Florida doesn’t have an illegal immigration problem. It doesn’t have a land boundary with a foreign country, and most of the immigrants from South and Central America who wind up there are refugees from countries with repressive left-wing governments. But Ron DeSantis knows that nothing–and I mean nothing–fires up the reactionary base more than illegal immigration. And so, he spent a large sum of taxpayer money to fly some Venezuelan political refugees to Martha’s Vineyard. He wanted the base to see him own the libs on immigration, and the media predictably gave him what he wanted.
DeSantis is clearly competing with Trump and Greg Abbott on this issue, but I don’t think it will end well for him. Florida taxpayers aren’t going to appreciate the misuse of their money for a transparent political stunt. Venezuelans (most of whom probably are GOP supporters) aren’t going to appreciate it, either. Finally, it appears that at least some of the refugees were misled as to the destination and the purpose of the trip. Using helpless refugees as political pawns isn’t going to play well with the American public.
DeSantis needs to realize that he can’t compete with Abbott on issues such as guns, fossil fuels, and illegal immigration. Floridians just don’t have the same opinions on these matters as Texans.