Category: fox-news/person/ron-desantis

Speaker McCarthy predicts Trump will be GOP nominee, slams DeSantis as ‘not at the same level’

Posted on by Latest Political News on Fox News

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy predicted former President Trump will win the 2024 Republican presidential primary race on Sunday, bashing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as "not at the same level."

McCarthy made the comments during an appearance on Fox News' "Sunday Morning Futures" with host Maria Bartiromo. McCarthy has previously remained neutral in the GOP primary, declining to endorse Trump in July. 

"I think he will be the nominee," McCarthy said about Trump after Bartiromo asked if he thought the former president would be the party's choice for 2024. "The thing is, President Trump is stronger today than he was in 2016 or 2020, and there's a reason why. They saw the policies of what he was able to do with America – putting America first, making our economy stronger."

HOUSE SPEAKER KEVIN MCCARTHY ANNOUNCES FORMAL IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY AGAINST PRESIDENT BIDEN

"We didn't have inflation. We didn't have these battles around the world. We didn't look weak around the world," he added.

"Well it looks like Ron DeSantis is now trying to work with your colleagues who are pushing for a shutdown," Bartiromo said.

BIDEN BREAKS SILENCE ON POSSIBLE IMPEACHMENT, BLAMES GOP DESIRE TO 'SHUT DOWN THE GOVERNMENT'

"I don't think that would work anywhere. A shutdown would only give strength to the Democrats," McCarthy said. "It would give the power to Biden. It wouldn't pay our troops. It wouldn't pay our border agents."

"I actually want to achieve something, and this is where President Trump is so smart, that he was successful in this." McCarthy continued. "President Trump is beating Biden right now in the polls. He is stronger than he has ever been in this process, and, look, I served with Ron DeSantis – he's not at the same level as President Trump by any shape or form. He would not have gotten elected without President Trump's endorsement."

While McCarthy's comments do not amount to an official endorsement of Trump, they are a clear message of friendship to the former president. McCarthy had previously offended the Trump campaign with another television appearance in June.

THE SPEAKER’S LOBBY: ELECTION STRATEGY IF 2024 IS A TRUMP VS. BIDEN REMATCH

In that instance, he told CNBC that he was not sure whether Trump was the best candidate to defeat Biden. He soon apologized to Trump and recanted, sending out an email fundraiser declaring Trump to be "the STRONGEST opponent to Biden."

McCarthy's compliment to Trump comes as he faces down ardent Trump allies in the House Freedom Caucus over the ongoing budget deal.

It is unclear whether the HFC will budge, however, as several members held up McCarthy's own speakership despite Trump's endorsement.

DeSantis says Trump’s age, like Biden’s, ‘legitimate concern’ in 2024 election

Posted on by Latest Political News on Fox News

Republican presidential candidate and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Tuesday that former President Donald Trump's age, like President Biden's is "a legitimate concern" for voters heading into the 2024 race for the White House.

DeSantis made the argument during an interview appearance on "CBS Evening News," telling host Norah O'Donnell that he thinks the Founding Fathers would go back and add age limits for elected officials in the Constitution if they could.

"I think that's absolutely a legitimate concern. The presidency is not a job for someone who is 80 years old," DeSantis said when O'Donnell asked if voters should be worried about the age of each party's front-runner in the race.

WATCH: SEN. JOHN FETTERMAN GIVES OFF, ANIMATED REACTION TO NEWS OF BIDEN IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY

Biden, 80, is roughly three and a half years older than Trump, 77. DeSantis is 44.

"There's nothing wrong with being 80. Obviously, I'm the governor of Florida. I know a lot of people who are elderly. They're great people, but you're talking about a job where you need to give it 100%," he said. "We need an energetic president, and I think that if the Founders could kind of look at this again, I do think they probably would have put an age limit on some of these offices." 

He added that if he ended up becoming the Republican nominee and faced off against Biden as the Democrat nominee, "a lot of Americans … are going to want to see a generational passing of the torch."

WATCH: BIDEN CLAIMS WITHOUT EVIDENCE HE WAS AT GROUND ZERO ON DAY AFTER 9/11 ATTACKS

Although Biden's advanced age has been a consistent topic on the campaign trail, this is the first time DeSantis has directly addressed any concern over Trump's slightly younger age.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Trump and Biden campaigns for comment, but did not immediately receive responses.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

DeSantis meets with Kemp amid Trump case, impeachment calls against Fani Willis

Posted on by Latest Political News on Fox News

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis met with the governor of Georgia this week for a brief, private conversation. 

DeSantis, a candidate for the Republicans' 2024 presidential ticket, met with Governor Brian Kemp at a hotel in Buckhead, Georgia, on Friday.

The Florida governor was in the area for an appearance alongside other presidential candidates on radio host Erick Erickson's talk show.

GOV. BRIAN KEMP HASN'T RECEIVED 'ANY EVIDENCE' STATE SEN. MOORE HAS MAJORITY NECESSARY FOR WILLIS IMPEACHMENT

The two governors did not discuss endorsements, two sources with knowledge of the matter told Politico.

Fox News Digital reached out to DeSantis's and Kemp's offices for comment on the private meeting.

Kemp additionally spoke Friday with former Vice President Mike Pence, who is also running for the Republican nomination.

Kemp is doing his best to stay out of his state's ongoing racketeering case against former President Donald Trump.

GEORGIA STATE SENATOR MOVES TOWARD IMPEACHING DA FANI WILLIS OVER TRUMP CHARGES

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis held a press conference late Monday after a Fulton County grand jury handed up charges against the former president and numerous others.

The Georgia district attorney gave Trump and the other 18 individuals charged in the indictment until noon on August 25 to surrender to law enforcement.

Willis said during the press conference that she would like a trial to take place within six months.

CNN LEGAL ANALYST DOUBTS FANI WILLIS, SAYS THERE IS 'NO PLANET' WHERE TRUMP IS TRIED IN MARCH: 'NOT HAPPENING'

In a letter to the governor filed Thursday, state Sen. Colton Moore claimed to have the support of "3/5 of each respective house" in the state legislature regarding his efforts to impeach Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis.

"We have not been provided any evidence to support that assertion," spokesman Garrison Douglas told Fox News Digital. 

Moore, in a statement to Fox News Digital, clarified that the statement in the letter alluding to having a majority in both houses was not accurate.

"Tell Brian Kemp and his team to turn off CNN and open their eyes. I've done 25 TV, radio and podcast interviews with one identical message: I need 3/5 of my colleagues to sign the letter," Moore told Fox News Digital. "The people of Georgia want action, not more empty promises from fluff politicians."