TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Gov. Ron DeSantis’ decision to sign four anti-COVID-19 vaccine mandate bills in Brandon, Florida drew questions from reporters Thursday afternoon.
The governor was asked whether his choice to hold Thursday’s press conference at Brandon Honda was a troll on the Biden administration, referring to the meme phrase popularized on social media criticizing President Joe Biden.
“It’s obvious to a lot of people in the crowd that you chose Brandon because of the thing that goes around on certain websites,” one reporter was heard asking. “Is this why you came to Brandon? Because you’re trolling the Biden administration?”
With a smirk on his face, DeSantis replied, “I think that Brandon, Florida is a great American city. I think the people here are fantastic.”
Cheers of “let’s go Brandon” erupted from the crowd of attendees. DeSantis drew similar cheers at an event earlier this month when he referred to Biden’s administration as “the Brandon administration.”
The governor joked Thursday, “my only negative on Brandon, when I was growing up playing baseball they’d always used to beat us every year.”
While DeSantis’ intentions for holding the signing in Brandon were not immediately clear, his efforts to move Floridians towards a choice-focused vaccine campaign were.
“We’re proud to make a stand for freedom in Brandon, Florida,” DeSantis said.
