Ron DeSantis has led a conservative revolution that has transformed Florida.
But not everyone in the Republican Party is happy with his bold agenda.
And a Florida RINO just gave conservatives and Ron DeSantis this awful slap in the face.
RINOs in Florida are a roadblock to passing more pro-gun bills
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has led a dramatic political makeover of his state with his bold conservative agenda.
He has helped transform Florida from being the biggest swing state in the country to a red state over the last several elections.
DeSantis has put the Sunshine State on the cutting edge of conservative policy.
But the Free State of Florida lags behind other red states when it comes to gun rights.
DeSantis was able to get Constitutional Carry passed in 2023 which removed the government permission slip in the form of a concealed carry permit as a requirement for carrying a concealed weapon.
In 2018, Florida passed a slew of gun control measures under RINOs who led the state legislature, and the previous Governor after the school shooting at Parkland.
Moving pro-gun legislation in the state has been a battle even with DeSantis as Governor.
Gun rights activists have pushed to make open carry legal in Florida.
Florida is one of a handful of states in the country including California, Illinois, New York, and Washington, D.C. where open carry is banned.
New Florida State Senate President shoots down pro-gun legislation
It appeared that in this session of the Florida Legislature there was hope that an open carry bill could advance.
DeSantis supported it and former Florida State Senate President Kathleen Passidomo (R-FL), a roadblock to getting it passed, was leaving leadership.
But the new boss is the same as the old one for open carry.
New Florida Senate President Ben Albritton said that he would not support open carry legislation because the Florida Sheriffs Association opposes it.
“Let me be clear about this: I’ve supported law enforcement my entire life. It’s the way I was raised. And I’ve been super consistent as a legislator to support law enforcement in Florida, and I encourage you to check that record. And I stand with them today in opposition,” Albritton told reporters. “They oppose it. And I trust my law enforcement officials. And that’s where I stand.”
A Florida Sheriffs Association spokesman said the group had no position on open carry because there are bills supporting it before the legislature.
Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri, the chair of the Florida Sheriffs Association, told the Senate Criminal Justice Committee that he was a “staunch opponent of open carry. We don’t need open carry in Florida.”
Gun Owners of America Florida state director Luis Valdes slammed Albritton for slamming the door shut on open carry.
“He just smacked Florida’s gun owners in the face after those gun owners gave him the very office he holds because they installed a Republican supermajority into power that put him in that office,” Valdes told the Florida Phoenix.
Gun rights activists have a lengthy battle ahead to get Florida’s gun laws up to speed with other red states.
DeSantis Daily will keep you up-to-date on any new developments in this story.
