Political commentators from the right mocked a Purge-themed “Remove Ron” ad Thursday that compared Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ COVID-19 policies to the 2013 horror movie.
In the ad, a flight attendant tells terrified passengers aboard a Florida-bound plane, “everyone on board will be required to comply with the state’s ‘Florever purge.’” Passengers hold hands as audio from DeSantis’ press conferences plays over ominous music. (RELATED: Florida Sues Biden Administration Over ‘Illegal Border Policies’ That ‘Harm’ The State)
“We are not doing any vaccine passports in the state of Florida. We trust people to make their own decisions in the state. We are not going to be bludgeoning people with restrictions, with mandates, with lockdowns or any of that stuff,” DeSantis can be heard saying.
The ad then shows clips of news coverage of the pandemic in Florida as the state’s COVID statistics flash across the screen. (RELATED: Dr. Fauci Responds To NBA Star Kyrie Irving Over Vaccines)
“As Governor DeSantis stated, while in state lines, you do not have to wear a mask, you do not have to get a vaccine … you have the absolute right to infect whoever you want, whenever, and wherever, with COVID-19. Thank you for traveling with us, and please enjoy your ‘Florever’ purge,” the flight attendant tells passengers.
Twitter users, including National Review senior writer Charles C.W. Cooke and The Daily Wire’s Matt Walsh, scoffed at the ad, with Cooke calling it “one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen”.
This is one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen. pic.twitter.com/oC0YRpc3zK
— Charles C. W. Cooke (@charlescwcooke) September 30, 2021
I like DeSantis even more now. Thanks for this. https://t.co/3dhCQHaGTK
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) September 30, 2021
This is the best evidence of our cultural-political chasm—that someone thought this was an attack on De Santis. https://t.co/4tVn9opW3J
— Tim Carney (@TPCarney) September 30, 2021
Karol Markowicz of the New York Post said she felt as if she was “being punk’d” and that the ad was “pro-DeSantis”.
I feel like I’m being punk’d and this is actually a pro-DeSantis ad. https://t.co/9lWmXsz2qv
— Karol Markowicz (@karol) September 30, 2021
Emily Zanotti of The Daily Wire also weighed in.
Is this…is this a…pro-DeSantis ad? https://t.co/YlZLKmNtLU
— Emily Zanotti (@emzanotti) September 30, 2021
66.8 percent of Floridians have received at least one vaccine dose, compared to the overall 64.5% national rate. Florida’s rate of COVID deaths per 10,000 is 188.9, compared to 211 nationally. DeSantis recently blocked Florida employers from requiring vaccines for employees.
More people moved to Florida in 2020 than to any other state, according to Move.org.