I have posed that question on Free Republic a few times.
And the answers I have gotten have been :
1. Reagan was more conservative than Ford whereas DeSantis is alleged to be RINO and deep state, as compared to Trump.
2. Reagan had a long track record as a conservative before he ever ran for president, whereas DeSantis does not have that track record.
3. People who voted for Ford in 1976 were happy to support Reagan in 1980. But according to some people here, people who support Trump now are not going to support DeSantis in the future.
Because MR. TDS, we don’t want Desanctus to run against Trump. There is no need for a GOP internecene war. This is a MAGA party now so get over yourself. A war would give the Demoncats ammo to use against Trump in the general.
“People who voted for Ford in 1976 were happy to support Reagan in 1980. But according to some people here, people who support Trump now are not going to support DeSantis in the future.”
Right now, Desantis will get future support for Trump voters if he isn’t stupid. If however he starts doing direct attacks on Trump in a head to head race... He will alienate a whole lot of those Trump voters for life.
This isn’t 1976, and Desantis is certainly no Reagan. Trump fights, and fights hard at everything he does, and if Desantis runs against him, Trump is going to go hard after him and Desantis is not going to be able to beat Trump as his own game and in the process will wind up bloodied and battered and very harm his future prospects. The most likely outcome of Desantis taking on Trump is Desantis winds up suffering long term harm to his brand just like Cruz and Rubio did in 2016.
Desantis if free to run, but there is no real upside for him if he wants to try to go head to head with Trump. Odds of him long term damaging himself are far far more likely than any chance he will receive the nomination. Hell, polling doesn’t even show Desantis able to win his own STATE in the primaries... How do you think you are going to have a future in national politics if as a sitting Governor, you lose your own sate in the Presidential Primary?