EXCLUSIVE: Footage obtained by ABC News of Gov. Ron DeSantis' 2018 debate prep provide a glimpse into how he worked to appeal to Donald Trump's base while carving out his own lane.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis speaks at a press conference at the American Police Hall of Fame & Museum in Titusville, Fla., on May 1, 2023.was grappling with a key issue that he could soon face again during his potential 2024 bid for the White House: how to not alienate Donald Trump's base.
DeSantis goes on to suggest that he would respond by saying he would "do what I think is right," and "support [Trump's] agenda."ABC News obtained nearly two and a half hours of raw internal tapes of DeSantis' 2018 debate prep sessions that have not previously been made public.
In the 2018 tapes, DeSantis at times stands behind a podium sparring with his advisers -- which include Gaetz and then-state representative Byron Donalds -- as they role-play DeSantis' opponent and work through issues and possible responses to a range of questions, including whether he would accept funding from the NRA."I don't think the NRA is quite the boogeyman the Democrats think it is," he says later.
"I do the same thing, 'cause I have the same personality, we're both aggressive," the adviser, who is off camera, tells DeSantis.
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