DeSantis Campaign Cuts Ties With Aide Who Created Video With Nazi Imagery in Support of The Governor's 2024 Bid
July 26 2023, Published 6:30 p.m. ET
Ron DeSantis' presidential campaign fired a campaign staffer who made a pro-DeSantis video with Nazi symbolism front and center and shared it online, RadarOnline.com has learned.
Nate Hochman left his post as a writer for the National Review to support the DeSantis 2024 campaign's communications team.
At least, he did until this weekend when the campaign aide retweeted a video he made that superimposed the Republican governor's image with a notorious Nazi symbol. The video was originally posted on a pro-DeSantis Twitter account.
While Hochman made a poor attempt at image control — and deleted the post from his personal feed as well as the pro-DeSantis Twitter account — the damage had already been done.
Hochman's video was set to Kate Bush's Running up that Hill (A Deal with God) and featured DeSantis' face over the official Florida state seal. The symbol of the Sunshine State slowly morphed into a spinning Sonnenrad, an ancient symbol appropriated by Adolph Hitler and is most commonly known now as a token of Nazi Germany.
The former National Review journalist was said to have created the shocking video on his own accord.
While the official DeSantis '24 campaign account did not share or endorse Hochman's post, the apparent Nazi sympathizer didn't help the Republican candidate's struggling bid for the White House.
"Nate Hochman is no longer with the campaign," a DeSantis '24 official told Axios. "And we will not be commenting on him further."
Hochman's removal followed massive cuts to DeSantis' campaign staff, in which he eliminated one-third of employees previously listed on the campaign's payroll.
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In addition to the obviously negative association with Nazi ideology, the DeSantis campaign has already faced backlash over controversial marketing decisions. When considering the campaign's current financial struggles, DeSantis can't afford any more negative press.
The Florida lawmaker's campaign has even been ridiculed by conservatives, who joined liberal critics in condemning a political attack ad against DeSantis' embattled rival, ex-president Donald Trump.
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After the DeSantis '24 team rolled out a video that featured Trump's past pro-LGBTQ rights comments, the marketing stunt was branded anti-gay. The governor was further accused of promoting an archaic gender ideology.
This came as DeSantis received backlash over legislation in his state that removed DEI policies, prohibited healthcare access for transgender minors, and redefined the state's public education standards to update the curriculum about American history, most notably slavery.
Florida's Board of Education has come under attack after the update stated that students will be taught how slavery "benefitted" enslaved persons.
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