DeSantis’ New Hampshire Visit Sparks Backlash From Republican Women’s Group

The governor’s visit to the Granite State scheduled for Tuesday has been met with backlash from The New Hampshire Federation of Republican Women. A GOP strategist warns this could be “death by a thousand cuts.”

Like every presidential hopeful before him, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis knows the importance of scoring a win in the New Hampshire primary elections. The Granite State has long been known to be a decisive battleground for candidates and can jumpstart his or her path to the nomination—or crush it. 

Instead, DeSantis’ visit to the state scheduled for Tuesday, June 27, is being met with swift backlash from The New Hampshire Federation of Republican Women, the largest grassroots Republican women’s organization in the first-in-the-nation primary state.

Last week, the group issued a scathing statement slamming DeSantis for planning an event at the same time as their annual fundraising lunch. The group expressed disappointment in DeSantis’ decision and asked the governor to reschedule.

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“It has always been a New Hampshire hallmark to be considerate when scheduling events,” the group’s events director, Christine Peters, said in the statement. “To have a candidate come in and distract from the most special event [the group] holds in the year is unprecedented.”

DeSantis’ ‘Worst Strategic Move’

DeSantis already has a strike against him in the libertarian-leaning state where the majority of voters identify as “pro-choice”: the six-week abortion ban he signed in Florida. But instead of rescheduling to appease the backlash, DeSantis’ camp ignored the group’s complaints, saying their event is in a different part of the state. 

New Hampshire-based Republican strategist Mike Dennehy called DeSantis’ move “stupid” and “the worst strategic move he has exhibited thus far. You don’t take on the New Hampshire Federation of Republican Women.”

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This adds to DeSantis’ growing problem with women voters. A Data for Progress poll conducted between March 17 and April 8 found that the majority of women voters are against several policies enacted by DeSantis and the conservative-majority Florida Legislature. These included making abortion illegal after six weeks of pregnancy, which was opposed by 54% of women and supported by 35%; and allowing individuals to carry concealed guns without a permit or training, which was opposed by 75% and supported by 19%.

The Show Does Go On

For their part, The New Hampshire Federation of Republican Women is moving on with their plans to host what members are calling their largest and most successful 76th Annual Lilac Luncheon fundraiser to date, with a sold-out crowd. The featured special guest: former president Donald J. Trump. During Trump’s 2016 run for president, New Hampshire gave him his first primary win. 

Will history repeat itself? 

According to GOP strategist Dennehy, if DeSantis doesn’t turn this gaffe around, “it could be death by a thousand cuts.”

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