DeSantis Presses Florida GOP to Pass Open Carry

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is apparently fed up with Republican state lawmakers who hit the campaign trail touting their love for the Second Amendment, but then won’t act to pass legislation deregulating open carry in the state.

Recently, during a press conference kicking off the state’s Second Amendment tax holiday, DeSantis said he has repeatedly tried to get open carry passed in the state, but legislators—even some Republicans—are blocking such a measure.

“I’ve been saying, though, we’ve got almost a three-to-one majority in the Florida House of Representatives,” DeSantis said. “Thirty-eight states have open carry. It’s not something that’s controversial. The sky isn’t falling in any of those. You know, why not pass that out of the Florida House of Representatives?”

DeSantis added that some Republicans are being duplicitous in saying they support gun rights, then turning around and not helping pass open carry.

“I’ve said for years that is something that I would sign,” he said. “Doesn’t seem to get off the ground even with all those Republicans, all running, saying they’re Second Amendment, all banging their chests in the primaries, then get up to Tallahassee and not follow through. So, I think they should just follow through, and I think they should do what they promised the voters they would do.” 

Lt. Gov. Jay Collins was quick to echo DeSantis’s message, saying he and the governor will continue to push the battle forward.

“We should be an open carry state,” he said. “We’ll continue to fight for those freedoms and those rights each and every day until we get them all back.”

The recent remarks were not the first time that the governor noted that he would support a bill deregulating the open carry of firearms in the state. In January, he posted on X, “Would be great to see it hit my desk—Florida needs to join the overwhelming majority of states and protect this right…” Florida currently allows permitless concealed carry, but not open carry.”

After the governor’s recent remarks, Luis Valdez, the Florida State Director for Gun Owners of America (GOA), not only reiterated DeSantis’s frustration with certain Republican lawmakers concerning open carry, but even named names.

“@GovRonDeSantis slams the @FloridaGOP Supermajority for blocking gun rights, like Open Carry, despite GOP lawmakers campaigning they’re pro-gun,” Valdes posted on X. “Republicans like @Daniel_PerezFL & @Sen_Albritton stand in the way. Blocking @GunOwners‘ pro-gun bills. GOA will keep fighting.”

Others on the Florida political scene, including the state Libertarian Party, are also blaming the lack of action on an open carry measure on Republican lawmakers who won’t actually support what they said they would when running for office.

“The usual excuse from Republican leadership has been so-called ‘law enforcement opposition,’ but that argument doesn’t hold up,” the party stated in a news release in February.  Sheriff Wayne Ivey of Brevard County supports Open Carry, and so do most Florida sheriffs. The real resistance is coming from politicians who would rather cater to special interests than uphold the rights of the people.

“Instead of advancing freedom, Republican leaders in the legislature have stalled bills, threatened lawmakers who push for Open Carry, and refused to give the issue the hearing it deserves. That’s not leadership—it’s obstruction.”