Florida governor Ron DeSantis (R.) is taking out a Spanish-language radio ad to warn voters about a George Soros-backed company's purchase of Hispanic radio stations in Miami in order to "infiltrate" the state with leftist ideology.
"Warning, voters! The Left is taking control of our local media," reads an English translation of the DeSantis campaign's ad, which will run on stations set to be acquired by a conglomerate financed by the left-wing billionaire. "George Soros, known for financing extreme leftist causes, is now financing the purchase of Hispanic radio stations right here in Miami."
The Latino Media Network, backed by Soros's Lakestar Finance, last week agreed to purchase 18 Hispanic radio stations across the country, including the conservative Radio Mambi in Miami. The acquisitions by the conglomerate, which is led by Democrats and left-wing activists, come amid increasing concerns within the Democratic Party about Republicans winning over Latino voters.
"The Soros-funded radical Left is running a scheme to manipulate local media in Florida to push their Marxist agenda on voters," DeSantis said in a tweet promoting his ad. "In Florida, we reject the professional Left and their attempt to infiltrate our state and will always stand for truth and freedom."
Helen Aguirre Ferré, executive director of the Republican Party of Florida, denounced the Latino Media Network's purchase of conservative Hispanic radio stations.
"Miami’s Radio Mambi has always been a pillar for conservative discussion in Miami," Aguirre Ferré said. "The efforts by the far left, financed by George Soros, to silence conservative voices confirms the importance of the fight Hispanics are waging against Marxist ideology in Florida. The hastily arranged takeover of Radio Mambi shines a light to what lengths socialist interests will go to advance their agenda on America."
Hispanic voters, historically a left-leaning demographic, are moving to the right, polls show. About 750,000 fewer Hispanics voted for President Joe Biden in 2020 than for Hillary Clinton in 2016, according to the Wall Street Journal. A poll conducted in March by the Journal found Hispanics favor Republican candidates for Congress over Democrats by 9 percentage points.