The Scoop
A powerful right-wing media figure who described himself as “all in for DeSantis” has a family connection to the campaign.
Mark Levin, a radio host and Fox News personality, has never disclosed that his stepson worked on Jewish and pro-Israel outreach for Ron DeSantis’s gubernatorial reelection campaign and presidential campaign.
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Earlier this week, Levin sat down for a friendly telephone interview with the Florida governor. Over the course of 15 minutes, Levin praised DeSantis’ gubernatorial record, contrasting it with former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley’s, and reminded DeSantis that he should direct people to his 2024 presidential campaign website for signups and donations.
But at no point in the conversation did he mention that his stepson David Milstein works for DeSantis. DeSantis’ campaign had paid at least $22,000 over the last several months to Magen Strategies, a Florida LLC operated by Milstein who lists the DeSantis gubernatorial role on his LinkedIn page.
During separate interviews with DeSantis on television and on the radio in October and August, Levin did not mention his stepson’s work on behalf of the Florida governor’s campaign.
Levin hasn’t made his fandom of DeSantis or his antipathy for other non-Trump candidates a secret. Earlier this year, the conservative radio host said in an interview with Megyn Kelly that while he is supporting Trump, he appreciated DeSantis’ stewardship of Florida, and was “all in with DeSantis” if the former president is not the Republican nominee next year (he also did not mention his stepson’s role in the campaign).
In recent weeks, Levin has gone after New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Vivek Ramaswamy, and former Vice President Mike Pence before he decided to drop out of the race. He got even more blunt, ruminating about why all of the “fat GOP guys, like Christie, Hogan, and Barr, Trump and DeSantis haters?” Trump aides were furious in May when Levin seemed to put his finger on the scale for the Florida governor, tweeting out a link to DeSantis’ fundraising page.
It isn’t the first time Levin and his stepson have aligned politically. During the 2016 primary, Levin backed Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, for whom his stepson worked as a senate aide at the time.
While Levin’s support for DeSantis hasn’t seemed to help DeSantis in the polls, he remains a kingmaker among a certain set in conservative media. A slot on his Sunday night show on Fox News is one of the strongest drivers of book sales, and his radio show remains widely syndicated and listened to.
Levin and Milstein did not return requests for comment.