DeSantis could have irreversibly damaged his campaign.
The front-page national headline for the last few weeks has been the escalating conflict between the Walt Disney Company and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. It’s not every day that a governor and the world’s most iconic entertainment company go head-to-head, but that’s exactly what’s happening in Florida.
Recently, tensions between DeSantis and the Walt Disney Company have escalated, with Disney being publically critical of some of the governor’s policies and actions. The conflict started when DeSantis announced his support for a bill that would ban transgender girls from competing in girls’ sports. Disney, along with other corporations such as American Airlines and Marriott International, openly opposed the bill, which was eventually vetoed.
The conflict continued when DeSantis signed into law a bill that would fine social media platforms if they banned politicians from their platforms. Disney, which owns ABC News and ESPN, saw this as an attack on their freedom of speech and the press, and they called on the government to protect their personal information from being collected by politicians.
The feud has come to a head with a recent lawsuit by Disney against the Reedy Creek Improvement District, which DeSantis appointees control. The lawsuit claims that the district’s board members were improperly elected and that they are not following their own development agreement with Disney.
Data Suggests Desantis’ Presidential Run is Over Due to Conflict With Disney
This newest dispute centers around the fact that the governor appoints the board members and has the power to approve development plans for the area around the theme Park. Disney is concerned that the board members are not acting in the best interest of the company or the residents of the area.
This legal battle could have significant consequences for DeSantis if he has any hopes of running for president in 2024. Many experts believe the lawsuit will end poorly for DeSantis, with some predicting that the Florida Supreme Court will rule against the governor. If that happens, it could be a significant blow to his political career.
New Data seems to suggest that the conflict with Disney has been the single biggest factor leading DeSantis away from his Presidential dreams. This chart, composed by @FiveThirtyEight on Twitter, shows DeSantis poll rating going down since March 29, the day “The King Charles Law” was enacted. DeSantis already had an uphill battle against Trump, and this news does not look great.
The "King Charles Clause" headlines started on March 29. And here's the @FiveThirtyEight GOP presidential poll tracker. pic.twitter.com/sV3mQRNiW5
— Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) May 2, 2023
Regardless of how the legal battle plays out, it’s clear that tensions between DeSantis and Disney World are significant and are likely to continue for some time. For now, the attention is on the legal battle, which could have far-reaching consequences for the governor, the Walt Disney Company, and the state of Florida.