What They Are Saying: “Governor DeSantis was solid.” “Won the debate.” “He was presidential.” “Crisp and aggressive throughout.”
New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu on CNN: DeSantis did very well... He got to look right in the camera, make a strong case do exactly what he needed to do. He, I think sure shored up his conservative credentials, if you will, he looked presidential.
Erick Erickson on NewsNation: HOST: In your opinion, Eric, who walked away a winner last night?
ERICKSON: I think DeSantis did because no one took him out. He stayed above the fray. He answered the questions kind of led the stage to a degree there from the center, refusing that one point to raise his hand on climate change.
New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu on CNBC: That Governor DeSantis’ opportunity. He looked right in the camera, he was clear, he was concise, I think he looked very presidential. He wasn’t being attacked and that have him a lane to really make his case directly.”
Brian Kilmeade on Fox News' Fox & Friends: Governor DeSantis was solid. I think the most pressure going in was on Governor DeSantis shoulders.
Mark Levin: The most loathsome hosts and reporters are desperate for the GOP candidates to try to destroy DeSantis. That tells you something.
Stuart Varney on Fox Business: Here’s my take from the leading candidates of the debate. DeSantis: strong and forceful.
Mary Katherine Ham in Outkick: DeSantis had the most striking moment of the first half of the debate when he short-circuited a raise-your-hands question on man-made climate change with the retort, “We are not schoolchildren,” before launching into his experience being on the ground dealing with natural disasters. That pivot would preview DeSantis’ strategy throughout the debate. Paraphrased, it goes something like this: “Gimme a topic, any topic. Yeah, I did that thing. Let me tell you what I did. It happened in Florida. Results.”
Howard Kurtz in Fox News Digital: DeSantis helps himself the most … Ron DeSantis was crisp and aggressive throughout.
May Mailman on Fox Business’ Mornings with Maria: I think that Ron DeSantis actually met or even exceeded expectations and those expectations were sky high. SI think people say he dodged some questions, yeah, he answered the question that he wanted to, which is, 'I have a record in Florida. Look what I have done. I'm not just words, I've actually done stuff.' And so to answer that question, to point to his record is not dodging the question, it is showing what he would do as a president. And I thought that he did a better job than expected and therefore he, I would say, won the debate.
Rob Smith on Fox News' Fox & Friends: Ron DeSantis is really the only one who can point to actual legislation and actual things he did to combat woke stuff. He is really strong on that.
Retired NYPD Paul Mauro on Fox News' Fox & Friends:: I would argue Ron DeSantis has the best record to run on here. He can point to a couple of prosecutors he got out of office.
Campaign Manager James Uthmeier on Fox News Radio: We're very excited about how the night went. I think without a doubt, Ron DeSantis was the winner last night. He shined above the rest of the field as there were fights and spats and back and forths. He was the only one that looked like a president, that showed a vision for the future of the country that will stop American decline. I think the New York Post headlines said it best last night that he was indeed the winner and he proved himself to be the only candidate that can be both Donald Trump and Joe Biden.
Congressman Chip Roy on Fox News' Hannity: I'm proud to endorse Ron DeSantis. And I think tonight, he showed why he's the clear leader. I think he was the clear winner of the debate. He was speaking directly to the American people. He showed how his track record in Florida is something that the American people can get behind, because they're frankly, sick of the noise. There's a lot of noise on that stage. There's a lot of bickering and talking to each other. Ron DeSantis was the guy who was standing up there as a guy who served in the military who demonstrated how you would use that to be commander in chief, and showed that he believes that this is a country in decline, and that the Florida blueprint will provide a path for us to get this country back.
Deputy Campaign Manager David Polyansky on Meet the Press Now: That's exactly what we hoped for and more. Governor DeSantis stepped to the pay the stage tonight and he delivered a bit a win a win on the debate stage because he looked presidential, he acted presidential. More importantly, he painted a vision for the country that he will drive home as our next president, and we couldn't be happier.
Christian Whiton in Daily Caller: DeSantis in particular reminded voters how the next fourteen months can be about fighting the Left with new ideas about governance and defining America’s future as opposed to relitigating Trump’s 2020 loss to Joe Biden, whether fair or not, and other matters of the past. He alone combined aspiration with accomplishment.
National Spokeswoman Carly Atchsion on Newsmax's Wake Up America: I think Ron DeSantis made a really strong case for why he's prepared, how he's the best candidate to defeat Joe Biden reverse this nation's decline. You saw somebody who was mission focused--He's the only veteran in this race--make his case to the American people. You saw him point out the reality that under the Trump administration, when we needed leadership the most, the reigns were handed over to DC bureaucrats like Dr. Anthony Fauci, who ran this country into the ground and locked us down for years, which was devastating for American families. Ron DeSantis had a great night, he was presidential, he rose above the fray, he made his case to the American people. It was a great night.
Pete Snyder on Fox News’ Ingraham Angle: When we had the worst calamity that hit our country since World War Two, the only leader in America who stood up and opened up our economy and fought for small business and fought for freedom was Ron DeSantis. Hands down. You just said it. President Trump allowed the bureaucrats and the CDC and Tony Fauci to take over America. And that wouldn't happen under Ron DeSantis. He's fought for our economy, fought to make sure that small businesses were opened in Florida and that students were back in the classroom and that's what we'll do for America: fight.
