Casey DeSantis made his first solo campaign trip to Iowa on Thursday to launch “Mamas for DeSantis,” a grassroots effort to rally support for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ presidential campaign.
In a crowded barn in Johnston, DeSantis and Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds swapped stories of motherhood and grandmotherhood, laughing at the difficulties of rounding up the children in the antiquities-laden governors’ mansions.
But politics was at the heart of Thursday’s event, as the governor and first lady touted “parental rights” policies enacted in their states.
“It’s one thing when your policies come after us, as moms,” DeSantis said. “It’s another thing when your politicians go after our children. That’s when the claws come out.
“We are mobilizing millions upon millions of mothers and grandmothers across the United States of America to stand up for the innocence of our children and protect the rights of parents. A lot of bad things are happening. But I can tell you what Governor DeSantis did it with, he’ll lead the charge, and he’ll clean up, and he’ll make sure parents have the right to be able to make the decisions they think are best for their family.”
Casey DeSantis played a similar role in her husband’s gubernatorial campaign. Her “Mamas for DeSantis” effort ahead of the 2022 election attracted more than a million mothers and grandmothers, she said.
“I believe grandmas and moms are going to be the game-changer in this election,” she said Thursday.
The COVID-19 pandemic has sparked GOP fervor for parental rights
“Parental rights” have become a central theme in Republican politics during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Conservative parents, outraged by school closures and mask requirements, have come forward to the school board and joined groups like Moms for Liberty. Many of those same parents have since called for the removal of textbooks they deem inappropriate, and they have criticized schools for their policies of welcoming transgender students.
Republican leaders were quick to react.
Iowa’s 2023 legislative session was dominated by education issues. Just days into the session, Republican lawmakers approved a plan allowing Iowa families to use state funds for private school tuition. Reynolds pointed to the higher-than-expected number of applications for the program.
“We can pass all the other bills that deal with indoctrination and sexualization and all that. But there are still ways around that,” Reynolds said. “But at the end of the day, parental choice – that’s the game-changer. It’s going to change everything.”
Reynolds also signed laws to remove textbooks containing sex acts, ban LGBTQ education before grade 7, require schools to notify parents if a student requests to use new pronouns, and ban transgender children from using school toilets that match their gender identity.
One of the most important education laws signed this session also details the rights of parents and guardians, stating that they bear “ultimate responsibility” and have a “fundamental, constitutionally protected right” to make decisions about their child’s education, medical care, moral and religious education and more.
But Republican lawmakers also banned gender-affirming care for transgender youth following protests from parents who said they were in the best position to decide what care their children needed.
Republican presidential candidates have promoted the same themes. Ron Desantis, Donald Trump and Nikki Haley spoke at the Moms for Liberty conference last month.
More: ‘Get out of my town’: Moms For Liberty hears Trump, DeSantis and loud protesters in Philadelphia
In his speech, DeSantis appealed to the group, saying they’ve created “the most powerful political force in this country…mama bear.”
Moms For Liberty is based in Florida and has worked with DeSantis on the state legislative agenda he is promoting in his presidential campaign.
Members of Iowa Moms for Liberty chapters have volunteered at several Republican caucus events, including Casey DeSantis’ Thursday speech.
First ladies in the field
Casey DeSantis has already been a prominent presence on the campaign trail — when Ron DeSantis drove through Iowa in early June, Casey spoke for several minutes at each stop, sharing anecdotes about children and her work as first lady.
“I think she’s great. I think she’s really close,” said Alexandra Burkett, a 37-year-old attendee at Thursday’s event.
Burkett, a stay-at-home mom in Johnston, said she enjoyed DeSantis’ discussion of motherhood and parenting.
Expect to see more spousal support in Iowa this cycle. At a Thursday event in Holstein, Karen Pence said she plans to make her own campaign appearances on behalf of Mike Pence.
“I’ll be doing a lot of solo events in Iowa. In fact, as second lady, I’ve been to several solo events in Iowa,” she told reporters. “I love coming to Iowa. I have a lot of things I want to share with the people of Iowa, so you’ll see me a lot.”
Stephen Gruber-Miller and USA Today contributed reporting.
Katie Akin is a political reporter for the Register. Join her atkakin@registermedia.com. Follow her on Twitter at @katie_akin.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Casey DeSantis and Kim Reynolds rally conservative mothers in Iowa