Ron DeSantis accused of “blasphemy” by former Republican Party chair

Former Republican National Committee (RNC) chair Michael Steele on Sunday accused Florida Governor Ron DeSantis of “blasphemy” over his campaign ad, which likened him to a prophet sent by God.

During an appearance on MSNBC‘s The Sunday Show, host Jonathan Capehart spoke with Steele about DeSantis’ political campaign ad, which was tweeted by his wife Casey DeSantis on Friday.

A voiceover can be heard throughout the ad, which has been viewed over 2.4 million times on Twitter as of Sunday afternoon, saying “on the eighth day, God looked down on his planned paradise and said: ‘I need a protector.’ So God made a fighter.”

Steele told Capehart that the ad was “some of the most ass-backwards blasphemy I’ve ever heard in my life,” and that it was “one of the dumbest political ads you could ever make.”

The incumbent governor, who is running in this year’s midterm election against former Florida governor and Democratic candidate Charlie Crist in the state’s gubernatorial race, is leading in some polls. FiveThirtyEight’s polling average currently shows DeSantis with a 10.7 point advantage over his Democratic opponent, with 53.3 percent of support compared to Crist’s 42.6 percent.

Another poll by Spectrum News/Siena, that was conducted between October 30 and November 1, showed DeSantis holding a lead over Crist with 54 percent of support of likely voters compared to Crist’s 42 percent. The poll surveyed 659 likely voters and has a margin of error of 4.4 percent.

Still, Steele found DeSantis’ political campaign ad “insulting” despite the governor’s popularity among Florida voters.

A September poll from Suffolk University and USA TODAY found that DeSantis has a 53 percent approval rating among Floridians, and that about 52 percent of state residents had a generally favorable view of him. About 42 percent had an unfavorable view of the governor.

“But it tells you what this white Christian nationalism is all about—that’s who it appeals to,” Steel said Sunday. “It doesn’t appeal to churchgoing folks on Sunday, people who actually read the Bible. On the eighth-day, really? Church much? Seriously, on the eighth day?”

He continued: “This idea, oh, God needs a protector…what the hell are you talking about? Oh, God needs someone who’s going to go out and defend and challenge the status quo. You ever hear of a man named Jesus? I don’t need Ron DeSantis to be Christ. I just need him to be governor, and that is the problem. These idiots, they just mesh it all together and think they are one and the same.”

Dr. Paul D. Miller, a professor of the practice of international affairs and co-chair for global politics and security at Georgetown University, explained in a 2021 article for Christianity Today that Christian nationalism is a belief that America is defined by Christianity and that the government should take “active steps to keep it that way.”

Several GOP lawmakers, such as Representatives Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Lauren Boebert of Colorado, seem to be leaning towards the “Christian nationalism” trend, which analysts see increasing among conservatives within the country.

On Sunday, Representative Adam Kinzinger, an Illinois Republican, denounced a pro-Donald Trump rally on Friday in Branson, Missouri, where attendees touted “Christian nationalism” sentiment.

“As a.Christian, let me say yet again, this is mass delusion and insane. Pastors need to condemn the Christian Nationalism that is the same thing the Taliban does,” the GOP lawmaker tweeted, sharing a clip of the ReAwaken America event that was originally posted to Twitter by former federal prosecutor Ron Filipkowski.

Over 3,000 people attended the event, according to the Branson Tri-Lakes News, and at one point they were told by a speaker on stage to believe that the GOP is going to “have a victory on Tuesday” in an apparent effort to rally voters for Tuesday’s election, according to the video shared by the former federal prosecutor.

The person then asked the crowd to “give a victory shout” by striking the ground with imaginary arrows seven times. Filipkowski said it was an attempt to “call upon God to bring victory to the Republican Party in the midterms.”

Newsweek reached out to DeSantis’ media office for comment.