Just a small window into the underpinnings of De Santis and why I distrust his motivations:
Reported in October:
A week ago, Colorado senate republican candidate Joe O’Dea said on CNN, “I don’t think Donald Trump should run again.” He quickly added, ” I’m going to actively campaign against Donald Trump and make sure that we have got four or five really great Republicans right now; Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley and Tim Scott.”
Today, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis picked Joe O’Dea as his only 2022 endorsed senate candidate {link}, recording a robocall for O’Dea that says, “Hello this is Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. America needs strong leadership and desperately. That’s why I’m endorsing Joe O’Dea for U.S. Senate. Colorado, please vote for Joe O’Dea.”
Keep in mind, Ron DeSantis is a governor who campaigns on his success as a governor and has been rallying exclusively for governor candidates. However, despite not endorsing the republican candidate in the Colorado state race (Heidi Ganahl), Governor DeSantis went out of his way to support the only explicitly anti-Trump Senate candidate in 2022, Joe O’Dea.
A solid dive by Law.Com and Daily Business Review into the background of who is financing Donald Trump versus who is financing Ron DeSantis should help to clarify the nature of the difference between them.
President Trump is funded primarily from massive amounts of small contributions from small donors, the MAGA base.
Governor Ron DeSantis is funded primarily by a small group of exclusive Wall Street corporations, billionaires and hedge fund managers, and almost no small donors.
Essentially, if you are thinking about MAGA populism -vs- corporate republicanism; well, there’s the issue in easiest to understand data form.
Additionally, the new managers of DeSantis have recently noticed the vulnerability and hired firms to try and stimulate small donor amounts in an effort to avoid the jaw dropping difference in average donation. A strategy deployed by Jeb Bush in 2015. Pay attention to the names giving large donations to DeSantis and you will see: (a) where the economic policy distinction comes from; and (b) where the RDS branding and consulting image is coming from.
Business Daily Review – Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has raised more money than Donald Trump since the former president left office, relying on deep-pocketed donors rather than the small-dollar contributors he’ll need if he seeks the White House in 2024.
DeSantis … has amassed $142 million from the start of 2021 through Aug. 5 this year from donors such as the hedge fund billionaires Ken Griffin and Paul Tudor Jones. That tops the $136 million Trump collected over a slightly shorter period.
Unlike Trump, who relies largely on a network of small-dollar donors to fund his postpresidential political operations, DeSantis has raised the bulk of his money from a small number of wealthy donors writing him giant checks. That gives him plenty of money for his reelection effort in Florida, where laws allow unlimited contributions.
Once you see the strings on the marionettes you can never unsee them. The GOPe club uses the same play book. If you pulled a focus group of never-trumpers, then watched them discuss their snarky view of the MAGA voters they hate, then packaged that conversation into a targeted ad, this ‘cringeworthy’ outcome is exactly what you get.
The GOPe club are targeting MAGA voters by providing a manufactured and managed alternative to Donald Trump. That’s why you feel a little cringy when you watch the ad. The inauthentic nature transmits within the implied message.
The people behind Texas congressman Dan Crenshaw, likely the same branding group, did the same thing portraying Crenshaw as an action hero.
Not true. DeSantis endorsed and appeared with other candidates including Masters, Vance and Mastriano.
Very well said, thoughtful, researched response. The reason I came to FR so many years ago. We need more of this and less of the flame throwing. Get rid of the posers.
Thanks for that. People here have a habit of jumping on the bandwagon without research. There are certain signs that should not be ignored. Who does the person associate with, endorse, and receive money from?
Last night people were shooting from the hip. They will be sorry for that some day. It was based on ignorance and hero worship every bit as bad as they were accusing Trump of. It was like they ignored all the signs as we did for years when we only had RINOs to choose from. Good grief, the mewling was awful.
Face it, there is no other “nicer Trump” that is America First ready for 2024. The closest who isn’t afraid to speak his mind and buck the globalists and war mongers is Rand Paul.
“A solid dive by Law.Com and Daily Business Review into the background of who is financing Donald Trump versus who is financing Ron DeSantis should help to clarify the nature of the difference between them.”
Do you have a link for that? I did search that and didn’t find. Thanks.