Ron DeSantis’ wife and children looked like the perfect family at a rodeo in Houston on Friday as the Florida governor skipped the Conservative Political Action Conference.
Three-time National Equestrian Champion Casey DeSantis was all smiles as she rode horses with her two kids Madison, six, and Mason, four, in an adorable video uploaded to her Twitter account.
But their father was conspicuously absent from the scene as he prepared to give a speech at the annual Harris County Lincoln Reagan Friday night dinner.
It came as DeSantis missed CPAC after being moved from Florida to Washington this year, putting Donald Trump at the center of the event.
The two are thought to be on course for a head-to-head battle for the 2024 Republican presidential primary, as polls consistently show DeSantis as Trump’s toughest competitor.
Casey DeSantis is pictured enjoying a rodeo with her kids as her husband skipped CPAC to give a speech at the annual Harris County Lincoln Reagan Dinner in Houston
Casey, a three-time National Equestrian Champion, was all smiles as she rode with Mason, four
DeSantis has yet to announce whether he will run – though observers note that he is raising his profile fiercely.
Florida’s First Family seemed to shake off any political tension over the weekend as they spent the day at Show and Rodeo — the largest cattle show in the world that runs through March 19.
Casey captioned the post, “The kids and I had a blast in Houston!”
The video begins with the family enjoying a horseback ride at the rodeo, while later shots show the children playing on the rides, feeding animals and eating ice cream.
DeSantis’ team told Fox News that Casey has won three national equestrian championships.
It’s been a busy week for Casey who on Thursday unveiled the Cancer Connect Collaborative – an initiative designed to “rethink Florida’s approach to fighting cancer.”
Meanwhile, her husband was busy Friday night with the Harris County Lincoln Reagan Dinner at the George R. Brown Convention Center.
The family is later seen eating ice cream, feeding the animals and trying out the rides in a video uploaded to her Twitter account
Casey and son Mason ride a slide. She captioned the post, “The kids and I had a blast in Houston!”
Florida’s first family seemed to shake off any political tension over the weekend as they spent the day at Show and Rodeo – the largest cattle show in the world
His team told Fox News it was a sold-out event and the most attended event in the diner’s history — despite some progressives protesting his education policies.
Trump appeared to make several sharp remarks about DeSantis during his CPAC speech – for which he took top billing.
While he did not name the governor, he did allude to enemies “in our own party.”
“We’re not going back to people who want to destroy our great Social Security system,” Trump said in his speech.
Even some in our own party. I wonder who that could be.’
It was seen by some as a dig at DeSantis, who previously expressed support for privatizing Social Security and raising the retirement age.
He recently distanced himself from that position, stating “as Republicans we are not going to mess with Social Security.”
The Desantis family is depicted at Christmas. Florida governor has sharply raised his profile ahead of an expected bid for the 2024 Republican presidential primary
DeSantis was noticeably absent from CPAC after it moved to Washington from his home state of Florida
CPAC was moved to Washington this year after being held in Florida for the past two years due to the pandemic.
Trump also used his moment to blast other top Republican Party members while claiming he had prevented World War III.
He labeled Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell a “China-loving politician” and encouraged the crowd to berate Senator Mitt Romney.
The former president also decisively won a CPAC straw poll, with 62 percent of conference attendees saying they wanted him to be the 2024 GOP nominee.
“In 2016, I declared that I am your voice. Today I add: I am your warrior, I am your justice, and for those who have been wronged and betrayed, I am your retribution,” he told the enthusiastic crowd.
He also took aim at President Joe Biden by mocking him for falling off his bike and tripping on the stairs of Air Force One.
At one point, his speech was interrupted by a protester who played the song FDT (F**k Donald Trump) out loud.
Trump is shown on one of the jumbotrons at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland during his CPAC speech
Audience members at CPAC hold up a “Thank You Trump” banner as the former president speaks Saturday night
