Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis likely is aware of the notable quote by Mark Twain: \u201cNever wrestle with a pig. You\u2019ll both get dirty, and the pig likes it.\u201d Though Trump has already started the mudslinging, DeSantis has chosen to stay above the fray.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Previously, DeSantis referred to Trump\u2019s attacks as \u201cnoise in the background.\u201d Trump\u2019s most recent\u00a0attacks<\/a>, which included unsubstantiated claims that DeSantis was guilty of grooming underage females with alcohol, did not seem to rattle the governor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On Wednesday, DeSantis said: \u201cI face defamatory stuff every single day I\u2019ve been governor, that\u2019s just the nature of it. I\u2019d also just say this. I spend my time delivering results for the people of Florida and fighting against Joe Biden.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The governor, implying there is a better way for Trump to spend his time, added: \u201cThat\u2019s how I spend my time. I don\u2019t spend my time trying to smear other Republicans.\u201d The audience erupted in cheers.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Trump continues to assert that the governor, who in November won reelection by a historic 19.4 points, owed his political career to him \u2014 asserting that DeSantis \u201cbegged him for an endorsement in 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Trump attributes<\/a> his endorsement to DeSantis\u2019 victory, and has more than once claimed that DeSantis\u2019 campaign was in a \u201cshambles\u201d when they approached him for support. In a jab, Trump noted, \u201cthere were tears coming down from his eyes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n This week, Trump posted a low-resolution photo of a man he alleged was DeSantis standing next to several young women at a party. Trump captioned the photo:<\/p>\n\n\n\n In addition to referring to DeSantis as \u201cRon DeSanctimonious\u201d and claiming credit for his political success, Trump has called<\/a> DeSantis a \u201cglobalist\u201d and warned that it would be \u201cvery disloyal\u201d if he chose to run for president in 2024. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Trump has also attacked DeSantis on his COVID response even though Florida has led the nation in reversing lockdown orders and resisting Biden administration-pushed mask and vaccine mandates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And though, at the end of March 2020, Trump called<\/a> DeSantis a \u201cgreat governor\u201d who \u201cknows exactly what he\u2019s doing\u201d to respond to the pandemic, in recent months Trump claimed<\/a>: \u201cRon DeSanctimonious\u201d did \u201cFAR WORSE than many other Republican governors, including that he unapologetically shut down Florida.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n