Former Florida GOP Rep. Considers Drastic Move Because Of Gov. Ron DeSantis

Florida-born and raised former Rep. David Jolly (R-Fla.) is thinking about leaving the Sunshine State with his family because of Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) authoritarian policies.

Jolly, who quit the GOP in 2018, on Sunday said DeSantis attacks on migrants, the LGBTQ community and African Americans leaves him feeling unwelcome simply for my embrace of diversity of thought and as an ally of those groups, even though hes a white, evangelical, straight male.

Why would I want to raise my kids in an environment in which theyre shamed for embracing diversity of thought and diverse cultures? Jolly asked on MSNBC .

Watch the video here:

Floridian @DavidJollyFL on DeSantis' anti-LGBTQ and anti-DEI initiatives:

\"Why would I want to raise my kids in an environment in which they're shamed for embracing diversity of thought and diverse cultures?\" pic.twitter.com/arXHgrSXgb

The Mehdi Hasan Show (@MehdiHasanShow) May 22, 2023","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"The Mehdi Hasan Show","author_url":"https://twitter.com/MehdiHasanShow","cache_age":86400,"description":"Floridian @DavidJollyFL on DeSantis' anti-LGBTQ and anti-DEI initiatives:\"Why would I want to raise my kids in an environment in which they're shamed for embracing diversity of thought and diverse cultures?\" pic.twitter.com/arXHgrSXgb The Mehdi Hasan Show (@MehdiHasanShow) May 22, 2023\n\n","options":{"_hide_media":{"label":"Hide photos, videos, and cards","value":false},"_maxwidth":{"label":"Adjust width","placeholder":"220-550, in px","value":""},"_theme":{"value":"","values":{"dark":"Use dark theme"}}},"provider_name":"Twitter","thumbnail_height":1080,"thumbnail_url":"https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FwsWfAJXwAMAx6t.jpg:large","thumbnail_width":1920,"title":"The Mehdi Hasan Show on 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Floridian @DavidJollyFL on DeSantis' anti-LGBTQ and anti-DEI initiatives:

"Why would I want to raise my kids in an environment in which they're shamed for embracing diversity of thought and diverse cultures?" pic.twitter.com/arXHgrSXgb
The Mehdi Hasan Show (@MehdiHasanShow) May 22, 2023

I want my children to be exposed to as much diversity as possible, and at home my wife and I can orient our family around the value set thats right for us and prepare our kids to make decisions that are ultimately right for them as adults, he continued. Thats not permissible in the state of Florida. Youre shamed for it, youre unwelcome.

So yes, look, we consider every day whether to raise our kids in Florida. And I think its representative of thousands upon thousands of Floridians here in the Sunshine State, Jolly added.

Jollys comments echoed those he made to Time magazine, in which he lamented the shift Florida has undergone under DeSantis.

Its in the air, its everywhere, its amazing, he said of the proliferation of so-called culture wars in the state. Its between neighbors, its when you go to restaurants, when you go to schools. Youre on one side or the other, and people know it.

Last year, Jolly warned that DeSantis would as president be far more dangerous than Trump.

Hes more savvy. Hes more coy. And he doesnt have the pitfalls that Donald Trump does, Jolly said at the time. Hes really kneecapping democracy right now for people of Florida, and he will successfully do it on the national stage should he get to the White House.

DeSantis appears likely to soon announce a 2024 campaign for the GOP presidential nomination, joining Trump and other Republican contenders.