Why the red tsunami seems to have hit only Florida

American Thinker ^ | 9 Nov, 2022 | Thomas Lifson

[Zhang Fei]

[In Florida, he benefits from a loyal and principled GOP that took decades to build.]

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Reagan took along many of the associates acquired during his years as governor. It’s possible DeSantis would do the same. After all, they were the ones who helped him lay the foundation for this 2022 victory in FL.

[Maris Crane]

Thomas must have got into the cooking sherry.

TAKE A LOOK. WE WON A LOT IN THE NOVEMBER 8 ELECRION.

CHECK IT OUT, AS ROB SCHMITT SAYS.

[Rockingham]

When DeSantis first ran for Governor, he won by an unusually thin margin due to his lack of roots in the state GOP or in the state itself. This is a common problem in Florida with members of the US House and other outsiders who run for Governor. They may know their district or home town well, but they do not know the state, which is large and divided into a dozen or more unique market areas and political zones. Geographically, Florida is a large peninsula, but politically, it is an archipelago.

As a result, new Florida Governors without years of prior experience in state government often struggle politically when they first get into office. They and their team often look and act out of place, like a group of kids from out of town who have suddenly transferred to a new high school. In my years in Tallahassee, I saw this several times. It usually did not bode well for a smooth reelection for a Republican Governor when the GOP was in the minority.

As Governor, DeSantis developed a team for his administration and for his role in the state party. Now living outside of Tallahassee, it is hard for me to tell how good they are.

The team whom Jeb assembled (I knew many of them) was not especially good as a group. In spite of individual merit, they became known as "Jeb's kids" due to their youth, lack of experience in state government, and avid, on their sleeve uncritical personal admiration for Jeb. We saw how well that team did when Jeb ran for President. But for Trump though, Jeb might have won the GOP nomination at least.

As Governor, DeSantis has done well, but now living outside of Tallahassee, it is hard for me to tell how much of that is due to him and his team and how much is due to the effectiveness of a conservative Florida GOP that has dominated the state government for more than two decades now. DeSantis, to his credit, had a smoother reelection campaign than Jeb did. I am not sure though if DeSantis could carry his team and his success back to Washington as President.

On the other hand, Trump's time in the political wilderness has given him an opportunity to reflect on his experience, draw lessons, and develop a new political team. It seems to me that Trump is better prepared now to be President than DeSantis is -- and surely better prepared than Trump was in his term in office -- his first term, perhaps. Instead of DeSantis as President in 2024, might he do better as Secretary of State and presumptive successor to Trump in 2028?