Florida Governor Ron DeSantis lost Monday night’s Iowa Caucus to former President Donald Trump, but at least he walked away with a “participation trophy.” Viral internet pranksters “The Good Liars” infiltrated one of DeSantis’s press events in the Midwestern state to troll him with a physical reminder of his impending defeat.
Amid numerous ongoing legal battles with Disney over the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, DeSantis’s presidential run is crumbling. A recent Morning Consult poll put him just one point behind Nikki Haley but 58 points behind Trump.
DeSantis’s conflict with The Walt Disney Company started in 2022 when former CEO Bob Chapek publicly denounced the Parental Rights in Education Act, known widely as the “Don’t Say Gay” law. DeSantis vowed that the Mouse would regret their decision and immediately introduced legislation to dissolve Walt Disney World Resort’s Reedy Creek Improvement District.
The Republican governor hand-selected replacement leadership, the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District Board. Board members quickly got to work enacting stricter rules on Disney property as DeSantis threatened to increase taxes or build a prison near Walt Disney World Resort.
Disney mainly stayed quiet about the state’s newfound control in Central Florida until April 2023, when it announced a lawsuit against DeSantis for unfair retaliation against the company’s protected free speech. DeSantis immediately filed a countersuit. The months since have been filled with dozens of complicated legal filings, changed hearing dates, and even more lawsuits from Disney. CEO Bob Iger even threatened to take away billions of investment dollars from Florida.
Amid DeSantis’s war with Disney and tumultuous presidential run, The Good Liars gave viewers a moment of levity on both sides of the aisle. They shared this clip of their brief but memorable interaction with the conservative Governor and his wife, Casey DeSantis, on TikTok:
@thegoodliars We hand-delivered a “Participation Trophy” to Ron DeSantis at the Iowa Caucus in recognition of his effort. #iowa #iowacaucus #award #fyp #desantis #politics #funny
As DeSantis answered questions, the comedian jumped in: “Real quick before we get started… Governor DeSantis, I want to present to you this participation trophy. Now, probably not going to win the election, right? But we’re proud of you for trying… He’s special. He’s unique, and he’s our little snowflake.”
DeSantis quickly shooed the man away: “Alright, buddy.”
Security arrived within seconds, pulling the comedian away as he asked if DeSantis wanted to take the award. (Spoiler alert: he didn’t.)
What do you think of the ongoing legal battle between Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and The Walt Disney Company? Share your opinion with Inside the Magic in the comments.