Former Rep. Ron DeSantis Monday dismissed polls showing Democratic contender Andrew Gillum ahead in Florida's gubernatorial race, saying that Republicans will continue to rack up votes through early voting and on Election Day itself.
"When the president won Florida in 2016, Republicans were down significantly going into Election Day," DeSantis told Fox News' "Fox and Friends."
"With the absentee and early (ballots), and I don't have the final data, but we are either ahead or close going to Election Day and today on Monday, the Panhandle still has early voting because of the storm."
Further, many Republicans are "super voters" who choose only to vote on Election Day, not by casting early or absentee ballots.
"I think the momentum is on our side," said DeSantis. "I don't think we could have asked for a better turnout for Republicans. And we know we are going to get a good turnout on Election Day."
DeSantis also dismissed polls showing him as being behind, because he believes he will do well with Independents as well as Republicans, and spoke out against Gillum's plans for higher wages, expanded Medicaid coverage, and tax hikes.
"He wants a 40 percent tax increase," said DeSantis. "Florida's economy is humming. We have an opportunity to drive historic investment in to Florida on top of what we have already done.
"You raise taxes 40 percent, you're going to lose jobs, businesses are going to leave, and you are going to stop the flow of investment into Florida."
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.