Ron DeSantis’ campaign director for the 2024 presidential bid is also spearheading a campaign to legalize recreational marijuana in the state, a move that sharply contrasts with the Florida Governor’s own anti-marijuana stance.
What Happened: The two firms connected to the super PAC backing DeSantis, Axiom Strategies and Vanguard Field Strategies, have received millions from an organization advocating for legal recreational marijuana in Florida, Politico reported.
The organization, managed largely by Jeff Roe, a prominent Republican strategist, has paid these firms almost $29 million to push for a 2024 ballot initiative to legalize recreational marijuana.
Nonetheless, DeSantis firmly opposes this movement.
Axiom and Vanguard also received over $25 million from the pro-DeSantis super PAC, Never Back Down, making them the super PAC’s highest-paid vendors. This situation has led to increasing tensions between DeSantis’ campaign and Never Back Down, revealing a potential conflict of interest.
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The pro-cannabis initiative has collected more than 960,000 signatures, surpassing the required amount to qualify for the ballot. However, Ashley Moody, a DeSantis ally and Florida Attorney General, is attempting to strike the initiative down.
Why It Matters: While DeSantis has shown a willingness to accept medical marijuana use, he has consistently opposed the legalization for recreational purposes, citing concerns over the drug’s potential harm.
Earlier in August, DeSantis reiterated his opposition to legalized marijuana at a presidential campaign event in Iowa, expressing concern that children might access cannabis adulterated with fentanyl. He stated that "drugs are killing this country," and used San Francisco as an example against cannabis legalization.
However, DeSantis’ stance is a departure from his past views. In a Marijuana Moment op-ed, Justin Strekal, former political director of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), noted that DeSantis was previously seen as one of the most progressive Republicans concerning cannabis.
Photo by Hunter Crenian on Shutterstock
Read Next: Ron DeSantis Says Trump’s Chances To Win Presidency Is ‘Close To Zero’ Amid Legal Woes
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