Via @TavelJimena
Republican gubernatorial candidate Ron DeSantis visited Florida International University to speak about his education platform Thursday morning, and after the event told the press he is not responsible for the most recent racial controversy surrounding his campaign.
Politico reported Thursday a Republican activist who donated more than $20,000 to DeSantis had recently tweeted racist remarks. In a Sept. 8 tweet, Steven M. Alembik called former President Barack Obama, a “F---- MUSLIM N----”. Alembik told Politico he’s “absolutely not a racist.”
“Totally disavow the tweet,” DeSantis said at FIU. “I’m not in any way … not responsible for it, reject it.”
DeSantis spoke to about 35 people at the event organized by the university’s College Republicans. He was there with his pick for lieutenant governor, Jeanette Nuñez, who’s a Miami native and state representative. Nuñez, an FIU alumna, said she’s always fought for her alma mater and plans to continue to do so if she gets to the governor’s mansion.
DeSantis said he wants to create partnerships between industries and high schools to help students gain vocational skills and work in trades, rather than heading to college after graduation.
He also said he'll be an advocate for more affordable college tuition and to protect parental choice programs. And he talked about a need to improve civic education in Florida schools. If immigrants are required to take a test before becoming citizens, he doesn’t see why it would be different for native Americans, he said.
This is the fourth time DeSantis has spoken in South Florida this month. Similarly to past appearances, DeSantis pledged to back up Latin Americans in Miami-Dade and accused his opponent Andrew Gillum of socialist ideas, which he said would be a disaster for Florida.
He also denounced on Thursday the “Salt Bae” for serving steak to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
“I’m standing with the people of Venezuela,” DeSantis said.
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