Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis got tied up early on during Wednesday night’s third GOP primary debate according to viewers, who panned his neckwear and wondered why he wasn’t wearing an American flag pin.
DeSantis’ tie and how it was tied became a point of discussion as the top Republican presidential hopefuls, minus frontrunner former President Donald Trump, gathered onstage in downtown Miami.
The 45-year-old Florida governor sported a black suit jacket, white button down and a black-and-white tie with a tiny pattern, which on-screen gave it a strobe-like effect.
‘Wasn’t Ron DeSantis’ wife in TV? If so how did she sign off on this “make viewers feel like they’re on an acid trip” tie?’ Republican political strategist Liz Mair mused on X, the site formerly known as Twitter.
Casey DeSantis was a longtime Jacksonville, Florida TV reporter before aiding her husband’s political career.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis got tied up early on during Wednesday night’s GOP primary debate according to viewers, who panned his neckwear and wondered why he wasn’t wearing an American flag pin
Republican political strategist Liz Mair described DeSantis’ black and white patterned tie as something that made ‘viewers feel like they’re on an acid trip.’ On television it gave the appearance of a strobe-like effect
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (right) gives a look to GOP primary rival former U.N. Amb. Nikki Haley (left) during Wednesday night’s third Republican primary debate – in which viewers panned his choice of tie and lack of American flag pin
Another GOP political consultant, Blake Gober, gave a thumbs down to DeSantis’ tie.
‘The tie that Ron DeSantis is wearing is a bad choice. Also, his suit looks too big,’ Gober commented on X.
Conservative journalist Raheem Kassam said it was the ‘Weakest DeSantis opening of any debate so far.’
‘And he’s wearing a tie that strobes on TV,’ the former Breitbart News London editor said.
X user Josh von Drusselstein pointed out how awkwardly DeSantis’ tie was tied.
‘Haley and DeSantis sounding very presidential,’ he said. ‘Very good optics for both. But, who tied RDS’ tie? Looks awful,’ he commented.
User babs46 commented, ‘Watching debate – where is gov DeSantis flag lapel pin?’
Another GOP political consultant Blake Gober called DeSantis black and white checkered tie a ‘bad choice’ and also criticized his suit
Journalists watch Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in the opening minutes of Wednesday night’s GOP debate in Miami
The former editor of Breitbart London, conservative writer Raheem Kassan pointed out that DeSantis’ tie ‘strobes on TV’
X user Josh von Drusselstein pointed out that DeSantis’ tie was awkwardly tied as the third Republican debate opened up Wednesday night
User babs46 wondered why the Florida governor wasn’t sporting the traditional American flag lapel pin that political candidates often wear
Former Democratic presidential candidate Julian Castro also commented on DeSantis’ appearance
Former Democratic presidential candidate Julian Castro also commented on DeSantis’ tie.
‘DeSantis is mouthing words that the GOP would seem to like, but he has a schoolboy, slightly disheveled look (fix that tie knot) that saps his presentation of authority,’ the ex-HUD Director and former mayor of San Antonio, Texas.
DeSantis’ fashion savvy became a story last week after Politico Magazine published a piece where three shoe and boot experts said they believed the Florida governor was wearing lifts – essentially turning his cowboy boots into high heels.
Prior to the Politico investigation, there had been musings on social media about the height of several pairs of DeSantis’ boots that he wears regularly.
TikTok user Spamellina had sketched the shape of a high heel over the photo of DeSantis in his boots and then shared a picture of a pair of women’s wedged boots for comparison.
TikTok user Spamellina had sketched the shape of a high heel over the photo of DeSantis in his boots and then shared a picture of a pair of women’s wedged boots for comparison
Trump’s campaign had a field day with so-called ‘bootgate.’
‘When asked directly about why his boots look like stilts, DeSanctus offered up the implausible explanation that he just wears off-the-rack Lucchese boots, doing major brand damage to a great American footwear company,’ said Trump’s spokesman, Steven Cheung.
Cheung added that DeSantis is ‘going to wish for more pudding and in-flight biohazard stories instead of having to deal with his shoes that are more appropriate for America’s Next Top Model than the campaign trail.’
DeSantis first denied he was wearing lifts and then tried to turn the attention back to Trump – and his decision to skip the Wednesday night debate.
‘I know Donald Trump and a lot of his people have been focusing on thing like footwear. I’ll tell ya this: if Donald Trump can summon the balls to show up to the debate, I’ll wear a boot on my head,’ DeSantis said last week on Newsmax. ‘This is the time for substance.’