(FiveNation.com)- In a recent interview, former Vice President Mike Pence criticized Florida Governor Ron DeSantis over his dealings with Disney.
While appearing on CNBC’s “Squawk Box” last week, Pence commended the popular Republican governor for his actions safeguarding parental rights in public schools but argued that DeSantis’ recent move to strip Disney of its self-governing district went “beyond the scope” of what he thinks a “limited-government Republican” should do.
https://twitter.com/SquawkCNBC/status/1628393637322100737
In the same interview, Pence also ran afoul of both President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump by calling for reforms to protect Social Security and Medicare “in the long term.” Pence argued that the country’s debt crisis “over the next 25 years” is being fueled by entitlement spending but nobody in Washington is willing to discuss it.
Pence, who is considering stepping into the 2024 GOP primary race, has been trying to carve a lane for himself in a field that is dominated by Trump and DeSantis.
In a separate interview with NBC News last Friday, Pence took issue with Governor DeSantis over his recent criticism of Washington’s approach to the war in Ukraine.
When asked about the Florida governor’s position on Ukraine, Pence argued that those who believe Russian President Vladimir Putin will “stop at Ukraine” are wrong. He said there should be “no room” in the Republican Party leadership for “apologists for Putin.” He said the only people who should be leading the GOP are “champions of freedom.”
In an interview on “Fox & Friends” last Monday, DeSantis said it was not in the country’s interest to get into a “proxy war” with Russia. Asking what the “strategic objective” is in Ukraine, DeSantis said it was “not acceptable” to suggest that the objective is an “open-ended blank check.”
Calling DeSantis’ position misguided, Pence told NBC News that the US must understand the real threat of “renewed Russian aggression in Europe,” adding that he holds the position that this aggression will not stop with Ukraine.
Governor DeSantis, like Pence, has not officially announced a 2024 run. But unlike Pence, DeSantis has consistently polled as a top Republican primary contender.
In the recent Yahoo News/YouGov national primary poll, Pence is in fifth place behind Trump, DeSantis, Nikki Haley, and Mike Pompeo, garnering only 2 percent support.
