Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis tells Illinois crowd that Biden's reelection would leave US 'unrecognizable'

"DeSantis' return to Illinois -- he spoke to a law enforcement audience in Elmhurst in February -- adds to what has become a running feud with Pritzker over their vastly different takes on culture war issues including abortion, education, immigration and gun rights."

"In a speech of about 40 minutes inside an airy ballroom at the Peoria Civic Center, DeSantis blamed Democrats for "obliterating communities throughout this country," including Chicago, while promoting his own policies in the areas including education and criminal justice that are meant to counter a "woke ideology.""

"Some observers warned that could hurt his chances at the presidency as he tries to campaign across a country that largely favors abortion."

"While Pritzker has championed Illinois as a Midwest beacon for abortion rights following last year's U.S. Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, DeSantis last month signed into law a measure banning abortion after six weeks of pregnancy."

"DeSantis' return to Illinois -- he spoke to a law enforcement audience in Elmhurst in February -- adds to what has become a ruing feud with Pritzker over their vastly different takes on culture war issues including abortion, education, immigration and gun rights."

This is a negative sentiment.

"On the eve of the Florida governor's visit, Pritzker said in a statement that "In Illinois, we reject the cruelty he espouses and stand firmly against his hateful agenda.""

This is a negative sentiment.

"The former president continues his hold over the party base and is seeing strong polling despite continued controversies that include a jury verdict finding him liable for sexual assault and defamation; pending charges of business fraud; and continued investigations into his attempts to reverse the outcome of his 2020 loss to Biden."

This is a negative sentiment.

"Trump has comfortable leads in early polls against DeSantis, whom he's publicly rebuked in Trump-speak as "DeSanctimonious" and "DeSanctus" among several other nicknames."

This is a negative sentiment.

"Pritzker on Thursday put a statement on Twitter mocking the central Illinois Republicans by saying they "could only get a would-be candidate who is ruing a distant second for the GOP nomination.""

This is a negative sentiment.

"But DeSantis did take digs at Illinois' Democratic governor, J.B. Pritzker, who gave a keynote speech to Florida Democrats last July and called DeSantis "really just Donald Trump with a mask on.""

This is a positive sentiment.

"But DeSantis did take digs at Illinois' Democratic governor, J.B. Pritzker, who gave a keynote speech to Florida Democrats last July and called DeSantis "really just Donald Trump with a mask on.""

This is a positive sentiment.

"u00a9 Scott Olson/Getty Images North America/TNS Ron DeSantis speaks to guests at the Republican Party of Marathon County Lincoln Day Dier aual fundraiser on May 6, 2023, in Rothschild, Wisconsin."

This is a positive sentiment.

"Tazewell County has routinely gone Republican in major races, with at least 60% support for Trump in the last two presidential elections."

This is a negative sentiment.

"nnDeSantis did not mention his prospective challenge to embattled former President Donald Trump, who has already announced his GOP bid for the White House."

This is a negative sentiment.

""I believe if 2024 is a referendum on Joe Biden, his policies and his failures, and if we as Republicans offer a positive vision going forward in a better direction, Republicans will win across the board.""

This is a negative sentiment.

"The ticket sales eclipsed last year's event, when 700 people attended a speech by another potential 2024 presidential contender, former Vice President Mike Pence."

This is a positive sentiment.

"Appearing in a town hall on CNN on Wednesday night, Trump made only one reference to DeSantis, saying, "I think he ought to just relax and take it easy and think about the future, because, right now, his future is not looking so good.""

This is a negative sentiment.

"Pritzker has supported the elimination of cash bail and other progressive criminal justice reforms."

This is a negative sentiment.

"Pritzker ordered far stricter COVID-19 mitigations for Illinois than DeSantis imposed for Florida during the height of the pandemic, and DeSantis poked fun at the Illinois governor for sending his family members to Florida as the virus was worsening in March 2020."

This is a negative sentiment.

"While Pritzker has championed Illinois as a Midwest beacon for abortion rights following last year's U.S. Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, DeSantis last month signed into law a measure banning abortion after six weeks of pregnancy."

This is a positive sentiment.

"DeSantis is expected to formally launch within days his bid for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, even as he has seen interest in his potential candidacy dissipate among some Republicans in the face of Trump's candidacy."

This is a positive sentiment.

"Ahead of the expected launch of a bid for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis warned a central Illinois audience of GOP faithful Friday night that if President Joe Biden is reelected and other Democrats also win office, "the country is going to be unrecognizable.""

This is a negative sentiment.

"Ahead of the expected launch of a bid for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis warned a central Illinois audience of GOP faithful Friday night that if President Joe Biden is reelected and other Democrats also win office, "the country is going to be unrecognizable.""

This is a negative sentiment.

"While Pritzker has supported efforts to promote diversity teaching and prevent efforts to ban materials from schools and libraries, DeSantis has put limits on educational instruction and materials dealing with race and LGBTQ rights."

This is a positive sentiment.

"The larger Peoria County has gone narrowly Democratic in recent contests with Pritzker wiing reelection over downstate GOP candidate Darren Bailey by only 1,031 votes there last year."

This is a positive sentiment.

"The larger Peoria County has gone narrowly Democratic in recent contests with Pritzker wiing reelection over downstate GOP candidate Darren Bailey by only 1,031 votes there last year."

This is a positive sentiment.