A Politico hit piece featuring Casey DeSantis, the wife of expected presidential contender and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, is garnering widespread criticism for its vicious and sexist tone. The story, coming before DeSantis has even announced a 2024 election bid, is reminiscent of the petty and ridiculous attacks on former First Lady Melania Trump.
The Politico article, titled “The Casey DeSantis Problem: ‘His Greatest Asset and His Greatest Liability,” quoted anonymous former DeSantis staffers, alleged insiders, and Democratic strategists who accused the first lady of Florida of being “blindly ambitious” in her efforts to support her husband’s presidential ambitions.
Governor DeSantis is expected to announce his bid for the presidency next week. The article labeled Casey DeSantis, a 42-year-old former Jacksonville TV anchor, breast-cancer survivor, and mother of three, as “paranoid” and “vindictive.” It included quotes from a male DeSantis supporter who suggested she should “take a more traditional role,” and a Trump operative who compared her to “Lady MacBeth.”
The senior adviser to Governor DeSantis expressed outrage, pointing out the double standard faced by Republican women in politics. They argued that while Democratic women are often celebrated as “fierce” and “unapologetic,” Republican women are portrayed as cartoon villains, stating, “The double standard is shameful. And the people who do this are always the most outspoken feminists on Twitter.”
The Politico piece also referenced a months-old quote from Roger Stone, a longtime Trump loyalist, who made a comparison between Casey DeSantis and Lady MacBeth on his Telegram account.
“Have you ever noticed … how much Ron DeSantis’ wife Casey is like Lady Macbeth?” Stone asked.
This drew criticism from Nate Hochman, a speechwriter for DeSantis, who highlighted a previous Politico article that discussed the sexist trope of comparing women in politics to Lady MacBeth.
Ross Douthat, an opinion columnist for The New York Times, commented on the irony of an article by Politico featuring a quote from ex-Republican strategist Rick Wilson, who warned against crossing Casey DeSantis.
Douthat wrote, “The fascinating arc of history in which the founder of a ‘NeverTrump’ organization is touting a piece about Casey DeSantis organized around a Lady MacBeth analogy that’s based on a quote from, um, Roger Stone.”
Social media users expressed their disgust with the attacks on Casey DeSantis, calling for decency and respect in political discourse. DeSantis’ staffers disputed the characterizations presented in the article, accusing Politico of relying on liberal activists posing as insiders when they lacked real access to the governor and his wife.
Casey DeSantis recently accompanied her husband on a world tour, visiting Japan, South Korea, Israel, and the UK to promote Florida’s economic strength. The couple met in 2006 when Ron DeSantis, a Harvard Law School graduate, was stationed as a Navy officer in Jacksonville. They married three years later at Disney World.
On Friday, Governor DeSantis traveled to New Hampshire to discuss his record as the twice-elected governor of Florida ahead of his anticipated campaign launch next week. During a roundtable event in Bedford, NH, he was photographed kissing babies and criticizing diversity, equity, and inclusion consultants for profiting while lecturing others on the alleged racism of capitalism.
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