It’s quite the opposite in reality. DeSantis is running his record as an authentic conservative and that is why he is hated by populists who long ago surrendered their ideological foundations.
I don't doubt DeSantis is a conservative, only that it's non-negotiable to him. He signed up to be the governor and to govern as a conservative...until something else was more important. Was that an opportunity to be a conservative president, or an opportunity to be simply a president, that overrode his promise? If he became president would he alter course for some expedient purpose? Switching horses was not a good look. Moreover, he's not an appealing candidate and if he can't campaign well in the primary he's unlikely to improve by November.