Gage Skidmore

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in 2018.

In early 2023, Florida Governor and Republican presidential candidate Ron Desantis was praised by conservatives for his “Don’t Say Gay” legislation and successful attacks on the AP African American Studies curriculum. However, his recent condemnation of the Jacksonville shooter has left many Republican primary voters wondering if he is racist enough to take the office of president.

Trigger-happy neo-Nazis, a sizable demographic of the Desantis bloc, were left feeling abandoned after their candidate formally condemned the actions of Ryan Palmeter, the Jacksonville gunman who shot and killed three Black people in a racially motivated attack last month.

The GOP has said that aside from candidates’ ability to shout over reporters and deny basic facts, candidates’ racism will be a significant factor in who they decide to nominate.

“Racial issues are going to play a huge role in this election season,” said election analyst Bobby Lee. 

“The result of this primary will hinge on whether voters feel comfortable committing violent hate crimes under their candidate’s leadership,” said Lee.

Desantis’ non-racist stance on these issues is expected to cause him to drop in the polls, where he is already trailing behind former president Donald Trump, who once refused to condemn trigger-happy neo-Nazis after the 2017 Unite the Right rally.

“I just don’t know if I can count on him to make the racist decision in office,” said Floridian Republican voter and Klan member, Jimmy Ray.

“I’m still trying to decide which racist would be the best nominee,” says an anonymous long-time Republican primary voter, “I’ve been voting racist since I helped flood the streets of Compton with crack.”

Will Desantis be able to do something racist enough to win the nomination, or will his political career be stunted by his capacity for rational human empathy?

I honestly don’t care. Tobbe out.