DeSantis Woke Disney War Coming Under Fire From His Own Ally

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has made his war against the allegedly “woke” Walt Disney Company a major part of his political identity, basically running for President of the United States on the promise that, if elected, he would really stick it to the House of Mouse. This campaign has been a mixed bag for the Republican Party rising star, as he has been both praised by the right for fighting against the “radical left” and criticized for focusing an enormous amount of energy on what much of the country considers fringe issues.

Upset DeSantis with Mickey ears in front of a castle — Credit: Inside The Magic

However, things have recently taken a downturn for Ron DeSantis, as he is now at the point of begging courts to get him out of the Disney lawsuit against him on grounds of “legislative immunity,” basically claiming that he can’t be sued for actions for (allegedly) violating Disney’s First Amendment rights because he isn’t enforcing the laws in question. It will be up to the courts to see whether that legal argument has any merit, but the governor has another problem popping up.

Former Vice President Mike Pence Is Coming in Hot

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis now has an unexpected critic of his battle against the Walt Disney Company: former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence. Pence (who served under former President Donald Trump, also a noted DeSantis critic) recently published an essay on the Libertarian website Reason, in which he did not explicitly name the Florida governor, but made his opinions clear.

“Disney, a company that trumpeted its left-wing values,” wrote Pence. “By condemning conservative education and parental rights reforms in Florida. Governors around the country are right to pursue these policies and protect our kids. But when the governor of Florida decided to launch a full-scale campaign of governmental retribution against Disney, he wasn’t taking a page out of the conservative playbook—he was following in the footsteps of the radical left. In doing so, he not only risked billions of dollars of investment and thousands of jobs for the state, but even more importantly, he turned his back on the principles that make our country great.”

Pence, DeSantis, and Trump Are in Electoral Competition

It is notable that former Vice President Mike Pence (who previously served as governor of Indiana) would publically criticize Ron DeSantis, and even more notable that he would basically accuse the Florida governor of being too leftist. That’s not an accusation many would levy against DeSantis in his war against Disney, but an interesting tactic nonetheless.

Mike Pence, Ron DeSantis, and Donald Trump are all running for president in the 2024, which means that all three candidates are going to have to find a way to differentiate themselves and make it clear that they are the one truly fighting against the “woke” hordes to keep children safe from drag queens and history textbooks. DeSantis recently announced his candidacy in Des Moines, Iowa, and has yet to comment publically on Pence’s attack.