{"id":376101,"date":"2026-08-20T00:50:08","date_gmt":"2026-08-20T00:50:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/376101\/"},"modified":"2026-08-20T00:50:08","modified_gmt":"2026-08-20T00:50:08","slug":"desantis-criticizes-angie-nixon-supports-cory-mills-ouster","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/376101\/","title":{"rendered":"DeSantis criticizes Angie Nixon, supports Cory Mills’ ouster"},"content":{"rendered":"

Gov. Ron DeSantis, speaking Wednesday in Orlando, sounded off on this week\u2019s primary results, criticizing Angie Nixon\u2019s U.S. Senate campaign<\/a> as doomed to fail and supporting the ouster of embattled U.S. Congressman Cory Mills.<\/a><\/p>\n

He also called this week\u2019s arrest of Michael Caruso,<\/a> a political ally whom he\u2019d appointed as clerk of courts in Palm Beach County, a \u201cgut punch.\u201d<\/p>\n

Asked for his opinion on Tuesday\u2019s election results, DeSantis mentioned the upset victory that Nixon, a state lawmaker from Jacksonville, secured against Alex Vindman in the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate. The seat is held by U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody, whom the governor appointed to the position and who easily won the GOP primary. Nixon will now face Moody in November.<\/p>\n

The governor said he didn\u2019t see Nixon, a staunch progressive, securing much support in the more conservative parts of the state.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy would you want to run somebody that is a self-described socialist in the state of Florida? You want to go down to Hialeah and try to sell that to people down there?\u201d he said. \u201cI don\u2019t think that dog\u2019s going to hunt. I don\u2019t think it\u2019s going to work at all.\u201d<\/p>\n

DeSantis added that Florida is no longer competitive in statewide races, as it was when he narrowly won the governor\u2019s mansion in 2018 for the first time. He cited, and took credit for, the massive margin Republicans have secured in registered voters compared to Democrats in the state since then.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo one\u2019s worked harder to get Florida to where we are politically than I have. Since I\u2019ve gotten in we\u2019ve gone from hundreds of thousands more registered Democrats in Florida,\u201d he said. \u201cWe now have 1.5 million more registered Republicans. That\u2019s never happened anywhere in the U.S.A. at that scale.\u201d<\/p>\n

DeSantis gave his remarks Wednesday afternoon at AdventHealth Orlando hospital, where he spoke about his administration\u2019s support for cancer research and announced new grants awarded to doctors researching cancer treatment at universities, hospitals and charities across the state.<\/p>\n

The governor also weighed in on the defeat of the scandal-plagued Mills, R-New Smyrna Beach, who lost in his GOP primary by former Fox35 news anchor Ryan Elijah.<\/p>\n

Last week, DeSantis said he did not support Mills\u2019 reelection bid in a congressional district centered in Seminole County. On Wednesday, he said there was a good chance Republicans would have lost the district in November if Mills had been nominated, calling it a \u201cbig risk.\u201d He will be supporting support Elijah\u2019s candidacy to succeed Mills.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m in favor of Ryan. I think he seems like a really good guy. He was able to galvanize a lot of good support. People know him from the community\u2026there\u2019s a recognition factor,\u201d DeSantis said of the former Fox 35 TV anchor.\u00a0\u201cI think that\u2019s probably going to be very helpful.\u201d<\/p>\n

DeSantis was also asked about Caruso\u2019s arrest on child sexual abuse charges on Tuesday. The governor appointed Caruso last August as Palm Beach County Clerk of Courts and Comptroller and then suspended him from the position after his arrest. Caruso is a former state lawmaker who backed DeSantis\u2019 legislative agendas.<\/p>\n

The alleged victim is one of Caruso\u2019s young family members. The governor described the charges as hard to stomach.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s in for a world of hurt if these allegations are proven in the court of law\u2026he\u2019s going to have the book thrown at him like few defendants will,\u201d he said. \u201cThey are truly horrific allegations.\u201d<\/p>\n

DeSantis added that state investigators \u201cworked really hard to build a case that can withstand legal scrutiny and the inevitable defenses that come.\u201d<\/p>\n

Caruso, the governor said, was highly recommended to him for the appointment as clerk of court and was \u201cclean\u201d when vetted for the position.<\/p>\n

The young victim lives in Orange County. Caruso has been extradited here and as of Wednesday evening was in the county jail without bond.<\/p>\n

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