Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis found himself at the center of a peculiar and unhygienic incident during his recent visit to Iowa.
A video clip that surfaced on social media last week shows DeSantis' hand making an unfortunate journey from his own nose and mouth to patting a supporter on the back.
The cringe-worthy interaction occurred as the apparent supporter encouraged DeSantis not to "back down" amid the ongoing controversies surrounding his feud with Disney and other contentious actions.
You can see the moment in the video below.
\u201cRon DeSantis wiped his snot on a man in Iowa\u201d— MeidasTouch (@MeidasTouch) 1684534876
The timing of the incident raised eyebrows and sparked discussions online.
Many expressed surprise and disgust at the governor's lack of awareness of public health and safety.
\u201c@MeidasTouch That's the Super Spreader move in Florida.\u201d— MeidasTouch (@MeidasTouch) 1684534876
\u201c@MeidasTouch Ewwwwwwwwwww\ud83d\ude33\ud83e\udd27\ud83d\ude33\n\nYou nasty @GovRonDeSantis \nI thought you were just evil but you nasty too\ud83d\ude33\u201d— MeidasTouch (@MeidasTouch) 1684534876
\u201c@MeidasTouch Oh hell no\u201d— MeidasTouch (@MeidasTouch) 1684534876
\u201c@MeidasTouch Classy.\u201d— MeidasTouch (@MeidasTouch) 1684534876
There were plenty of jokes, too.
\u201c@MeidasTouch That snot very nice.\u201d— MeidasTouch (@MeidasTouch) 1684534876
\u201c@RonFilipkowski It\u2019s called a \u201cblessing.\u201d An anointing, if you will. King Charles got holy oil from the Holy Land or something like that. Meanwhile, the poor sap in the chair gets anointed with snot from Eggar the Bug.\u201d— Ron Filipkowski (@Ron Filipkowski) 1684530818
\u201c@MeidasTouch Y'all do know for most its dinner time ya?\u201d— MeidasTouch (@MeidasTouch) 1684534876
\u201c@RonFilipkowski Or Ron DeSnotAmongstUs?\u201d— Ron Filipkowski (@Ron Filipkowski) 1684530818
The accumulation of different incidents during DeSantis' trip to Iowa led to increased scrutiny and speculation about DeSantis' suitability for higher office.
Last week, DeSantis was photographed sharing an oddly hearty laugh—dubbed creepy or fake by the masses—in response to a comment made by an Iowa voter.
\u201cSort of campaigning for the presidency in Iowa can be fun\u2026\u201d— John McCormick (@John McCormick) 1684005721
The photograph and accompanying video gained significant traction as it seemed to validate a string of news reports suggesting DeSantis is facing challenges in connecting with voters on a human level.
According to the New York Times, the governor had to be reminded to maintain eye contact and shake hands during his visit to Iowa, further fueling the perception of a disconnect with everyday people.
DeSantis also weirded out social media users in March after sources close to him told The Daily Beast he ate "a chocolate pudding dessert" with three fingers instead of a spoon.
Republican operatives expressed concerns about DeSantis' apparent lack of social skills or personality.
According to one staffer, DeSantis tends to devour food during meetings and does so "always like a starving animal who has never eaten before… getting sh*t everywhere.”
@sama/X
