Amid encouraging new poll numbers, Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis said Wednesday that he would try to eliminate several government agencies if elected.
“Are you in favor of eliminating any agencies? I know conservatives in the past have talked about closing the Department of Education, would you do that?” Fox News host Martha MacCallum asked the Florida governor on “The Story.”
“We would do (the Department of) Education, we would do (Department of) Commerce, we’d do (Department of) Energy, and we would do IRS,” DeSantis replied. “And so if Congress will work with me on doing that, we’ll be able to reduce the size and scope of government.”
DeSantis noted that if that turned out to be too tall an order, he would transform those agencies to help him push back against the woke ideology that has infested all of America’s institutions.
“But what I’m also going to do, Martha, is be prepared if Congress won’t go that far, I’m going to use those agencies to push back against woke ideology and against the leftism that we see creeping into all institutions of American life,” he said.
WATCH: Ron DeSantis says as President he would eliminate the Education, Commerce, Energy and IRS agencies pic.twitter.com/AVwlENHZh2
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) June 28, 2023
DeSantis also voiced support for defunding the IRS during an interview with conservative radio host Dana Loesch, last month.
“If Congress defunded the IRS and sent such a bill like that to your desk, number one, would you sign it?” Loesch asked. “And then what would you replace the system with? Are you for like a fair tax? A flat tax? Where do you stand on that?”
“So, the answer’s yes,” DeSantis said in response. “I think the IRS is a corrupt organization and I think it’s not a friend to the average citizen or taxpayer. And so we need something totally different.”
“I’ve supported all of the single rate proposals, I think they would be a huge improvement over the current system,” the governor added. “And I would be welcoming to take this tax system, chunk it out the window, and do something that’s more favorable to the average folks.”
DeSantis told MacCallum that his administration would bring “major accountability” not only to the IRS, but to the corrupt Department of Justice, and the FBI, as well.
“We’re going to bring major accountability to the DOJ, to the FBI, IRS. That requires a president that’s disciplined, that’s determined, and that’s not going to get distracted and take their eye off the ball,” he said.
DeSantis: We will Break the Swamp.
“We’re going to bring major accountability to the DOJ, to the FBI, IRS. That requires a president that’s disciplined, that’s determined, and that’s not going to get distracted and take their eye off the ball.” pic.twitter.com/CyNaI0JQGE
— DeSantis War Room 🐊 (@DeSantisWarRoom) June 28, 2023
The Florida governor’s bold comments came the same day a new poll of Wisconsin voters by Marquette Law School showed a tight primary race between DeSantis and former president Donald Trump in a crowded field. In a head-to-head matchup, DeSantis has a double-digit lead against Trump.
First @MULawPoll look at Wisconsin's '24 GOP presidential primary:
Full field:
Trump 31%@RonDeSantis 30%
Undecided 21%Trump head-to-head w/ DeSantis
DeSantis 57%
Trump 41%Sample includes Republicans and GOP-leaning voters.
— JR Ross (@jrrosswrites) June 28, 2023
The poll also shows that DeSantis would be a much stronger GOP candidate to beat Biden in the general election:
New Marquette Law School Poll finds that if the presidential election were held now, 49% of registered Wisconsin voters would vote for Biden, 47% for DeSantis. Between Biden and Trump, 52% would vote for Biden and 43% for Trump. #mulawpoll
— MULawPoll (@MULawPoll) June 28, 2023