Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis in Boston to file papers for Massachusetts primary
BOSTON – Republican presidential hopeful Ron DeSantis was in Boston on Monday, officially filing his paperwork to appear on the Massachusetts primary scheduled for March 5.
The Florida governor spoke to WBZ-TV about his message for Massachusetts voters, the protests on college campuses, and the battle for House speaker.
"I think the country is on the skids," DeSantis said. "We're in a state of decline. We need to reverse that decline economically, militarily, culturally, get us on a pathway to success. I'm the guy that can get that done."
DeSantis, who graduated from Yale and Harvard Law School spoke about recent pro-Palestinian rallies on campuses over recent weeks. He was asked what his message would be to the students involved.
"It's one thing to have political opinions, everyone's got them that's fine. But to celebrate the death and destruction of over 1,200 Jews in Israel, that was deplorable," DeSantis said.
DeSantis was asked what his appeal to GOP leadership would be when it comes to the fight for Speaker of the House, which has remained vacated for 20 days for the first time ever after Republicans ousted Kevin McCarthy.
"There's a lack of leadership in Washington, D.C. So you need someone that's gonna be able to lead with an agenda that the American people get behind - then these guys will fall in line once they see the support from the public," DeSantis said. "But left to their own devices, a lot of these guys have their own agenda and I think they're leaving the American people's issues in the rear-view mirror. And when you're in elected office it's not about your issues, it's about the people that you represent."
A poll from earlier this month shows Nikki Haley in second place behind former president Donald Trump in the Republican race, followed by DeSantis.