Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis Faces Secret Backlash From Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Over Martha's Vineyard Migrant Stunt

But months later, and after spending millions of Texas tax dollars on his efforts, Abbott was forced to sit and watch as the “national spotlight” shined on DeSantis’s Martha’s Vineyard stunt – despite the fact DeSantis only relocated a small margin of the number of migrants Abbott has relocated in recent months.

Even more shocking is the fact that both governors have reportedly been engaged in “an increasingly high-stakes contest of one-upmanship” for years, with one governor introducing new policies in their state only for the other governor to follow suit in their state shortly after.

For example, Abbott proposed new legislation in August 2020 that would punish cities in Texas that chose to decrease funding for the police by stopping those cities from raising property tax revenue.

One month later, DeSantis followed suit and threatened to cut state funding to Florida cities that cut funding for the police.

Then, in June 2021, DeSantis signed into law a bill that prevents transgender girls from playing on female-only sports teams in his state’s public-school districts. That October, Abbott signed a nearly identical bill into law in Texas.

But despite DeSantis and Abbott’s apparent rivalry and “high-stakes contest of one-upmanship,” others have suggested both men’s newfound animosity towards each other is a result of the quickly nearing 2024 presidential election.