Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) urged voters in blue states across the country to punish Democrat officials at the ballot box next fall for implementing seemingly never-ending COVID-19 restrictions.

DeSantis made the remarks when asked by Fox News’ Laura Ingraham on Monday night what his reaction was to California and New York, which both have Democratic governors, to reimplement mask mandates.

“Well, what are we on, like day, 700 of the 15 days to slow the spread?” DeSantis said. “The fact of the matter is, I think we’ve learned, you give these people an inch, they will never let go, they are going to take a mile, they are going to restrict, they’re going to mandate, they’re going to lock you down. And we cannot accept that. Obviously, in Florida, we do not accept it. So there’s no reason to be restricting or mandating anybody throughout our country.”

“And the fact that this is still going on in these blue states, and may even intensify over the coming weeks and months, it just shows you if you value your freedom in 2022, if you’re in those states, you need to make your voice heard and you got to do a change of direction because I fear that they’re going to continue to do this until they suffer at the ballot box,” DeSantis added.

WATCH:

TRANSCRIPT:

LAURA INGRAHAM, FOX NEWS HOST: Really quickly on this issue of mask mandates, I know you’ve rejected them across the board. What’s your reaction tonight to both Newsom in California and Hochul in New York going back to mask mandates with this Omicron, which seems to be thankfully, so far, a mild virus? And that’s the data we have at least so far on that. What’s your, what’s your reaction to the blue states reaction to this?

RON DESANTIS, FLORIDA GOVERNOR: Well, what are we on, like day, 700 of the 15 days to slow the spread? The fact of the matter is, I think we’ve learned, you give these people an inch, they will never let go, they are going to take a mile, they are going to restrict, they’re going to mandate, they’re going to lock you down. And we cannot accept that. Obviously, in Florida, we do not accept it. So there’s no reason to be restricting or mandating anybody throughout our country. And the fact that this is still going on in these blue states, and may even intensify over the coming weeks and months, it just shows you if you value your freedom in 2022, if you’re in those states, you need to make your voice heard and you got to do a change of direction because I fear that they’re going to continue to do this until they suffer at the ballot box.

INGRAHAM: Yeah and New York has now a higher case rate than Florida, Governor. New York City, New York City, just to be specific about that.

DESANTIS: Yeah. And so here’s the thing, Laura, it’s a seasonal pattern. Southern states have a different season, the northern states have, they’re going through their season. Mandates and restrictions have not been effective, but they’ve been very costly. And I think the proof is in the pudding. You have people that want to come to Florida to vacation, buy homes. You don’t have the opposite, where people are leaving free states to try to go to New York or some of these other places.

INGRAHAM: Governor DeSantis Great to see you tonight. Thanks so much for joining us.