Florida Governor Ron DeSantis enacted a new law requiring car manufacturers to exclusively sell vehicles through franchised dealerships, except for Tesla, owned by Elon Musk. Automakers can no longer sell directly to consumers within the state, but a special provision allows Tesla to continue direct sales.
Musk, also the owner of Twitter, hosted DeSantis’ 2024 presidential campaign launch on Twitter Spaces. Despite technical difficulties, DeSantis officially kicked off his campaign, addressing topics like his Disney dispute and opposition to “woke” ideology.
During the event, DeSantis praised Musk as a free speech advocate and thanked him for investing in Twitter. DeSantis’ administration previously partnered with Musk’s SpaceX to provide Starlink satellite services to hurricane-affected areas in southwest Florida.
In a separate statement, Musk supported DeSantis’ 2024 bid, tweeting that former President Donald Trump, the leading contender for the Republican Party nomination, is too old. Musk expressed confidence in DeSantis, stating he would “easily win” against President Joe Biden.
