Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis trolled Gov. Gavin Newsom, insisting that his Republican father-in-law is “a lot happier” within the Sunshine State below his management, based on a clip completely obtained by the Californian Put up.
Newsom’s father-in-law, Kenneth Siebel, grew to become a Florida resident in 2020 after buying a $3.3 million Naples dwelling.
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In a sit-down with Sean Hannity for his podcast, “Dangle Out,” DeSantis reiterated his declare that Siebel praised him and his state at a fundraiser.
“You run such an ideal state. It’s so refreshing to be right here. We’ve by no means been happier. We love the best way the whole lot’s going,” Siebel mentioned, based on the Republican governor.
“After which he paused, and he regarded up and mentioned, ‘Oh, by the best way, I’m Gavin Newsom’s father-in-law,’” DeSantis added.
Siebel didn’t reply to the California Put up’s request for remark or verify the alleged interplay with DeSantis.
In line with DeSantis, the interplay occurred in Naples, Florida, throughout a fundraiser when he was operating for reelection.
“That entire place erupted. They have been laughing — they have been like, ‘Oh my God,’” he added. “His father-in-law is definitely very profitable and a extremely good man, too. He’s very well-known, significantly in Northern California.”
DeSantis’ workplace additionally didn’t reply to a request for remark.
Newsom’s workplace, in the meantime, dismissed the declare in a sassy assertion dubbing DeSantis, “Meatball Ron.”
“The Governor has lengthy spoken about marrying into an enormous Republican household and his deep respect for his father-in-law,” a spokesperson mentioned, including that the Florida governor had been “recycling” the story for years.
The 82-year-old funding banker — and Newsom’s father-in-law — is a registered Republican.
His daughter, Newsom’s spouse, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, was additionally as soon as a registered Republican and grew up in an prosperous, politically conservative household in Marin County earlier than altering her affiliation to impartial in 2008, when she married then-San Francisco mayor Newsom.
The episode additionally touched on different matters, together with whether or not DeSantis would run for president once more.
DeSantis shared the story after Hannity rattled off California’s funds woes and what he known as “loopy numbers.”
“I may simply go down the listing — the best revenue taxes, gross sales taxes, fuel taxes in the whole nation,” the conservative host mentioned.
“Loopy numbers, and he nonetheless can’t steadiness his funds — and he desires to be president.”
The anecdote drew chuckles from DeSantis, who framed it as emblematic of broader migration traits from California to states like Florida.
Extra Californians have continued to maneuver to Florida lately, making it one of many prime locations for residents leaving California, based on census information.
A separate U-Haul development index has additionally persistently ranked California among the many prime states for outbound strikes, with extra residents leaving through one-way vans, trailers and transferring containers than another state.
Nevertheless, on a per capita foundation — which adjusts for inhabitants measurement — migration between California and Florida is way nearer, with some analyses exhibiting barely extra Floridians transferring to California than vice versa.
This isn’t the primary time Siebel has made headlines.
The Republican father-in-law of California’s prime official and a probable Democratic presidential contender in 2028 blasted DeSantis in 2023 as a “mendacity slimeball” after the Florida governor claimed he and his spouse fled California for a greater life.
Talking in an interview with the Day by day Mail, Siebel pushed again on that narrative, saying the couple truly relocated to Florida from Montana and that he had left California years earlier, within the mid-2010s.
