[Drew68]

Trump was elected in 2016 by winning Rust Belt states that Republican candidates hadn’t won in decades.

And he lost every last one of them (save Ohio) in 2020.

Trump was elected by energizing a base of disgruntled malcontents who had never voted before.

But he was also elected by energizing no small number of Obama voters who absolutely loathed Hillary Clinton.

[Alberta's Child]

True enough. However … you can criticize Trump all you want, but if it weren’t for millions of questionable mail-in ballots he would be President today.

I do not foresee a huge, energetic groundswell of popular support for an establishment GOP candidate like Ron DeSantis. There are a lot of voters who — like me — supported Trump because he was NOT a “real” Republican.

[JayGalt]

The election was manipulated. You are arguing from corrupt data points.

[SoConPubbie]

Your statements are only true, objectively, if you truly believe there was no fraud in 2020.

Furthermore, why you believe DeSantis would do any better in the Rust-Belt states, or any other states, with the possible exception of Florida boggle the mind. Especially with current state of polling that show President Trump wiping the floor with DeSantis.