Hundreds of protesters, including MAGA faithful and progressives, gathered in Miami on the eve of Ron DeSantis’s presidential run.

The rally took place outside the Four Seasons Hotel, as wealthy fundraisers and donors met inside. DeSantis himself was not a the event. But as the Miami Herald noted, the Florida governor is expected to be in the area over the next couple days to meet with supporters.

“Ron DeSantis is not the state of Florida,” said Tampa resident Ben Braver to the paper. “The state of Florida is about people who want abortion rights, who care about education.”

Roughly 200 protesters gathered at the event, which was mostly populated by left-leaning DeSantis critics, including a couple billboard trucks paid for by the Democratic National Committee.

However, far-right Donald Trump supporters were also in attendance. Failed congressional candidate and “infamous bigot” Laura Loomer was at the protest, too, as was a contingent of “Blacks For Trump,” which is led by former violent cult leader and anti-Semite Maurice Symonette, also known as Michael the Black Man.

Later that evening, many of the protesters remained at the hotel while DeSantis attempted to launch his campaign on Twitter during a town hall that was plagued by technical issues.

“Glitchy. Tech issues. Uncomfortable silences. A complete failure to launch. And that’s just the candidate!,” the Trump campaign wrote in a release.

President Joe Biden also responded to the botched launch, by tweeting a link to his own campaign website with the line, “This link works.“

Here is the progressive crowd’s reaction outside immediately after learning Ron DeSantis had formally announced his 2024 presidential run in Miami on Wednesday.

Filmed by @davedeckerphoto for @N2Sreports pic.twitter.com/KreTGqFPRn
— Ford Fischer (@FordFischer) May 25, 2023