Protesters in Florida are calling for Gov. Ron DeSantis to be removed from office during a rally that was held at 12 p.m. Wednesday at Orlando City Hall.
Student activist Jack Petocz, who called DeSantis’ time in office a “reign of terror,” has been promoting the event on his Twitter page. Petocz shared a video accusing DeSantis of “Signing the discriminatory ‘Don’t Say Gay’ law, advocating for dangerous gun policy, limiting critical reproductive health care, disenfranchising people of color and refusing to institute common-sense COVID-19 measures.”
Petocz organized a walkout over the Parental Rights in Education Act, known to critics as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. The rally brought two DeSantis’ critics, Congressman Charlie Crist and Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, to one stage.
Both were heard blasting what they call the governor’s and Republicans’ “culture war.”
“He’s anti-women, anti-Black, anti-senior, anti-people anti-democracy. Enough is enough,” Crist said.
“Today is the day that we tell Ron DeSantis that his policies, that his racism, his antisemitism, is done!” Fried said.
Gen Z voters are typically under age 25. They’re digitally connected, passionate about climate change, and more racially and ethnically diverse.
“Politics is a game, you know, where it’s a matter of ‘you scratch my back I scratch your back so we can get things done.’ And we want someone who goes in and says ‘no.’ This is what needs to be done for the people,” voter Aaron Amede said.
“Even among Democratic leaders, there has been a lack of bipartisanship,” voter Genevieve Timm said.
That has them trying to figure out if Crist, a former Republican governor and state lawmaker, is a true Democrat. And if Fried, a former lobbyist, and current cabinet member, is just part of the same old political “system.” Crist has agreed to one primary debate but is so far indicating he may not accept further debate invitations.
“I don’t think so. I need to be out talking to people, going person to person,” he said.
“Him not debating is a slap in the face to the voters of our state,” Fried said.
According to polling collected by Real Clear Politics, Crist leads Fried and Miami State Sen. Annette Taddeo by wide margins but still trails DeSantis by nine points.
