Protesters chanting ‘no oil money’ interrupt Ron DeSantis during Fox News town hall

Protesters escorted out as DeSantis continues to answer questions

Protesters affiliated to an environment advocacy group chanted “no oil money” and interrupted a Fox News town hall in Iowa featuring GOP presidential candidate Ron DeSantis.

Activists from the Sunrise Movement held banners, chanted slogans, and blocked the camera during the town hall before being escorted out.

Mr DeSantis was interrupted as he was answering questions about Republicans and abortion bans following the Supreme Court overturning Roe v Wade in 2022.

“You live and you learn with these people, right?” Mr DeSantis said as the protesters were being escorted out.

“That was a mistake. You guys didn’t get that one right,” he added and continued to answer the question.

The Sunrise Movement has pledged more confrontations ahead of the Iowa caucuses and revealed that activists posing as undecided Republicans had asked questions about fracking and green jobs during the town hall.

“Whether it’s DeSantis, Biden, or Trump we’re fed up with politicians who’d rather let people suffer and die than stand up to oil and gas millionaires,” Amalia Hochman, who asked a question during the town hall, said in a statement.

As the 2024 Iowa caucuses approach, Republican presidential candidates are set to engage in a debate on Wednesday night. However, notable absences will be observed, as CNN, the host network, revealed that only three candidates have qualified for the debate: former president Donald Trump, Florida governor Ron DeSantis, and former UN ambassador and South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley.

Mr DeSantis entered the Republican primary as the foremost contender against Mr Trump, positioning himself as both a significant challenger and the anticipated successor challenging the established leadership.

However, GOP strategist and Lincoln Project co-founder Rick Wilson has said that Mr DeSantis is “the opposite of political charisma” and that “the initial idea of Ron DeSantis being a great campaigner was rapidly put to the test and discovered to be a lie”.

Mr Wilson said the governor is “without a question, the worst-performing, best-funded primary candidate I’ve seen in a long time”.