How Ron DeSantis Won Over These Suburban Mothers Far From Florida

During the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic, a group of mothers, frustrated by the perceived low priority given to reopening schools, found an unlikely hero in Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, CNN reports.

Online Communities and Shared Frustrations

These mothers, including Vanessa Steinkamp, a teacher and mother of three from Dallas, formed online communities to voice their concerns. They were united by their belief that closed classrooms would disproportionately affect the most vulnerable students who relied on the resources provided by schools.

DeSantis: A Hero Emerges

When DeSantis pushed for the reopening of public schools in the summer of 2020, he gained the admiration of these women. They formed an informal network of chat groups across several states, many outside Florida, sharing a range of political views but united by their frustration with the Covid response, according to CNN.

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Political Implications

These college-educated and affluent mothers are seen as critical voters in swing districts and states. They are the kind of voters DeSantis hopes to appeal to in his bid for the GOP nomination, potentially helping him secure victory in a general election.

Voices of the Mothers

Among these mothers is Jennifer Sey, a former executive at Levi’s, who claims she was pressured to stop tweeting about reopening schools and playgrounds, leading to her departure from the company. Another, who chose to remain anonymous, was so infuriated by her local school board’s decision to keep schools closed that she moved to Tampa, Florida.

DeSantis’ Early Advocacy

DeSantis’ early advocacy for open schools was seen as “pretty heroic” by these mothers. Steinkamp believes that if DeSantis were to run for office on the platform of opening schools, he would win.

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