Casey DeSantis defended after criticism of her 'insular marriage' in paper profile: 'How dare she be normal'

Florida first lady Casey DeSantis is the subject of another story, this time from The Washington Post, on her relationship with Gov. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., which the outlet called "one of the most guarded and feared partnerships in politics." 

But the feature is taking flack online for calling the political couple's marriage "insular" and describing their relationship as "an inner circle of two" and deeply "private." 

"[T]he level of prominence and power they achieved in Tallahassee seemed to insulate their world further, creating a level of distance between Ron and Casey and everyone else," The Post wrote in a story from Sunday that was headlined, "Tracing the power of Casey DeSantis." 

POLITICO SLAMMED FOR CASEY DESANTIS 'HIT PIECE,' INVOKES LADY MACBETH 'TROPE' AFTER BLASTING IT FOR DEM WIVES

Florida first lady Casey DeSantis is the subject of another story, this time from The Washington Post, on her relationship with Ron DeSantis, "one of the most guarded and feared partnerships in politics."  (Sean Rayford/Getty Images)

The Post also argued that while the couple "could have the look of a traditional husband and wife," they were actually incredibly closed off. 

"You’re chasing a ghost," a former colleague reportedly told The Post in reference to Casey. 

Some journalists and commentators online compared the DeSantis family’s treatment by the media to another political powerhouse couple, the Clintons. 

"It is very inspiring and empowering for a woman to be in an expansive and atypical role, as long as she is a Democrat and not in one of those weird, insular marriages with only two people in it. The Clintons got it right," podcast host Mary Katharine Ham joked in a tweet from Sunday. 

TEN MEDIA NARRATIVES WAGED AGAINST RON DESANTIS FROM ‘DON’T SAY GAY' TO PUDDING

Independent Women’s Forum senior fellow Gabriella Hoffman mocked the apparent concern around Ron and Casey DeSantis being private about their marriage.  (Office of Gov. Ron DeSantis)

Independent Women’s Forum senior fellow Gabriella Hoffman mocked the apparent concern around Ron and Casey DeSantis being private about their marriage. 

"Gasp! Florida’s First Lady is in an insular marriage—oh my!—and that’s icky because she’s, by all appearances, dedicated to her to husband and vice versa?! How dare she be normal, committed to one man, and want an enduring marriage! PSA: every sane woman wants this," Hoffman wrote.

Political commentator Ian Miles Cheong responded with one word to a portion of the story that Gov. DeSantis’ press secretary highlighted on Twitter. 

"Based," Cheong wrote back to The Post's description of Gov. DeSantis' rhetoric against woke ideology as one of "zero tolerance."

The Post presented evidence that Gov. DeSantis was adept at using the "the language of zero tolerance."

"Listen to him talk onstage," The Post wrote. "The pandemic was a ‘Faucian dystopia.’ Woke ideology is a ‘mind virus.’ Parents are seeing gender identity issues ‘shoved down their throats.'"

This is not the first time that Casey DeSantis has drawn particular attention, and sometimes even ire from the media. A Daily Beast op-ed was widely criticized online for calling the first lady of Florida "Walmart Melania Trump," in an insult also directed at former President Donald Trump's wife, Melania.  

"The First Lady of Florida showed up on the campaign trail in Iowa this weekend wearing a ghastly black leather jacket—American flag on front, an alligator and the silhouette of her state on the back, with the sneering words, ‘Where Woke Goes to Die’—that brought to mind nothing so much as the racks of a Red State big-bin store where it would be retailing for $24.99," the Daily Beast wrote. 

Politico also invoked the "Lady Macbeth" trope to describe Casey DeSantis after previously defending other political spouses like Gisele Fetterman, Jill Biden and Hillary Clinton from comparisons to the Shakespearean villain. 

Fox News Digital has reached out to Gov. DeSantis’ office and the Florida Executive Office of the Governor for additional comment but has yet to receive a response.

Fox News’ Hanna Panreck and Joseph A. Wulfsohn contributed to this report.

Jeffrey Clark is an associate editor for Fox News Digital. He has previously served as a speechwriter for a cabinet secretary and as a Fulbright teacher in South Korea. Jeffrey graduated from the University of Iowa in 2019 with a degree in English and History. 

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