Good morning. WMUR anchor Steve Bottari spoke with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis one-on-one Thursday when he visited New Hampshire for the first time as an official presidential candidate.
Steve Bottari asked the governor, on the first day of Pride Month, about reports that LGBTQ groups in Florida were canceling events, citing “political attitudes in the state toward them as the main concern.”
DeSantis was asked if his state was targeting a particular group.
“You know, it’s interesting what some of them did. They canceled some of these things because there was a law that was passed that said you can’t bring minors to sexually explicit performances. And, you know, as far as I’m concerned, you know, I’m not saying the average gay person wants to bring minors,” DeSantis said. “So it’s odd that those groups were citing that law as being a problem.”
WMUR asked the governor about Florida’s fetal heartbeat bill he signed into law, banning most abortions after the six-week mark, and if elected president, would he push for a national abortion ban.
“You’re not going to have Iowa and New Hampshire end up being the same. You’re not going to have Pennsylvania and Georgia being the same. So we understand that,” DeSantis said. “But I think we want to protect the rights of states to be able to make those judgments, particularly states that are protecting life.”
Hear more from the interview here.
The latest installment of Conversation with the Candidate airs at 7 p.m. Friday with Asa Hutchinson. Catch it on WMUR or see it streaming here.
Other political headlines we’re monitoring:
- With days to spare, Senate gives final approval to debt ceiling deal, sending it to President Biden
- Senate passes bill to block Biden’s student loan forgiveness program
- Revised DACA program again debated before Texas judge who previously ruled against it
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