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Candidates face off at FL Freedom Summit
Central Florida was the epicenter of the Republican race for the White House Saturday during the Florida Freedom Summit.
KISSIMMEE, Fla. - Central Florida was the epicenter of the Republican race for the White House Saturday during the Florida Freedom Summit.
The summit was hosted by the Republican Party of Florida and featured seven presidential candidates on stage making their case to voters. The crowd of roughly 1,500 people cheered most for Gov. Ron DeSantis and Former President Donald Trump.
The summit marked the first time the two Republican hopefuls were campaigning in the same place against one another. Of the two Florida men vying for the GOP's nomination, DeSantis spoke first.
DeSantis never mentioned Trump by name.
"I will get the job done as your nominee," DeSantis said. "We will not only win the presidency, we’ll win the Congress, we’ll win the Senate, we’ll win the state legislatures and school boards just like we did in the state of Florida."
Trump was the event's closer. He spoke in front of the largest and loudest crowd of the day.
Trump spoke about some of the other candidates in the race, including multiple mentions of DeSantis.
"I said, 'Let’s hit him hard right now,'" Trump said. "My people said, ‘Sir, don't hit him hard he’s a Republican.’ I said, ‘I don’t care if he’s a Republican,’ and we hit him hard, and now he’s like a wounded falling bird from the skies."
Two months from the start of the primary season with the Iowa Caucus, a new poll from the state released this week shows it's Trump race to lose at 43% while the battle for second is tightening up.
DeSantis fell into a tie for second with Nikki Haley at 16%.
Haley backed out of the summit, according to the summit's media team. FOX 35 was not given an exact reason for her withdrawal.
Saturday's crowd supported the latest polling in Iowa. Candidates who spoke out against Donald Trump were met with boos from the crowd.
Former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson led the line of speakers and said Trump could be found guilty of a felony. Hutchinson tried to speak over the booing crowd.
"It may not make any difference to you, but it will make a difference to our chances to attract independent voters in November," Hutchinson said.
Chris Christie, who's been outspoken against Donald Trump, walked out on stage to jeers from the crowd that he confronted head on.
"Your anger against the truth is reprehensible," Christie said to the crowd.
Before taking the stage, the candidates signed paperwork that ensures they’re on Florida's Republican ballot for the primary election.
The candidates will meet again next week for a debate in Miami. Trump will not be participating and will instead host a competing event at the same time in Hialeah.
Florida Democrats offered their response to the Republican forum this weekend.
Nikki Fried, Florida Democratic Party chairwoman, said Republicans have "turned this state into ground zero for MAGA extremeism."
"As we continue through tragedy after tragedy from Maine to Tampa, every 2024 Republican has made it clear that we cannot trust them to put the safety of our children and our families in their hands," Fried said.
This upcoming presidential election will be the first in Florida where more registered voters in the state identify as Republicans than Democrats.
The state presidential primary is in March.
Election Day is one year away.