Of all the things Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis needs to worry about, from leading the country’s third-largest state to aspiring to be the free world’s leader, what he is wearing has to be well down the list.
However, it has been debated online recently, as DeSantis has been forced to justify the cowboy boots he frequently wears. In particular, he has had to explain whether he is wearing lifts in those boots to make himself appear taller.
Before Wednesday night’s GOP primary debate, one of the (less serious) concerns was, “What shoes is DeSantis wearing?”
Without any visual proof, it was difficult to determine what DeSantis was wearing on his feet. But it did not stop the zingers, with the first coming from the Trump camp.
Kimberly Guilfoyle, Don Jr.’s fiancé, left the stage, and the two exchanged a short kiss. Trump Jr. claimed she had put some lipstick on him, setting up his barb. He reminded the audience that they witnessed what happened and that it was an accident, not DeSantis’ “high-heeled drag thing.”
While fellow contender Nikki Haley criticized DeSantis’ footwear last week, another candidate, Vivek Ramaswamy, brought it up during Wednesday’s debate.
When Ramaswamy compared Haley to former Vice President Dick Cheney “in three-inch heels,” Haley responded: “I would first like to say: They are five-inch heels, and I do not wear them unless you can run in them.” The second thing I will say is that I wear heels for ammo, not as a fashion statement.
What are Lucchese boots: Does Ron DeSantis Deny Wearing Heels?
During a PBD podcast on Monday, DeSantis denied wearing lifts and described his brown footwear as “regular, off-the-rack Lucchese.” Those boots, by the way, sell for $895 on the Lucchese website. DeSantis also wears black cowboy boots, which some believe have lifts.
Of course, as Haley moves closer to DeSantis in national surveys, she had something to say about “bootgate” this week.
During an interview with “The Daily Show,” host Charlamagne God questioned Haley if she planned to wear high heels to the debate on Wednesday to appear taller than DeSantis.
“I do not know. We will have to work that out,” she explained, explaining that she has always openly talked about my high heels. I have never hidden that from anyone. I have always said, ‘Do not wear them if you can not run in them.’ So let us see whether he can.
Ouch.
Think this is simply a foolish diversion to the more pressing issues of the day?
Sure, it is.
However, it has also generated millions of views on Twitter and TikTok, according to Politico, a highly serious political website; it is also one that covered the “boot-gate” and interviewed three “professional shoemakers.” Well done, Politico. If you are going all-in, go big.
DeSantis takes himself in for his refusal to back down, so he went on the offense this week.
He accused his detractors of having “foot fetishes.”
And he had this to say to former President Donald Trump, who skipped the third Republican primary debate on Wednesday.
“I will tell you this,” DeSantis stated Thursday. “If Donald Trump has the balls to attend the debate, I will wear a boot on my head.”
What is Ron DeSantis height?
The governor claims to be between 5 feet 8 and 5 feet 11 tall. History demonstrates that voters like tall presidents: consider Abe Lincoln (6-4), Thomas Jefferson (6-2½), Ronald Reagan (6-1), and Donald Trump (6-2 or 6-3).
This is hardly DeSantis’ first “bootgate.”
Last year, he drew criticism on social media for wearing tall, bright-white rain boots while evaluating the damage caused by Hurricane Ian in DeSoto County, Florida.
Ron DeSantis’ Family and Support During His Political Campaigns
The Florida governor, who officially announced his presidential run for 2024 on May 24, is married to Casey DeSantis, his wife of 13 years. Together, they are blessed with three beautiful children: Madison, Mason, and Mamie.
Ron and Casey married in 2009 at Walt Disney World, which the lawmaker described as “ironic” when he and his wife appeared on SiriusXM’s Patriot in February amidst his public feud with the company.
Since Ron was officially named governor in January 2019, Casey has functioned as Florida’s first lady, supporting her husband’s projects and starting her own.
Even their children have been involved in their father’s political ambitions, with Ron appearing as a GOP gubernatorial candidate in his Trump-inspired campaign. The DeSantis children have also appeared with their parents at public events while their personal lives are kept relatively quiet.
Ron, a then-GOP gubernatorial candidate, included his two eldest children in one of his campaign advertisements in July 2018. The ad appeared to suggest his support for Trump’s program, and he used his children to help convey his point.
Casey begins the ad with, “Everyone knows President Trump endorses my husband, Ron DeSantis, but he is also a fantastic father. Ron enjoys playing with the youngsters.
The video then showed DeSantis instructing his daughter, Madison, to “build the wall” as she piles up toy blocks; reading Trump’s The Art of the Deal to his infant son, Mason; encouraging Madison to repeat “Make American Great Again”; and cooing “big league” (or is it “bigly”?) to Mason while wearing a pro-Trump onesie.
“You have to look at it in perspective,” Casey stated during his political campaign that year. “They spent millions of dollars on unnecessary advertising targeting Ron and special interests. That was where we were, and we wondered how we should respond. We answered with humor. We had a good time, and I believe many people enjoyed it and understood the joke,” she said.
Final Thoughts!
Amid political discourse, the fixation on Ron DeSantis’ footwear transcends the trivial. Yet, as debates delve into the nuances of his Lucchese boots, it’s evident this diversion has captivated audiences far and wide. The spectacle persists from Donald Trump Jr.’s jests to Nikki Haley’s pointed remarks. Despite the scrutiny, DeSantis remains steadfast, dismissing accusations of “bootgate” with characteristic wit.
As the saga unfolds, it’s clear that even the most inconsequential details can spark fervent debate in politics. One thing remains certain in this whirlwind of scrutiny: Ron DeSantis strides forward, unwavering in the face of controversy.
