The Trump-aligned MAGA Inc. political action committee accused Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis of wanting to raise federal taxes, dubbing him “Ron DeSalesTax” in a new ad Friday that references his support for the Fair Tax Act during his time in Congress, a new line of attack that comes as DeSantis will reportedly launch a run for president next week.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks during the annual Feenstra Family Picnic at the Dean Family Classic ... [+]
“We Can’t Afford Ron DeSalesTax,” the narrator states in the ad, which features a jingle set to the tune of the nursery rhyme, “Old MacDonald Had A Farm.”
The ad notes DeSantis’ support during his time in Congress for the Fair Tax Act, legislation that has been introduced repeatedly by congressional Republicans dating back to the 1990s and most recently in January by Rep. Earl “Buddy” Carter (R-Ga.).
The legislation, which DeSantis co-sponsored in 2013, 2015 and 2017, would replace income, estate, payroll and gift taxes with a 23% national sales tax.
The ad follows a similar attack ad MAGA Inc. debuted last week that accuses DeSantis of wanting to raise taxes on the middle class, while claiming Trump “cut taxes a lot” during his time in the White House.
The Never Back Down PAC supporting DeSantis fired back at the first ad with a video montage of Trump musing about the possibility of a “fair tax” in various TV news interviews during his first run for president, though Trump was broadly suggesting ways to simplify the tax code.
The ad comes as DeSantis will reportedly launch his presidential campaign next week. The Florida governor has been ramping up his state and national political activity ahead of his widely expected entrance into the race. He signed a string of bills over the past week that align with his right-wing culture wars in Florida that will likely serve as a platform for his presidential campaign. He also took one of his most direct shots at Trump to date earlier this week over Trump’s refusal to take a stance on Florida’s six-week abortion ban.
Disney canceled plans Thursday for a $1 billion office complex in Orange County, Fla. amid a feud with DeSantis stemming from the company’s rebuke of Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” law. Disney theme park and consumer products chairman Josh D’Amaro attributed the decision to “considerable changes that have occurred since the announcement of this project, including new leadership and changing conditions,” he reportedly wrote in an email to employees that did not mention DeSantis. The move is widely viewed as a rebuke of the Florida governor, who took control of the board that oversees Disney’s special district. The board voted to reverse an agreement that would have given Disney broad control over the district, prompting the company to file a lawsuit against the board and the state that accuses them of a “targeted campaign of government retaliation.”
National sales tax becomes focal point for Trump-DeSantis war (Politico)
New Trump super PAC ad paints DeSantis as tax hiker (NBC)
DeSantis Will Reportedly Run For President Next Week—Here's What We Know About His Campaign (Forbes)