Ron DeSantis' newest campaign ad is drawing extreme ire—even from within his own party.
Former Republican National Committee chair Michael Steele called DeSantis' ad "a**-backward blasphemy" and it's not hard to see why.
In the ad, over a background of various black and white photos of DeSantis on-stage or posing with Floridians, a voice with an added echo effect to make it seem more God-like said:
"And on the eighth day, God looked down on his planned paradise and said 'I need a protector' so God made a fighter."
"God said 'I need somebody willing to get up before dawn, kiss his family goodbye, travel thousands of miles for no other reason than to serve the people. To save their jobs, their livelihoods, their liberty, their happiness.' So God made a fighter."
"God said 'I need someone to be strong, advocate truth in the midst of hysteria. Someone who challenges conventional wisdom and isn't afraid to defend what he knows to be right and just.' So God made a fighter."
"God said 'I need somebody who'll take the arrow, stand firm in the wake of unrelenting attacks, look a mother in the eyes and tell her that her child will be in school. She can keep her job, go to church, eat dinner with friends, and hold the hand of an aging parent taking their breath for the last time.' So God made a fighter."
"God said 'I need a family man. A man who would laugh, and then sigh, and then reply with smiling eyes when his daughter said she wants to spend her life doing what dad does. So God made a fighter."
It's really not hard to see why Steele said the ad is blasphemous, since it insinuates God apparently took a full day and made DeSantis personally as part of the creation of the universe—during the same time as the creation of the sun, planets and all of the other life on Earth.
You can see the controversial ad here shared by the governor's wife:
\u201cI love you, Ron.\n\nOn behalf of millions of people, never stop fighting for freedom.\u201d— Casey DeSantis (@Casey DeSantis) 1667572202
During MSNBC's The Sunday Show this week, Steele called the ad "insulting."
Host Johnathan Capeheart played 11 seconds of the ad for the guests, including Steele, and as soon as Steele realized what was about to be shown he said "oh, no" and shook his head.
"It is some of the most a**-backwards blasphemy I’ve ever heard in my life. It is one of the dumbest political ads you could ever make."
Steele was critical of Casey DeSantis being the one who shared the ad as well.
"And to [...] have it go out under your spouse's name, it's insulting."
He continued:
"But it tells you what this white Christian nationalism is all about. That's what [the political ad] appeals to. It's not an appeal to church-going folks on a Sunday, people who actually read the Bible—'On the eighth day'? Really? Church much? I mean seriously: 'On the eighth day'?"
"What the hell are you talking about? Oh, God needs someone who’s going to go out and challenge the status quo? You ever hear of a man named Jesus?"
He finished:
"I don’t need Ron DeSantis to be Christ. I just need him to be governor, and that’s the problem. These idiots mesh it all together, and think they are one and the same."
]You can watch the MSNBC segment below
MSNBC The Sunday Showyoutu.be
Steele was definitely not the only one who vehemently disagreed with the ad.
Twitter users were equally incredulous.
@kozloski_mary/Twitter
\u201c@alaskarebel In time there wont be. It\u2019s unaffordable for the working class. Property taxes so high. Homeowners thru the roof. Rents insane. Public transit has been gutted. Tourist industry destroyed by DeStupid.\u201d— Mary \ud83c\udf4d (@Mary \ud83c\udf4d) 1667678768
\u201c@CaseyDeSantis Freedom for whom? You and your husband support white supremacists, bigots, antisemites and people who tried to overturn a valid election.\u201d— Casey DeSantis (@Casey DeSantis) 1667572202
\u201cThis ad from the Ron DeSantis campaign is unhinged. It opens up by saying god created DeSantis on the eight day and deemed him a \u201cprotector.\u201d \n\nThis is megalomaniac stuff and anyone who would release this is dangerous with any sort of political power.\nhttps://t.co/Z8lVBU62MD\u201d— Thomas Kennedy (@Thomas Kennedy) 1667841115
\u201c@CaseyDeSantis "GOD" would have nothing to do with your hateful rhetoric!\u201d— Casey DeSantis (@Casey DeSantis) 1667572202
\u201c@fred_guttenberg @CaseyDeSantis @CharlieCrist This is some of the most creepy cultist propaganda I've seen in a while & we all lived through Trump pretending to be Christian.\u201d— Casey DeSantis (@Casey DeSantis) 1667572202
\u201cRon DeSantis\u2019 new campaign ad starts with this:\n\n\u201cOn the 8th day God looked down on his planned paradise and said I need a protector. So God made a fighter."\n\nThis is what extreme narcissism and egomania looks like. It\u2019s not normal.\u201d— Thomas Kennedy (@Thomas Kennedy) 1667575852
\u201c@CaseyDeSantis That was disturbing. You're mistaken, this has nothing to do with "God". Shame on you.\u201d— Casey DeSantis (@Casey DeSantis) 1667572202
\u201cRon DeSantis puts out a campaign ad claiming he is, literally, God\u2019s gift to humanity. And Trump puts out this pic.\n\nAnd have we heard any rebukes from censorious evangelical prudes over \u201cblasphemy\u201d or \u201cfamily values\u201d?\n\nYeah, I didn\u2019t think so...\u201d— Mrs. Betty Bowers (@Mrs. Betty Bowers) 1667587791
\u201c@CaseyDeSantis .\nThat ad is completely perverting religion\u201d— Casey DeSantis (@Casey DeSantis) 1667572202
\u201c5. Does anyone else worry about Mr&Mrs DeSantis and their god complex? \n\n6. How many people saw this before release? \n\n7. Did anyone try to stop it? Laugh out loud? Gently persuade?\n\n8. @RonDeSantisFL is a megalomaniac. For real. Indisputably. Oh wow. Oh boy. Holy moly CRAY CRAY\u201d— Steve Schmidt (@Steve Schmidt) 1667599625
We will find out soon if the ad served it's intended purpose and riled up DeSantis' base, or if it instead alienated voters who may have been intending to vote for DeSantis.
Polls in Florida close tomorrow at 7pm EST.