Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is getting into the retail business, and his merchandise is creating quite a stir on social media.
One T-shirt mocks Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s chief health expert, reading, “Don’t Fauci my Florida,” while another koozie reads, “How the hell am I going to be able to drink a beer with a mask on?”
A cap that displays the DeSantis logo reads, “Keep Florida free.”
The COVID-19-themed items were added to his site Monday as Florida reports a rise in new coronavirus cases amid concerns about the Delta variant and hospitalizations. The state reported 26 new infections per 100,000 residents last week, according to The Washington Post’s rolling seven-day average.
DeSantis became well-known for his controversial leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic, when he refused to impose a statewide mask mandate while the rest of the country was still shut down. More than 38,000 Floridians have died from COVID-19, The New York Times reported.
Democrats continue to criticize DeSantis, saying the governor failed to protect Florida residents during the worst of the pandemic.
“Ron DeSantis’ failure to protect Floridians during this pandemic will go down in history as one of the greatest catastrophes in Florida history,” a post from Ron Be Gone, a Democratic-run group, reads.
But for Republicans, DeSantis is quickly becoming the first choice for those willing to look beyond former President Donald Trump.
DeSantis, who is up for reelection next year, is rumored to be a potential candidate in the 2024 presidential election. DeSantis hasn’t publicly weighed in.
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