By Eric Mack From Newsmax

Disgusted by big tech censorship, “political manipulation,” and election meddling, Republicans need to take a stand and lead, even as others may be inclined to look away, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis tells Newsmax TV.

“What we’re doing is really providing a framework to create a social media environment, and a broader internet environment, that was really what the original vision was,” DeSantis said Wednesday on “Greg Kelly Reports” about Florida’s legislation to put big tech in check for its increasing abuses of power. “You go back 10 years, you didn’t have this type of censorship” of alternative viewpoints, conservative views among them.

“What I found on these things, Greg, you just gotta lead,” DeSantis added to host Greg Kelly. “Until someone leads, no one does it.

“So, Florida has been leading on a lot of things the last couple of years. We’re leading again and I think you’re going to see other states follow suit.”

DeSantis pointed to three objectives of his legislation against the “big tech cartel”:

1. Protecting privacy of data.
2. Preventing big-tech interference in elections.
3. Grappling with censorship inequality, holding big tech accountable for bias.

As he tried to do with the coronavirus, the governor said, he is employing a leadership style that involves doing the difficult things that are “right” without too much concern for populist criticisms.

“I have not taken a poll since I have been governor,” DeSantis said. “I don’t need to. I got to do what’s right. I got to do what the folks expect me to do.

“Some politicians get elected and they think their sole job is just continue to get elected, when actually you get elected to do things.”

Some are talking of DeSantis as a potential 2024 presidential candidate, but the governor told Kelly he is focused on Florida and a 2022 gubernatorial reelection first.

“A lot of the speculation goes back to what you’re saying: People see me out here leading and they like to see that in the Republican Party,” DeSantis added. “Because, quite frankly, we need more elected Republicans to show some backbone and be willing to get in there and fight, fight intelligently, but be willing to lead.

“Our state is doing very well compared to these other lockdown states. We continue to have people want to come here, want to invest here.”

With that, DeSantis took a parting shot at big tech’s complicit partners in the liberal media.

“It’s more about them pushing narratives than about them reporting the facts,” he said. “Nobody should have any illusions about what the agenda is with these people.

“I think what I see, particularly in Washington, some of these elected Republicans do somersaults to try to please these very left-wing journalists and these outfits. Understand: They don’t want Republicans to do well. They don’t want us to win elections, and so stop playing their game.”

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