Casey DeSantis' 'Walmart Melania' Nickname Sparks MAGA Debate

A new nickname given to Casey DeSantis, wife of Ron DeSantis, by an online news site has caused online debate online about whether it should be used by critics of the Florida governor.

During an event in Iowa for her husband's 2024 campaign bid on Sunday, Casey DeSantis wore a black leather jacket which featured an alligator over an outline of the state of Florida and the words "Where woke goes to die," on the back.

In response, Katie Baker, an executive editor of The Daily Beast, wrote an opinion piece entitled "Casey DeSantis Is the Walmart Melania," suggesting Casey DeSantis was trying to mimic former First Lady Melania Trump, husband of DeSantis' main GOP presidential primary challenger Donald Trump.

In July 2018, Melania Trump wore an army-green jacket with the message "I really don't care, do u?" on her way to and from visiting a detention center holding immigrant children separated from their parents.

In her piece, Baker asked whether it was the case that the message on Melania's jacket meant "nothing at all" as the first lady herself at times appeared to act as a "cipher whose eyes seem to betray an inner emptiness."

In comparison, Baker suggested that Casey DeSantis' coat is "just like her husband Ron DeSantis' campaign: Crude. Grasping. Saying the ugly part out loud."

"Whereas Trump would wink-wink at the fascists—who can forget his dog whistle to the 'very fine people on both sides' at Charlottesville—DeSantis wants to peel off Trump's base by being even more explicit about who he intends to target.

"You can see it right there on his wife's jacket: DeSantis' Florida is where the woke go to die—and a lot of other people die as well," Baker said, in reference to Florida having one of the highest COVID deaths rates in the country under DeSantis' time in office.

Social media users have now reacted to the "Walmart Melania" nickname for Casey DeSantis, including MAGA loyalists—who were divided on the moniker.

"Wow. #WalmartMelania is trending on Twitter as a description of [Casey] DeSantis," far-right activist Laura Loomer tweeted.

"Even the media is having to confirm MAGA's observations that [Casey] and Ron are trying to be cheap knockoffs of Melania and Donald Trump."

Conservative political commentator Tomi Lahren hit out at those who have mocked Casey DeSantis by using the new nickname.

"This is ridiculous. Melania Trump is beautiful and so is Casey DeSantis and the fact some on the right are going along with this 'Walmart Melania' pile on, is not a good look," Lahren tweeted. "Who needs Liberals when some Conservatives are willing to stoop that low."

New Mexico congressman John Block, a self-described MAGA Republican, used the nickname aimed at Casey DeSantis to attack the attire worn by First Lady Jill Biden, who was pictured wearing heels and fishnet stockings as she disembarked off Air Force One in Maryland in April 2021.

"I never thought I'd be defending Casey DeSantis, but WalMart is bomb. And if Casey is the WalMart Melania, then what is this? The Target Melania?" Block tweeted while sharing an image of Jill Biden weaning the fishnets.

The Twitter account for the anti-Trump political group The Lincoln Project also wryly wrote while sharing a screengrab showing "Walmart Melania" in Twitter's trending topics sidebar: "Apparently @CaseyDeSantis hates this moniker, so we should all absolutely never use it."

Others also questioned whether it is justified to use the nickname for Casey DeSantis, or if the wife of the 2024 hopeful is fair game for such scrutiny.

"The only problem with calling Casey DeSantis Walmart Melania is that it is an implicit compliment to Melania, implying that she is somehow superior to Casey. And she is not. They are both dreadful enablers who wear crass clothing," tweeted Mrs. Betty Bowers, a satirical comedic character played by Deven Green.

Liberal political commentator Brian Krassenstein added: "Stop attacking family members of political candidates. It just shows that you are petty and lack the ability to push back on policy.

"Whether it's calling Casey DeSantis "Walmart Melania" or questioning Dr. Jill Biden's use of 'Dr' your petty name calling and nitpicking is childish and idiotic," Krassenstein added. "Solutions don't come by name-calling. Solutions come via dialogue. We can all be better."

DeSantis' office has been contacted for comment via email.