It makes sense because to win the primaries, you have to win the PARTY.
The General includes more than just the one party.
You can win the party and lose the whole thing.
Not to mention the point that one must win in each state, not the union as a whole. That is the way it works.
Do not forget Trump won the most states, however barely, in 2016, and thus won the electoral votes. Hitlery won the general “national” popular vote. It didn’t matter that she was polling better overall.
That is both an example that this is how the system works, and that Trump is not the huge popular guy everyone wants to fantasize he is. Not when you have to include every-day Dems in your voting and the “independents”.
Obviously you can win the primary and lose the general. It happens to one of the candidates every four years.
DeSantis can not win the primary. He can not win the party.
If he were to be handed the nomination, he is not going to generare high turnout amongst Republicans and right leaning independents. He trails behind Trump in support from independents.
Do you really believe the “every-day Dems” (as you put it) ate going to come out in support of DeSantis? They won’t. They won’t support Trump either.