Former President Donald Trump is widely expected to face Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) in the race for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024. The former allies have been swiping at one another in their own particular ways, with Trump directly attacking while DeSantis takes a more passive-aggressive approach.
The escalating rivalry has supporters waging a proxy war for their chosen candidate. Now former Trump attorney Jenna Ellis is blasting what she describes as “blatant sexism” by people in his camp.
Ellis is one of the attorneys who represented Trump’s failed efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election. Last month, the Colorado Bar Association censured her for lying about that election in the course of her representation.
While some conservatives have clearly already picked their Republican presidential fighter, Ellis has endeavored to remain agnostic. She’s publicly defended and complimented both Trump and DeSantis.
That’s not good enough for the influencers who’ve lined up behind Trump.
Ellis says that she’s experiencing some of the worst attacks of her career from them.
“I was called a lot of things and had a lot of leftist hit pieces trying to destroy my credibility while I represented Trump,” Ellis tweeted on Monday. “But I never saw a media outlet or journo use the blatant sexism & vulgarity that ‘MAGA influencers’ do now. And I don’t even work for DeSantis. Telling.”
Ellis included screenshots of tweets insulting her looks, referring to her as a “D-List, MAGA reject” and “sloppy seconds,” and suggesting she named a sex toy after DeSantis.
The influencers attacking her include Islamophobe Laura Loomer, former Right Side Broadcasting Network (RSBN) columnist Preston Parra, and other prominent perpetually online conservatives.
Some people are clearly put off by Trump supporters’ aggressive and highly personal attacks on Ellis.
“Didn’t you get the memo? You can never ever ever say a positive word about DeSantis or keep an open mind about any candidate not named Trump or you are a Turncoat, a traitor, a RINO, a paid shill, a Soros operative and a leftist trying to divide the Republican base,” wrote one whose bio includes #DeSantis2024.
Trump has a reputation for viciously going after his enemies, at times with misogynistic and racist language. Accordingly, some felt that Ellis was on notice that his volunteer surrogates would emulate his style.
“There’s a reason they like Trump…. [H]e’s relatable to their baser core character,” @RiverRising1 tweeted along with a graphic of some of Trump’s many offensive comments.
Another person posted the “Leopards Eating People’s Faces Party” meme. Ellis replied, “You have a solid point.”
Other corners of the web indulged in a little schadenfreude at Ellis’ expense. Liberals have enjoyed watching conservatives tear one another apart over the upcoming Republican presidential primary.
“Sloppy GOP infighting…so entertaining!” proclaimed one delighted observer.
