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.
Trump needs to be in a contested nomination fight. No matter how unfairly he was treated or how strong his America First agenda is (was?), the future of the nation is bigger than one man. He’s done nothing to show he can win over voters suffering Trump fatigue. I voted for him twice and donated many times but he either steps aside in 2024 or he has to do the work to earn the nomination.
I’m not a DeSantis fan, he comes off as sanctimonious and not ready but he’s got time to prove himself. The rest of the country doesn’t really know him. The GOPe isn’t going to choose who I vote for.
At this point I don’t care who any of you support
But I do find it interesting how many comment as if DeSantis has done everything by himself.
No one seems to mention the extremely supportive and, if I’m not mistaken, a veto proof REPUBLICAN state legislature that drafts and passes all these wonderful bills that land on the governors desk
No one seems to mention the fact that the state is overwhelmingly Republican due to massive migration, no state income taxes, lower taxes and a better quality of life than the northern liberal dumps many of them escaped.
No one seems to mention that for the first time, in however long, Cubans and other Hispanics voted for a Republican.
No one seems to mention that the majority of Florida’s law enforcement community, across the board, supports law and order and hasn’t actively tried to subvert the Governor.
No one seems to mention that DeSantis doesn’t have an AG that is actively and publicly engaged in an operation to get rid of and/or jail him.
DeSantis has done a great job in Florida. Cannot be argued. But I dare anyone to show me another state where a Governor has had the deck stacked in his favor, like DeSantis has.
Donald Trump certainly didn’t. In fact it was the complete opposite of everything that DeSantis has going for him. President Trump had about 6 or 7 people he could count on. That’s it. And he still got stuff done that all of applaud to this day.
There were a lot of times during the Trump Presidency that everyone thought that the President should just STFU, me included. Only to later learn that he was as right as rain.
Do I think his attacks are a good thing? No. Look at the comments on this thread. Not good. Everything should be directed at Biden, Pelosi, Schumer, McConnell and McCarthy. But I’m willing to shrug my shoulders for now and wait to see what happens.
If Ryan, Kristol and the rest of the Establishment are pushing DeSantis this hard and if the reports of where all of his money is coming from are true, then maybe he’s not the guy some of you think he is. Time will tell.
Want DeSantis? You think he will get a pass from the MSM after he’s nominated? You think Trump doesn’t know that DeSantis is going to challenge him? Do you think that DeSantis, if elected, will go to Washington and challenge the establishment? Have you forgotten the Tsunami of corruption that Trump has faced on YOUR behalf? Shame on you.
He pushed forward some weak candidates with got nominated because we gave him the benefit of the doubt. He held rallies but sat on his PAC money. The rallies made it all about him. Keeping the 100 million to himself means he’s focused on 24.
We don’t need him in Georgia. It’s better for Walker that he keep his distance but if he wants to spend money for getting out the vote absolutely he should do that. If he’s going to roll in here and suck all the air out of the room he’ll doom Walker who is going to have an uphill fight against the Democrat ground game.
Walker underperformed every other statewide Republican on the ballot. Hopefully Kemp will do his part for getting out the vote. He couldn’t quite drag Walker over the goal line this week.
Trump’s losing control. He’s caught between a rock and a hard place - being indicted or having to declare, which mean he then has to start paying his own legal bills. He’s no longer the darling of the party, and is now being jeered instead of cheered by many of his former followers.
But instead of realizing he’s understandably turning people off, and adjust in an attempt to attract people back, he and his followers will just double down and continue with their insults, and threats.
What everyone else is learning, is that approach just doesn’t work, especially not long term. You can only bully people when your power is growing, not when it is dying.
Globalist RINO donors are giving money to Ron D too.
$180 million isn't about an easy win governor's race.
The repub presidential primary has already begun for the donor class and those being donated to so this is just Trump in primary campaign mode.
He has a coordinated campaign against him. Literally overnight, everyone started saying Trump out, DeSantis in. I'm sure he heard about it before we saw the stories coming out.
Personally, I don’t think that highly of egocentric, petulant, adolescent behavior in elderly candidates with a history of making bad personnel picks and losing to the country’s worst ever presidential candidate ever.
Trump is proven correct 100% of the time. Reaction to his vision is always negative at the beginning. This requires serious mulling. We do not yet see what he sees.
Pa electorate voted for a dead man and a nearly dead man. Not a lot of common sense there, and nothing that can be described as honest.
This is just sad. Trump seems to think he’s back in the 2016 primaries and hasn’t realized how circumstances have changed and how much he’s hurting himself continuing to escalate this. We need him as a force in the party to counterbalance the RINOs but Trump almost seems to be self-destructing here by alienating both a significant chunk of his base and the rest of the party that went along with him before.
The Lincoln Project might push Desantis only because they are anti Trump. I’m telling you Trump is toxifying himself. His approach worked in the primary because it was him against the establishment. He is trying to pick a fight with Desantis the same way via belittlement, but since Desantis is not part of the detestable establishment it does not work at all and I can tell you is backfiring big time, and looks like he’s lashing out out of jealousy.
One mans opinion freely given worth ALMOST that much
Donald Trump (and his ego) have a Real Problem with anyone but Him being in the limelight.
I have said I’m Neutral n the upcoming Primary race (any Republican who wins is going to be BETTER than any Dem), But This kind of CRAP is making it hard to stay that way.
Waaay to early for Trump to pull his stunt.
“looks like he’s lashing out out of jealousy.”
I agree with that.
The 2024 campaign has begun. I guess we should start the pool as to who will win the GOP nomination...
Ironically, I am an independent voter who was skeptical of Trump and remained critical throughout their attacks upon him, while simultaneously supportive.
You are rather ignorant here; there are many who share my views.
Furthermore, I suggest a dictionary (4D Chess = “metaphor”).
I never stated that he was smart. Quite the opposite, in fact.
I literally had this discussion just yesterday, that either this is just another ‘Trumpism’, he & his so-called advisors got drunk to develop this tack, or he is working WITH DeSantis with purpose.
Think about it (and reflected in the left’s glaring lack of assent): The left can’t even say his name. If Trump attacks DeSantis, the left cannot agree (i.e., supportive) and, therefore, Trump insulates DeSantis from the machine.
If it is a strategy, it’s quite shrewd, meaning that he’s learned that his greatest strength is his ability to manipulate the left. i.e., “4D Chess.”
If it’s not a strategy, it’s the smartest “dumbass” thing he’s ever accidentally accomplished.
I lean heavily - obviously - to the prior.
I answer that easy question; The 2024 campaign has begun.
And assured failure of the repeal of Odumbocare when he pissed off shit-stain McCain with his comment that he prefers people who haven't gotten themselves captured.
The vax is the deepest wound of all. It grows out of a ChiCom dark op targeted with peculiar precision at DJT. COVID was always all about destroying Trump. His efforts to stop it as a disease were compromised by the very tyrants who fulfilled his WarpSpeed ambition.
The Chinese threw a global epidemic with the potential to kill tens of millions at a man for whom germs are a pathological fear. He threw unparalleled effort into defeating this enemy.
In so doing he empowered his enemies who disguised their contempt with sanctimony and their compassion with tyranny. He was belittled with contempt far beyond any reasonable criticism. His enemies understood COVID was a weapon aimed directly at Trump.
We owe this man our national soul. He has suffered the contempt of millions for us.
Thick is too dense for you?
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