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The lead in to the PBS NewsHour full episode, June 16, 2023 includes

...plus we speak with Miami mayor Francis Suarez about why he's joining the already crowded field of republican presidential candidates.

and on the screen is a graphic depicting a large collection of what look like they could be recent campaign buttons. There are several showing what look like the faces of Nikki Haley, Mike Pence, Tim Scott, Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis, but there are some buttons that show pairs of people and it's too early for the tickets to include vide president, and at the bottom left there's a button with the upper half of the face covered and the name appears to be something like "____R Carlson".

My focus is on one button shown somewhat out of focus (or perhaps "bokehed") that appears to have the words "DeSantis" and "Governor" on it with two overlapping faces shown as if they are standing roughly shoulder-to-shoulder.

To me and my mildly prosopagnosian brain, it looks a lot like Ronald Reagan in the front and Ron DeSantis in the back, which if true (if this was really printed and circulated) would be... interesting.

(though it also can look like Phil Hartman playing Ronald Regan or Fox News's chief political anchor and executive editor Bret Baier)

Question: Was there an official campaign button printed and circulated with the DeSantis name and the likenesses of both Ron DeSantis and Ronald Reagan? If so, which campaign, what did the button say exactly (I can't read it), and were there contemporaneous slogans referring to the pair?


screenshot from  the PBS NewsHour full episode, June 16, 2023 https://youtu.be/m0h30LNKrAg?t=23

above: screenshot from the video. below: shameless, unrpofessional attempt to sharpen the blurred image somewhat

shameless, unrpofessional attempt to sharpen the blurred, cropped screenshot from  the PBS NewsHour full episode, June 16, 2023 https://youtu.be/m0h30LNKrAg?t=23

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    Not really a good fit for this forum. vote to close Commented Jun 17, 2023 at 2:53
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    @TedWrigley Stack Exchange isn't a forum. What is it about asking about the possibility that DeSantis used an image of him and Reagan standing shoulder-to-shoulder and for any contemporaneous campaign slogans referring to the pair that isn't centrally on-topic here in Politics SE? Can you articulate that so that I might better address your concern?
    – uhoh
    Commented Jun 17, 2023 at 2:57
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    Excellent use of this not forum. Vote to Leave Open. Commented Jun 17, 2023 at 5:08
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    Anyone can make a badge: note the top left is a blank template with silhouette and "Your Title / Slogan", and at the bottom right is some badge with Trump and Cannabis. There is at least one "Trump/DeSantis Dream Team" badge. So given that the Reagan is a Republican superstar, and supporters of DeSantis would want him to be associated with Reagan... is there any surprise that someone has made a badge with Reagan and DeSantis photoshopped together? The slogan seems to be "Draft Desantis", suggesting this badge was produced before he announced his campaign.
    – James K
    Commented Jun 17, 2023 at 6:13
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    By the way, it's "Tucker Carlson"... I've had a search with the usual tools, and can't find that badge. Others may do better.
    – James K
    Commented Jun 17, 2023 at 6:25

1 Answer 1

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While it's hard to prove a negative, it seems unlikely that this is an "official campaign" product.

The text on the badge seems to read "Draft Gov Ron DeSantis 2024". This is a message that a support group would make prior to the start the official campaign. It means "Make DeSantis Run". Hence when this badge was made, the DaSantis campaign had not yet begun.

The image on the badge certainly seems to be Reagan. This is not so unlikely as Reagan is a Republican super-star, and supporters of DeSantis would want their preferred candidate to be associated with Reagan.

Also (as per the comment below) Both are named "Ronald". I think the slogan above is "One Ron to Another". This would fit with the message that DeSantis is the heir to the policies of Reagan. However, De Santis has not used this slogan on his website in other publicity. This again suggests an unofficial product.

Many of the other badges are also not "Offical". I see a "Tucker Carson '24" badge, a "Trump on Drugs" badge, A "Trump-DeSantis joint campaign" badge and a template "Insert portrait here" badge. None of these are associated with an official campaign.

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    Also stating the obvious: They're both named Ronald.
    – haxor789
    Commented Jun 17, 2023 at 11:07
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    Yes! of course! I think I can make out the slogan above the picture now.
    – James K
    Commented Jun 17, 2023 at 11:39
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    I'll vote for "Insert portrait here" over any of the others. :)
    – Barmar
    Commented Jun 17, 2023 at 14:03

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