BLUFFTON, S.C. (WSAV) — South Carolina could be a key state in the Republican presidential primary. One candidate is already starting to stump for votes in the Palmetto State.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) kicked off his presidential campaign tour of the state with a first stop in Bluffton on Friday. Hundreds of people showed up to Okatie Ale House to hear what he had to say.
Supporters began lining up for the rally before 8 a.m. trying to watch the candidate driving home the point that he should be the next man in the White House.
“It’s his policies,” said Kristin Constantine, who came to the rally from Savannah. “We need to protect our border and parents need to have a choice. This country, this economy. This world is horrible its going down the drain.”
“He is a good candidate in that he doesn’t over-tweet,” smiled Melanie Frank, a Navy veteran and Sun City resident. “There’s not a whole lot of emotion. Its facts. I’m going to do a good job. I’m a businessman, and we need somebody like that to run the country.”
DeSantis riled up the crowd by bringing up President Joe Biden, starting with his trip and fall on Thursday.
“The images of Biden yesterday stumbling down and you don’t want to see anyone do that,” the governor said. “But it was frustrating because honestly, that was symbolic of the state of our country. Our country continues to stub its toe. Our country continues to trip and fall, our country continues to go in the wrong direction.
“And I don’t have to tell you, just look.”
DeSantis criticized many of Biden’s policies, including his handling of the economy, his values and regaining control of the country.
He moved on to the current state of government in Washington, painting himself as an outsider.
“We have elites in DC that are pursuing an agenda that is good for them not for you,” said the governor. “They are pursuing an agenda that is not good for us, but they are imposing their agenda on us.”
Touting his own economic and social successes in Florida, DeSantis started to make promises for his first term in the White House.
“We will reverse Biden’s disastrous economic policies that are making it harder on American families,” said DeSantis to applause. “We are going to open up America’s energy production so we can be energy independent.”
He made big statements about how he is taking down the “woke mob” in his state and would continue that in the country if elected.
DeSantis closed with the idea that current leaders are more worried about getting elected and re-elected than running the country. He says that is not his plan.
“I’m going to do the right thing for the right reasons and let the chips fall where they may.”
This was the first of three stops in South Carolina on Friday as DeSantis wraps up the four-day “Our Great American Comeback” Tour, which encompassed 12 cities and towns across Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina.
