DeSantis stresses stricter stance on education, southern border at Laconia campaign stop

LACONIA — Republican presidential hopeful Ron DeSantis, governor of Florida, made sure to share his views on the Israel-Palestine war, education, transgender policy, and the southern border before answering questions during a campaign stop on Monday at the 405 Pub & Grill.

The restaurant, more intimate compared to other venues DeSantis has spoken in, was filled to the brim with supporters. The sea of heads was speckled with red, blue and camouflage hats, all of which read “DeSantis 2024,” handed out at the door. 

When DeSantis walked onto the stage, he emphasized that most of his time would be dedicated to questions, after highlighting his campaign platform. His stance is for stricter policies on education, the southern border and transgender issues, and pointed to Democrats' failure to bring more people home from Israel amid the war. 

He also focused on criticism of fellow presidential candidate former President Donald Trump.

“I just think the party going forward, we have a choice to make,” DeSantis said. “Trump, I don’t think, can get elected in this country.”

But when referencing President Joe Biden and Democrats, he believes that he himself is the best alternative to Trump.

“The election they don't want is to have a guy like me holding Biden accountable every single day,” DeSantis said. “Making this election a referendum on Biden's failure, liberalism's failures and showing that we have a pathway to a better future for our policies and our vision.”

Many supporters who attended the event agree that DeSantis is the candidate capable of enforcing conservative Republican values, like his work in Florida fighting against COVID restrictions during the pandemic, abortion restrictions and being tough on illegal immigration. Christopher Abbate of Bow supports DeSantis in the hope he will create accountability.

“We have a weaponization of our federal government,” Abbate said. “A lot of the Bill of Rights had been trampled. They've been picking and choosing who they enforce laws against and who they don't, just based on politics, which I don't think is right. And [DeSantis] said that he's going to clean house with that. He's going to really address that, which that is important to me.”