DeSantis wanted cover - Tampa Bay Times

Suggest that a politician is a hypocrite? I can't fit the number of Democrats and Republicans that are hypocrites on the server. Not enough space.

A misstep to be sure, and hypocritical.

I don't believe it had anything to do with the "optics." Eventually, though it was too early then as it is now, but eventually, viable Presidential candidates get Secret Service protection. They get it for a reason ... they become targets of nutcases. I suspect that DeSantis' CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE only had that (potential threats) in mind.
Colonel, I am NOT saying this with you in mind ... but anyone who thinks that someone as popular as DeSantis isn't, or won't become a target for nuts, is naive. Again, NOT directed at you. As STRONLY pro-2nd Amendment as I am, I would "almost" agree that guns at political events should be discouraged if not disallowed. As a 2nd Amendment advocate, I say that with some serious hesitation ... BUT it's for the same reason that PA disallows carrying firearms at voting polls.
Some might suggest that a compromise though would be metal detectors and checking to see if a person had a carry permit, but what about Constitutional Carry states. A person can still be unbalanced and without a record, they can carry. So, the seemingly logical thing would be, no guns at campaign events.