Posted on 01/16/2023 7:58:21 AM PST by Drew68
Observers say DeSantis is not as clueless as the ex-president, but can be just as ruthless. And he’s building momentum to be the GOP’s candidate in 2024
By some measures, Ron DeSantis is Donald Trump’s carbon copy. The Florida Governor achieved a national profile by rejecting social distancing, masking and vaccination mandates during the pandemic. He launched a culture war in his state, cracking down on discussions of racism and LGBTQ issues in schools. And he has shown a penchant for using the power of his office to punish those who defy him, from corporations to sports teams to government employees.
In other ways, Mr. DeSantis is the former president’s opposite. Those who have crossed his path, both allies and opponents, describe him as well-prepared, with a detailed understanding of legislation and a scripted communications style. In social situations, he eschews glad-handing, typically coming across as wooden and awkward. He has also occasionally flirted with policy moderation, pouring money into restoring the Everglades.
After Mr. DeSantis’s blowout re-election victory in November – and the defeat of Mr. Trump’s highest-profile chosen candidates in the midterms – the Florida Governor is rapidly building support to challenge his former benefactor for the 2024 Republican presidential nod. The idea is that he can do nationally what he did in both men’s home state: craft a hybrid between the sharpest aspects of Trumpism and a more disciplined political style.
“Folks who were with Trump had already started to migrate to DeSantis over the last couple of years, but the midterms accelerated that migration dramatically,” said Nick Iarossi, a 44-year-old lobbyist who has worked as a fundraiser for Mr. DeSantis, at his office near the Florida state capitol in Tallahassee.
(Excerpt) Read more at theglobeandmail.com ...
I might add Trump's penchant for name calling and making political enemies when a wiser person would say little or nothing.
Putting folks (who might someday be needed as an ally) on the defensive is rarely a good political strategy. Diplomats know to leave people a graceful path. Thinking Reagan, here.
Oh, and I'm not a "never Trumper", I'll support and vote for him if he wins the nom.
In what world?
Trump used to lead the likely primary winner polling by 30-40 points. These days it's in the teens or single digits. And in a few polls, DeSantis beats him.
Trump's support is declining.
The dramatic decline in support is also apparent here. I never thought I’d see the day that a LIVE Trump thread got less than 20 posts, but here we are.
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/4122938/posts
Exactly.🤔
DeSantis has two things in his background that make it hard for me to trust him.
He went to Yale and Harvard.
He has never worked outside of government.
Not saying that I would never vote for him, but when it comes to draining the swamp in DC, compared to Trump he just doesn’t have the “creds.”
Wow. 16 whole posts.
Of course, there's those weird "Q-Trust the plan" and "Trump Family Train" threads that go on for thousands of posts but only a small handful of posters participating.
The mods treat those as caucus threads and, as such, criticism is off-limits.
I've popped in a couple of times just to take a look around (I've never posted). Mostly glowing hagiographies of Trump and cat pictures.
The diehards will always be with us. Bless ‘em.
And how did Trump drain the swamp?
He didn't. The Swamp today is deeper and more powerful than ever.
It's just bizarre to me when people call the man who took on Disney, the woke school boards, the NHL, homosexual indoctrination of children, shut down drag shows for kids, shipped illegals to Martha's Vineyard, only to be re-elected in a massive landslide as the "GOP Establishment" candidate.
Meanwhile, the guy who handed the country over to Dr. Fauci, filled his administration with Deep State swamp creatures, mailed everyone "free" money, banned guns by executive order, campaigned for re-election with a $500 billion reparations package for blacks, endorsed Stacey Abrams for governor, and now throws gay parties at Mar-A-Lago is somehow the "Washington outsider who will drain the swamp."
Not just to Washington.
Trump's failure in our WI gov race won this red state 4 more years of a blue gov too.
Trump counts his endorsement victories the same way his admin counted Covid deaths. If you win with his endorsement, then he counts it as winning because of his endorsement. Then you owe your career and a lifetime of unquestioning loyalty to him... or something.
There were a lot of wins for Freedom in the Speaker's race. If the new Compromise-First Trump had gotten his way, Freedom's 20 would never have won them. Fortunately, his influence over their votes was a total failure.
Polls mean nothing.
TRump has exceeded so many denigrating polls you need to ask yourself how?
Why are you so threatened by Trump? Methinks yoou doth protest too much.
Is it TDR or are you paid by the DNC?
No, he did not. The Left always starts these things. They probably believe the Vietnam War started when the U.S. arrived there...
“...the words of eternal MAGA.”
__________
That right there is funny! 😉
Trump used to lead the likely primary winner polling by 30-40 points. These days it's in the teens or single digits. And in a few polls, DeSantis beats him.
Trump's support is declining
Personally, I think Trump is fast becoming yesterday's burnt toast. It will be interesting to see if Biden's documents dust-up help Trump to any degree.
Of course Desantis isn’t Trump2.0. Desantis is more effective and doesn’t tweet all the time. I’d vote for either of them. Both are ready and willing to fight unlike most of the RINO Party.
Desantis does have more political savvy, though.
“Not saying that I would never vote for him, but when it comes to draining the swamp in DC, compared to Trump he just doesn’t have the “creds.””
ROTFLMAO! The only swamp in Florida that DeSantis hasn’t drained is the Everglades.
Which swamp did Trump drain?
Except for appointing backstabbers. He was consistent at that.
Trump’s Platinum plan for Blacks. Reparations.
————Trump—————
Trump told The Wall Street Journal that “nobody had ever heard of” the holiday before he brought it up.
“I did something good: I made Juneteenth very famous,” Trump said.
“but when it comes to draining the swamp in DC, compared to Trump he just doesn’t have the “creds.””
———————Trump——————
Still, at one point during the rally, Trump said, “Stacey, would you like to take his place? It’s OK with me.” He also told his adoring fans that “having (Abrams), I think, might be better than having your existing governor, if you want to know the truth – might very well be better.”
“It’s going to be fun watching Trump dismantle Ron in a primary. Ron has no chance....”
With CNN supporting Trump he is a shoo-in:
https://www.cnn.com/2020/09/25/politics/donald-trump-black-empowerment-platinum-plan/index.html
https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/26/opinions/trump-stacey-abrams-kemp-obeidallah/index.html
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