‘Emotional’: House speaker responds to DeSantis attacks

Calling the governor “emotional” on Thursday, Florida’s Republican House speaker insisted they were “on the same team.”

House Speaker Daniel Perez, a Miami Republican, was responding to a series of outbursts the governor has had over his relationship with the House, including that it raised questions about a key initiative of his wife.

“I’ve always considered myself to have a good relationship with him,” Perez said. “We are on the same team. We’re all Republicans. We all care about the state of Florida.”

Perez said he hadn’t spoken to the governor since Monday but insisted they had a “great conversation.” That day, DeSantis panned Perez’s proposed sales-tax cut. That night, DeSantis lashed out at the House chamber in the governor’s mansion during a speech to rank-and-file GOP members. He did it again on Tuesday on his X platform and to the press.

“It seems the last week or so, the governor has been a little more emotional, and has been upset,” Perez said.

DeSantis told the Republican base that the House is offering Democrats a “lifeline” at a time when the Republican-controlled chamber should be “trying to step on the left’s throat.” He urged party members to push their state representatives to get in line with DeSantis’ agenda or risk that the Democrats “come roaring back” in the next election cycle.

DeSantis pointed to the fact that the House’s champion on property insurance reform is a former Democrat.

“There is nothing wrong with the tent of the conservative movement growing,” Perez said. “There are Democrats that are starting to want to join the tent of the Republican Party, of the conservative movement.”

Perez added: “That doesn’t make us liberal.”

Among DeSantis’ complaints are that the House is scrutinizing a charity created by his wife. A House committee asked for several pieces of information showing the charity was complying with state law and has yet to receive them.

Perez said he believed the charity and the program it supports that is seeking to reform welfare are well-intentioned.

DeSantis is trying to enshrine the welfare program into state law, giving his wife a legislative win should she run to replace him in office.

“I am concerned that they didn’t give us the information that we asked for,” Perez said. “Hopefully we get it soon.”

Herald/Times Tallahassee Bureau reporters Lawrence Mower and Romy Ellenbogen contributed to this report.