Ron DeSantis cracks up crowd at Nevada bar: ‘I’ll serve you anything except Bud Light’ 

Presidential candidate and Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis hopped behind a Nevada bar last week and elicited rapturous laughter when he told patrons that he’d serve them “anything except Bud Light.”

DeSantis, 44, was slinging beverages to a crowd gathered at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9211 bar in Reno, Nevada, on Friday when he made the joke at the expense of the light beer brand that has been mired in controversy since it partnered with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney back in April. 

“Just so you know, I’ll serve you anything except Bud Light,” DeSantis told customers sitting at the bar – known as “the Bunker” – evoking laughter.  

DeSantis, who is polling at about 20% according to a RealClearPolitics average of GOP presidential primary polls, also served a round of “on the house” drinks, clinked a glass with patrons and sipped on a draft beer himself during his time behind the bar. 

DeSantis was joined at the VFW post by his longtime friend and former roommate Adam Laxalt, who served as Nevada’s attorney general and narrowly lost a 2022 bid for the Senate to incumbent Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.). 

As part of the governor’s campaign stop in the Silver State, DeSantis, his wife Casey and their three children attended the Reno Rodeo Friday night before heading to the 8th Annual Morning in Nevada PAC’s Basque Fry in Gardnerville, Nev., where DeSantis delivered remarks. 

The trip marked DeSantis’ first trip to Nevada since launching his 2024 White House campaign last month.

The state will be crucial for DeSantis in 2024 as it is one of the earliest GOP presidential primary states.