Posted on 11/10/2022 9:15:55 PM PST by SeekAndFind
On Thursday night, with midterm races still yet to be called in key states that will determine the balance of power in Congress, former President Donald Trump issued a statement targeting Florida Governor Ron DeSantis who walloped Democrat Charlie Crist in one of the few clear GOP victories of what was supposed to be a national "red wave" night in repudiation of President Biden's agenda.
Trump's lengthy statement began by using his new nickname for DeSantis — for whom he voted in Florida this week — "DeSanctimonious," and called him "an average REPUBLICAN Governor with great Public Relations" who "has the advantage of SUNSHINE." Trump also claimed "people from badly run States up North would go [to Florida] no matter who the Governor was, just like I did."
The 45th president continued his attack on DeSantis by claiming the popular governor's first campaign had "completely fallen apart" before Trump stepped in to endorse him, hold rallies on his behalf, and "fixed" his campaign while stopping the "election from being stolen." Trump's accusatory statement continued, saying "Ron DeSanctimonious is playing games!" by answering questions about a Trump 2024 run by saying he was focused on his now-wildly successful gubernatorial race and leading Florida. According to Trump, "in terms of loyalty and class, that's really not the right answer."
Trump's statement, while on par with his usual rhetoric that's normally used against centrist, squishy Republicans and not red state conservatives, drew an outsized amount of criticism from Republicans and conservatives for attacking DeSantis, let alone while the governor is responding to Hurricane Nicole's landfall across the Sunshine State.
Like many conservatives, Jesse Kelly was looking forward to a primary fight sharpening the eventual GOP nominee to take on Biden — or whoever Democrats run — in 2024. But now, he's calling Trump out, saying he's "going to just embarrass himself and go down in flames" which, as Kelly points out, is a sad development.
I was genuinely excited to see a primary fight between these two. I think that’s what would be best for the country.
But apparently Trump is going to just embarrass himself and go down in flames and I’ll be honest, it saddens me a little. Not how the Trump era should end.
https://t.co/CYVIcIsW4i— Jesse Kelly (@JesseKellyDC) November 10, 2022
Others who supported Trump in 2016 and 2020 shared similar disappointment in his decision to start and now escalate a fight with one of Republicans' brightest examples of what limited conservative government can achieve:
I supported the man twice after never wanting him to get the nomination. He sat in $100 million this cycle to keep for himself. What he is doing now is childish and damaging nobody but him. I am done with Trump after this. Good riddance.
https://t.co/NLNdXlg9jS— Johnny Conch (@JCinKeyWest) November 10, 2022
Our friend Kurt Schlichter didn't hold back either, pointing out that his recent statements and reaction to the midterms could be seen as "an all out war against his electability."
Some might argue that Trump is in an all out war against his electability. I mean what the hell was that today? https://t.co/UmaLQlirn7— Kurt Schlichter (@KurtSchlichter) November 10, 2022
In the same vein, Byron York noted that Trump's statements in the last 72 hours seem to be an attempt to inflame most Republicans against him:
'Ron DeSanctimonious' is back. Former President Trump, perhaps worried there are some Republicans he has not yet irritated, attacks Gov. DeSantis again. pic.twitter.com/M4BlyUKlhe— Byron York (@ByronYork) November 10, 2022
Others, including Allie Stuckey, pointed to the fact that this might not entirely be about Trump's feelings about DeSantis — again, who Trump voted for on Tuesday — but about the fact that DeSantis is taking attention away from Trump's big announcement slated for next Tuesday night:
Trump’s statement reads like DeSantis slighted him in some way, but really he’s just upset that *other* people are talking about DeSantis’s presidential potential. https://t.co/BjV3IsOPjJ— Allie Beth Stuckey (@conservmillen) November 10, 2022
As The Hill's Joe Concha, a Fox News regular, pointed out, Trump's feud with DeSantis is entirely one-sided and not a great strategy for Trump in the long-term:
And for those who argue that Trump is just fighting back against DeSantis, point to any public statement of DeSantis saying anything negative about Trump. This is a one-way street on that front and the former president looks small in doing so.— Joe Concha (@JoeConchaTV) November 11, 2022
Another friend of Townhall's, Jim Hanson, noted that Trump and all who care about the future of America should be celebrating what DeSantis and his campaign accomplished in Florida on the gubernatorial, senatorial, and congressional level.
Big Trump weakness
Attacking our team@RonDeSantisFL was the big winner yesterday
All of the Fighting Right should celebrate thathttps://t.co/yTdGU8mmoY— Jim Hanson (@JimHansonDC) November 10, 2022
Even Townhall's own Matt Vespa and Storm Paglia — who've been endless defenders of Trump through it all — are fed up with Trump's midterm response:
Trump is just self-destructing...i hate to use the phrase "move on," but it's a debate we need to have before we're in the thick of 2024 stuff.— Matt Vespa (@mVespa1) November 10, 2022
This is exactly why you’re bleeding extremely staunch supporters like me Trump. The great Governor has done nothing “sanctimonious” to deserve that super lame nickname, or these lies about his (much better than yours) Covid policies. DeSantis 2024.
pic.twitter.com/DzuudYs62Z— Storm Paglia 🇺🇸 (@storm_paglia) November 10, 2022
With reactions like these, Trump needs to read the room and realize firing inside the tent — especially against the man known in many GOP circles as "America's Governor" — is not the move in the wake of a midterm cycle in which DeSantis' victory was one of only a few bright spots.
But, if his escalating statements and posts on Truth Social are any indication, this seems to be the warpath Trump's now on — and it doesn't look like those who previously backed him want to be along for the ride.
The Donald needs to focus on the real enemies.
Otherwise he’s toasted.
I wonder if President Trump is setting a trap to see who in the Republican Party comes out against him regarding his comments. They’re already trying to blame him for Tuesday’s elections. Those individuals who have jumped on the media and Democrat’s band wagon, will out themselves as the traitorous backstabbers that they are. Many of them are running the line that “it’s time to move on to other leadership.” Like we’re supposed to move on from the Scamdemic? Forgive and forget? Never, f*cking ever!
4D Chess.
republican leadership has been attacking him. They are blaming him for the lack of blue wave. Even though they had control of the money. They did not support Vance or Lake. But they did support lots of candidates who won easily. Republicans had more voters but got few seats for them. So their money was not spent wisely. Trump tried to get candidates in hard states like New York and Michigan over the line. But republican leadership would not give them money.
Rubio was not DeSantis he won easily because Democrats gave Florida to the republicans and spent that money in closer races. Republicans clearly spent their money on sure thing candidates.
DeSantis should call Trump and make peace with him by agreeing future plans.
Seems simple enough to me.
Trump has jumped the shark. He’s done in politics. He will never be elected to office again, but because of his great service to our country he will eventually be forgiven and honored.
The CIA has 75 years of psychological warfare under it’s belt which they’ve used to destroy third world governments all around the globe. All that knowledge and technology and control of American MEDIA is now being used against the opposition, which is MAGA voters.
So Trump is trying to identify and “out” “backstabbers” by seeing who comes to Desantis’s defense? I don’t get it Why would defending Desantis - make somebody a traitor or backstabbed?
DeSantis and Lake have so much more composure. And no vax baggage. Gonna be rough getting 45 offstage though.
You said it and you said it well.
That is how I believe the process will go.
Desantis did nothing to Trump.
This is completely self-inflicted. DeSantis is not his enemy. He isn’t even a rival.
And the same people who support him support DeSantis.
Sometimes Trump forgets who is supporters are.
Meanwhile GOPe is trying to drive a wedge between Trump and the party. He is taking the bait. He would be better to aim his ire at the Dems and Deep Staters who stole yet another election right out from under... not just him, but us.
Or Trump could call Desantis and apologize for being an ass. Haha. Yeah, i know. Funny huh?
You’re adding too much to the picture. I never said people who would come to DeSantis’s defense. I said people who bitch and moan about Trump’s comments...like people here on FR who want him to just shut up, or people like Mike Huckabee and Kayleigh MacEneny, who are saying he should stay out of the Georgia run-off. There’s always critics out there who sit on the sideline, and think they know what should be done, and most of them don’t know their ass from a hole in the ground.
My sentiments exactly.
Trump is separating the sheep from the goats.
👍🏻
This criticism about Trump is all about Oz losing in PA and Zeldin losing in NY.
It’s Northern snobs blaming Trump for their loses. Oz was always a bad candidate. Yes the brain dead Fetterman beat him, but those clueless Dems in PA would have voted for anybody but a Republican. On top of that PA is as corrupt as a state gets. Zelden never really had a chance in NY. He’s a Republican. It’s not Trump’s fault OZ lost. If Lake wins in AZ and she will unless the election is stolen, and if republicans take the senate, maybe that will shut up Dems thinking they won the election or certain republicans thinking republicans did terrible. They didn’t.
You say “He’s done in politics.”
I say “You’re out of your freakin’ mind.”
I’m about done with Donny. Maybe DeSantis will be better maybe not. All I know is we’ve given Trump three shots to prove that 2016 wasn’t a fluke and he’s whiffed on all three. The goal of conservatism is to advance conservatism...not to advance Trump’s ambition or to stick with him to the bitter end. At some point you gotta stop living in the past glory of 2016.
Blah blah blah cheating blah blah blah stabbed in the back. All conservatives for decades have had to deal with rampant cheating and RINOs. Its part of the job description. If you don’t make it into a win its not a win. What is Trump going to do about it? What has he done about it? I’ve heard no plan from any one of his supporters other than blindly run Trump again and somehow things will be different.
Trump has had years to get his act together and he still can’t lead a party wide election or refocus from petty tweeting to more constructive tasks. Almost every major minion he picks still turns on him like clockwork (and his diehard supporters bash every one of them blind to the irony that they champion trump as the best man to build a coalition.) in 2022 just like in 2016.
We all know the definition of insanity. Time to try something different.
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