Florida Governor and Republican presidential hopeful Ron DeSantis indicated that if he is elected president, four federal agencies would be on the chopping block.
Speaking with Fox News’ Martha MacCallum on Wednesday, he indicated his support for eliminating the Internal Revenue Service, the Department of Education, the Department of Energy, and the Department of Commerce. By doing so, he said he would “reduce the size and scope of government.”
"Establishment" candidates don't run on axing federal agencies.
DeSantis suggests he would eliminate several federal agencies, including IRS https://t.co/k4ceAKFWgZ
— Liberty First 1776 🇺🇸 (@PrimoLibertas76) June 29, 2023
The former U.S. representative said he supported their demise if Congress would work with his White House to eradicate them. As that may not happen, DeSantis touted his backup plan.
If Congress did not cooperate, he would use his presidential power to push the agencies to counteract “leftism” and “woke ideology.”
The candidate gave an example of implementing the power of the Department of Education to “reverse all that transgender sports stuff.” Either way, he called the result a “win for conservatives.”
This is hardly new territory for conservative Republicans. Former President and current frontrunner Donald Trump also called for the abolition of the Department of Education, and others have targeted federal agencies for extinction.
For DeSantis, this statement further solidifies his stance on downsizing the federal government and its cumbersome bureaucracy. He had previously indicated his support for eliminating the IRS.
The Florida governor frequently targets federal agencies for what he and many conservatives believe is the weaponization of Washington by the left. He also pledged to clean house if elected president.
As for that election, surveys show he has a substantial amount of ground to gain if he is to catch Trump. DeSantis occupies the middle territory in the Republican field. While he far outpaces the pack gathered at the bottom of the contenders, he now sees Trump’s lead over second place widening.
The latest Reuters/Ipsos poll showed roughly 43% of likely Republican voters backing Trump compared to 22% for DeSantis. And those are some of the rosier numbers.
In the pivotal primary state of New Hampshire, the Saint Anselm College Surver Center poll released Tuesday showed that Trump holds 47% of GOP support in the state. That far outpaces the 19% garnered by DeSantis, and no one else had more than 6%.
