Donald Trump’s abhorrent proposal to ban all Muslims from entering the country has had the strange effect of uniting the crowded primary field vying to win the #PartyofTrump’s senate nomination in Florida. Congressmen Ron DeSantis and David Jolly, and Lieutenant Governor Carlos Lopez-Cantera will not say if they would oppose Trump should he win the GOP nomination.
- Rep. Ron DeSantis STILL refuses to condemn the comments Trump made, and has not said if he will support presidential nominee Trump.
- Lt. Governor Carlos Lopez-Cantera took over five hours to respond to requests for comment on the offensive proposal, and has not said if he will support presidential nominee Trump.
- Rep. David Jolly was pressed twice by Chuck Todd if he would support Trump if he wins the nomination, but still wouldn’t say.
“No amount of hemming and hawing by the Florida Republican Senate candidates will distract from the fact that these candidates have left the door open to supporting the toxic Republican presidential frontrunner,” said Lauren Passalacqua, DSCC National Press Secretary. “Instead of refusing to support Trump should he win the nomination DeSantis, Lopez-Cantera, and Jolly are hedging their bets against their popular new standard bearer in hopes that it will help their chances at winning the Senate nomination.”
BACKGROUND:
DeSantis Did Not Respond To Requests To Comment On Donald Trump’s Call To Stop Allowing Muslims Into The U.S.“We’ve reached out to prominent Florida elected officials and candidates. Here’s a compilation of reactions to Trump which we will update throughout the day. […] Republican U.S. Senate candidate Ron DeSantis: No response so far to a request for comment.” [Tampa Bay Times,12/8/15]
- Tampa Bay Times’ Adam Smith: “Those Who Choose Not To React, Pro Or Con, Tell Us As Much About Them As Those Who Do.” “We’ve reached out to prominent Florida elected officials and candidates. Here’s a compilation of reactions to Trump which we will update throughout the day. Those who choose not to react, pro or con, tell us as much about them as those who do.” [Tampa Bay Times, 12/8/15]
Lopez-Cantera Took Over Five Hours To Respond To Requests To Comment On Donald Trump’s Call To Stop Allowing Muslims Into The U.S. “Republican U.S. Senate candidate Carlos Lopez-Cantera. No response so far for a request for comment (More than five hours after we first requested comment) ‘As a husband and father, I like so many, am concerned about the threats confronting America and her allies, but we need to be focused on holding the president accountable for his failures to take the threat of ISIS seriously and demand a plan to eradicate ISIS. A religious test is not a strategy to defeat ISIS.'” [Tampa Bay Times, 12/8/15]
- Lopez-Cantera On Trump’s Comments: “We Need To Be Focused On Holding The President Accountable For His Failures To Take The Threat Of ISIS Seriously And Demand A Plan To Eradicate ISIS. A Religious Test Is Not A Strategy To Defeat ISIS.” “We’ve reached out to prominent Florida elected officials and candidates. Here’s a compilation of reactions to Trump which we will update throughout the day. Those who choose not to react, pro or con, tell us as much about them as those who do. […] Republican U.S. Senate candidate Carlos Lopez-Cantera. No response so far for a request for comment (More than five hours after we first requested comment) ‘As a husband and father, I like so many, am concerned about the threats confronting America and her allies, but we need to be focused on holding the president accountable for his failures to take the threat of ISIS seriously and demand a plan to eradicate ISIS. A religious test is not a strategy to defeat ISIS.'” [Tampa Bay Times, 12/8/15]
