelected to Florida’s highest post last November, had just released a new book called “The Courage to Be Free.”

Late last year, Houston Daily reported, he joined Gov. Greg Abbott in taking action on illegal immigration by bussing migrants to what they call left-leaning areas. 

Abbott, whose more than a month into his third consecutive term, sent a bus of migrants to Vice President Kamala Harris’ residence in Washington, D.C. on Christmas Eve, a move that was chastised by Democrats, the publication reported. 

“The state of Florida — and the state of Texas — is where woke goes to die,” The Texas Tribune reported DeSantis as saying, taking a line from his second inaugural speech.