PHILADELPHIA — When the parental rights group Moms for Liberty held the Joyful Warriors summit in Philadelphia in early July, they were met with left-wing protesters who vandalized a museum hosting one of the group’s events and mobbed attendees shouting threats at women and children. One of the speakers at the conference was Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), a 2024 presidential contender who has embraced the flashpoint causes of parental rights in education and medicine. In a wide-ranging interview after his speech, DeSantis explained why he has done so. The following has been edited for clarity and space.
Washington Examiner: In your speech, you said, “Moms are going to be a key force in this election.” I want you to talk a little bit about that because I think they had a significant impact in your reelection in Florida, this underestimated force, even with Glenn Youngkin in his governor’s race.
Gov. Ron DeSantis: Well, if you look at how Moms for Liberty has been treated by the media, they’ve been treated very hostile. So, one of the points I made was: That tells you you’re making an impact because they would not be doing that if you weren’t making an impact. Because I think they recognize that the majority of moms agree with what this group, and our policies in Florida, that you know what? Parents do have a right to direct the education and upbringing of their kids.
