Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis Shows He Has a Firm Grasp of the Right to Keep and Bear Arms [VIDEO]

By
Dan Zimmerman
-
63

 

Last week, Gun Owners of America Florida Director Luis Valdes made news by asking Governor Ron DeSantis if he supports open adding open carry to the permitless concealed carry bills currently moving through the Florida legislature.

Today DeSantis delivered his annual state of the state message and was asked about the open carry in a press conference that followed. As you can see in the video above, he displays a better working knowledge of open carry and permitless concealed carry that most elected officials.

The Florida legislature is back in session as of today. The permitless carry bill only needs a final vote of the full House. On the Senate side, it has one committee it still has to clear before a vote of the full body. Adding open carry provisions to the bills would not require them to start the process all over again. The only question is whether the GOP leadership on both sides are willing to do that. DeSantis’ statements have removed an excuse they’ve used to avoid that so far.

Watch this space.

 

[h/t Matt Collins]

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63 COMMENTS

  1. Don’t expect it but would be cool. Hoping to hear more about South Carolina and what their version will mean to NY (and a few other states) permits that don’t share reciprocity.

    • DeSantis is a good man and all however it does not take a rocket scientist to understand a Concealed Carry Permit is the state Taking a Constitutional Right from you and Selling it back to you.

      • however???

        Did you miss the part where DeSantis is calling for the legislature to pass permit less carry AND open carry (AKA Constitutional carry)?

    • “Hoping to hear more about South Carolina and what their version will mean to NY (and a few other states) permits that don’t share reciprocity.”

      Lawsuits. As far as I’m concerned, unless the carrier is legally-prohibited from owning a gun, they are good-to-go for carrying it nationwide…

      • Hoping we wont need to spend dollars there but that may be what eventually happens.

  3. Good lord. A politician who actually knows what the hell he’s talking about, is coherent, is fluent, is reasonable, and doesn’t talk to us like we’re 3-year-olds.

    Everything I wish Trump would have been. But he just isn’t. God willing, Trump will just give up and not go for a deranged 3rd party campaign, and then DeSantis sweeps 47 states like Reagan (it’s too much to ask that he carry California and New York).

    • … sort of like cheering on your “gifted” next door neighbor at the local Special Olympics, it’s something that you just feel compelled to do?

    • “God willing, Trump will just give up and not go for a deranged 3rd party campaign,…”

      If he does, (and I expect he will) it will be 1990’s H. Ross Perot all over again, and the Leftist Scum ™ wins in 2024… 🙁

    • “God willing, Trump will just give up and not go for a deranged 3rd party campaign”

      Remember the fear mongering over this same issue in 2015-2016? What’s old is new again.

  4. Everyone I know says the same thing. We would love him as the President of the United States, we would hate to lose him as the Governor of Florida. This guy is not kidding.

    • I feel the same way about Abbott, so I understand. But damn, after the wokeness and the violence and the homeless and the murders and everything else, can’t you just see DeSantis sweeping at least 47 states? Maybe even CA and NY would come around, like they did for Reagan. Nothing would be better for the country than some good old fashioned agreement.

      I voted for Trump twice, and I am very grateful for what he did for this country, and if he’s the nominee this time I will vote for him again. But listening to his CPAC speech, and comparing that to this 30 seconds of DeSantis, man, there’s just no comparison at all.

      • Greg Abbott as President? No way.

        DeSantis is a leader with principles, and is willing to bust heads if necessary. Abbott is just a political weathervane. He’s better than Beto or whomever the Texas Dems put up, and he was a pretty good AG, but presidential material he’s not.

    • DeSantis is young enough he could run for Governor again after serving as president if he wanted to…

  5. And yet he has, on several occasions, prohibited the public from concealed carrying at events he has spoken at. Remember, Florida is known for swamps too.

    • prohibited the public from concealed carrying at events he has spoken at

      That is not a decision that DeSantis has any control over, those in charge of his security (FSP) make the determination of how much protection they can provide… I don’t see a problem, as he grows in National popularity the possibility of some left-wing nut job trying to take him out just increases exponentially… Gabby Giffords, Lee Zelden, Irans death threats toward Trump come to mind… At least now he is “on the record” and that should answer all those doubters from the weekend… I believe we will get open carry in the bill and it will be signed into law…

      • this is not true. leaked emails have shown that the request came from him but that he wanted it to appear as if the request was from other LEO agencies or venue admins.

        • Let me guess you got that from dacian or Minerva or CNN?…

          The way I heard it was that emails from Gov DeSantis CAMPAIGN (that is not DeSantis directly) had two requests for the Tampa Convention Center, the downtown venue that hosted the governor’s November election night celebration: no guns and no fingers pointing at the campaign for seeking such a prohibition… FDLE makes security determinations and based on security threats, FDLE encourages private and public venues to limit weapons when hosting the Governor and First Family at large events. In the Washington Post report, DeSantis campaign officials said they follow the guidance of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement in an effort to keep the governor safe… The original post stated “several events” (THAT was only one), I’m interested in hearing about ALL of them… I did find 10 different stories, all from left wing media and ALL about the same event…

    • Rob, I know a few guys that have provided security in Florida from the Governor to Pope John Paul II. The principal has zero input into his security. At least if he’s smart he doesn’t. I don’t care if he was a naval officer. Well, at least some naval officers. And most of their NCOs.

  6. Yeah, he has such a firm grasp that he has insisted on speaking in gun-free venues, even violating state law to do make them gun-free.

    • The fascist left would like nothing better than for security to be taken down around promising candidates for America.

    • KBCraig, feel free not to live in/visit Florida. And I hope you don’t rue the day you didn’t vote for DeSantis.

    • You wouldn’t make a pimple on his ass son. Seal team officer is why he knows what the hell guns are. I bet he shoots real good too.

      • Not a Seal… He deployed to Iraq with Seal Team One as an advisor, but never went through Seal training, BIG difference… Don’t know about his shooting skills but that was not a major priority for regular Navy personnel… qualifying is limited to handguns only

        • Trump is going to eat Desanctimonous for lunch. Already Trump’s poll numbers are going up against him. Knute just called him crazy.. Trump’s got more photos than just the one he put up on Truth Social of him drinking with high schoolers when he was a teacher.

        • Maybe things are different now. I qualified with the 1911, M14, pump shotgun, M60, and fam fired Ma Duce multiple times. All as regular Navy.

        • Not when I was in the navy 81-88. We had 1911, mossburg 500, m-14, .50 and phalanx.

        • That’s nice but now it’s the Baretta M9 semi-auto 9mm pistol…
          There is no requirement to complete a rifle qualification to serve in the U.S. Navy, unlike other military branches.
          The Navy does require that every new recruit learn how to handle a shotgun (Mossberg 500) though no awards exist for shotgun qualification. M-14 in 81-88? hmmmmmmmmmm, I got out in 75 and the Corps hadn’t issued an M14 since I carried one in Vietnam in 72…

        • So he was a Harpies Seal. If I was a seal I wouldn’t want to go to a desert, the man’s got some grit, its left over sand stuck in his flippers.
          Rah rah rah
          Sish boom bah
          Bought a bra two sizes small
          Got her under the arm pits
          Raw raw raw

    • good looks don’t make a gy smart, nor ugly make a guy stupid/corrupt.

      It is what a man DOES that matters. Its not how his cells happen to be arranged.

    • Dude, have you seen his wife?? I heartily doubt he worries about takes like this. Google Casey DeSantis.

  9. I’ll believe him when he actually signs the bill. He refuses to hold the RINO legislature’s feet to the fire, and he prohibits law-abiding citizens from attending his rallies while armed. WAKE UP, FLORIDA!!!

  10. But, but, but, he doesn’t support legalizing drugs. He doesn’t support drag Queen story hour. He doesn’t support little kids participating and drag Queen sex shows!!!
    He doesn’t support CRT in the classrooms!!!

    How can any real serious libertarian liberal or leftist gun owner support this evil man!!!
    /s

  11. moderation???

    It’s really sad. This website is turning into what was portrayed in the movie “Cabaret”.
    No humor allowed.

      • Thanks, So misspelled words are now okay? Amazing. My English teachers are rolling over in their graves.

        • So misspelled words are now okay?

          Maybe not generally OKAY, but sometimes it is necessary to defeat the dreaded “currently awaiting MODERATION” algorithm… Just had a reply languish in “moderation” for 12 hours and I still can’t figure out what was wrong with it, just a simple explanatory reply, no profanity, no personal attacks, it was a totally innocuous response much like this one… Kind of defeats the purpose of a forum…

        • FYI:

          someone
          else
          You can’t put the above two words together.

          Also:
          d-r-i-n-k-i-n-g
          l-o-t-t-e-r-y
          c-a-s-i-n-o

  12. I wish the very best for Florida. I would love to see Florida go with permitless concealed and open carry.

    Alas, even if Florida only ushers in permitless concealed carry, that is still a step in the right direction.

  13. DeSantis won’t allow the attenddees to his rallies to conceal or open carry. DeSantis is a hypocrite IMO. I also think he’ll say whatever wil keep his job, and then not do what he said.
    He’s being groomed by the establishment (“Old Guard”) GOP member to keep Trump from winning (they hope). DeSantis needs to stay Gov. of Florida.

    • You have obviously not been paying attention… The “establishment” groomers are MORE scared of DeSantis than they are of Trump… DeSantis is as far from what the DC crowd wants as you are from informed, fact-based commentary…

    • “He’s being groomed by the establishment (“Old Guard”) GOP member to keep Trump from winning (they hope).”

      While that’s true, I think it’s more of an ego thing at this point. The establishment hates Trump for offering a different vision. He made them look like fools. Trump remade the neocon, globalist Republican party into a populist party. They would look even worse if Trump got reelected.

      DeSantis isn’t afraid to take on powerful corporations which is a big plus. We’ll have to see how he views international relations.

      “DeSantis is as far from what the DC crowd wants”

      At a minimum, Jeb Bush, Karl Rove, and Paul Ryan have endorsed DeSantis. They’re as establishment as they come.

      • At a minimum, Jeb Bush and Paul Ryan have endorsed DeSantis.

        Only as an alternative to TRUMP, Ryan even said he would NOT attend the NRC if Trump was the nominee… Who else would they endorse, Nicky Haley? “Endorsement is a long way from “grooming”…

        • For sure, grooming’s not the word. Nicky Haley’s more in line with them, but she won’t win. DeSantis has a good shot. The funny thing is, more establishment people endorsing him will mean more populist voters avoiding him. If anything, they’re helping Trump with the endorsement talk. 98% of the Right is sick and tired of decades of neocon failure.

  14. ADD I didn’t say I was a jarhead, I was a proud squid. I wasn’t issued anything, when we had a security alert, or boarding party, went to the armory and gunners mate give you your weapon. Our ammunition for 1911 was leftover from WWII. M-14 was mainly used to shoot projectile with messenger attached to pull lines from one ship to another for unrepping. Take apparatus to hold projectile off the end of the barrel ready to go. I was very fortunate, I didn’t face combat, nothing much happening 81-88. Small crew big ship meant more work per sailor. Only twidget I know went to nbc school. You don’t believe me, fuckoff.

    • Don’t recall saying YOU were in the Corps, I simply stated the last time I saw an M14 was in 72 while serving in Vietnam as a Marine, had to requalify twice after that and was given an M16, Also didn’t say I did not believe you I was just questioning why the Navy would still use the 14 in the 80s which you just clarified (a simple explanation would have been sufficient) so YOU can take your shit attitude and fuckoff as well… …

  15. Hair trigger, much? Ease off. Ya’d think the guy wuz trynna knock ya upside yer haid. Mebbe that’ud knock a bit of kindness into it.

  16. Reminds me of the scene in Patton, when he says I won’t drink with a Russian son of a bitch. Your a son of a bitch too. By god I can drink to that, one son of a bitch to another! We both fuck off. I appreciate that you went to Nam, and that I didn’t have people shooting at me.

Comments are closed.