Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican presidential candidate, plans to appear at a private event north of Indianapolis next month, according to the Hamilton County Republican Party.
The July 12 event will be hosted by Rep. Chris Jeter, R-Fishers, whose district includes portions of Hamilton, Hancock, Madison and Marion counties, and Bob Grand, an Indianapolis attorney and prominent GOP donor.
Tickets to the luncheon event start at $1,000 per person. The event location was not disclosed.
The visit is believed to be DeSantis’ first trip to Indiana since announcing his presidential run last month. DeSantis delivered a pre-recorded video message at the National Rifle Association convention in Indianapolis in April.
“We’re concerned about the politicization of our economy, and the management of so-called ESG funds as threatening implications for Second Amendment rights,” his message read, referring to environmental, social, governance investing.
While popular in his home state, DeSantis has struggled to narrow the favorability gap between himself and former president Donald Trump, the current frontrunner for the 2024 GOP nomination. Trump is leading in the polls with 52%, followed by DeSantis at 21% and former vice president and Indiana governor Mike Pence at 6%, according to FiveThirtyEight’s popular polling averages.
In Florida, DeSantis and the Republican-controlled legislature have passed a slew of controversial measures, including a ban on abortions after six weeks, restrictions on gender transition care and concealed permitless carry legislation.
A law he signed last year forbidding classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity—referred to by critics as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill—prompted public rebuke from the Walt Disney Co.
In response, Florida lawmakers passed and DeSantis signed a bill giving state government control of the board that oversees development at Disney World.
The company is now suing DeSantis, claiming the Republican presidential hopeful waged a “targeted campaign of government retaliation.”
On Monday, DeSantis asked a federal court to dismiss the lawsuit, arguing that he and the secretary of Florida’s Department of Economic Opportunity are “immune” from legal liability.
