Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis cracked jokes as protesters stormed the stage while he was speaking at a Friday night fundraiser in New Hampshire.
Protesters from the Jewish activist group IfNotNow ran onto the stage and shouted “Jews against DeSantis” as they were removed by security.
“You gotta have a little spice in the speech, right?” DeSantis joked. “I mean you gotta have a little fun,” he said to applause from the crowd. (RELATED: DeSantis Signs ‘Heartbeat Bill’ Into Law, Protects Unborn Life At 6 Weeks Gestation)
DeSantis’ speech gets raided by leftists. He deals with them brilliantly. pic.twitter.com/jNmiqrT9QZ
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) April 14, 2023
“Why you’d want to pay the ticket to get in just to do that, I don’t know, but different strokes for different folks,” DeSantis quipped.
IfNotNow is a progressive Jewish organization opposed to Israel’s alleged “system of apartheid,” its website says. The group was founded in 2014 and is known for staging protests, according to Influence Watch.
BREAKING: IfNotNow members are confronting Ron DeSantis at a GOP fundraiser in New Hampshire this evening.
We’re making clear that DeSantis is an antisemite whose actions and policies both support Israeli apartheid and put Jews in danger. THREAD pic.twitter.com/SwCUuCAtMb
— IfNotNow🔥 (@IfNotNowOrg) April 14, 2023
DeSantis’ speech broke the record for the most successful fundraiser in New Hampshire GOP history, the NH Journal reported. “Largest fundraiser in the history of the NHGOP, raising more than a quarter of a million dollars. Ticket sales were halted earlier this week after we exceeded planned capacity,” NH GOP Chairman Chris Ager told the outlet.
The Florida governor was the target of an ad released Friday by former President Donald Trump mocking him for allegedly eating pudding “with three fingers.” DeSantis is widely expected to enter the Republican presidential field and level a significant challenge to Trump for the party’s nomination. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: Ron DeSantis Quietly Staffs Up For His Presidential Campaign)