Is it TOO soon to write off Florida Governor Ron DeSantis?
On the one hand, it’s absurd to write him off this soon without a single vote cast, given his name identity, his $90 million cash on hand, and his background as governor of one of America’s most important states. Not to mention Trump’s MOUNTAIN of looming legal problems.
On the other, I pretty much already have.
Ron DeSantis is not exactly presidential timber. And he has shown it time after time after time.
He has blundered, stumbled, and fumbled at every opportunity presented to him.
Opinion columnist George F. Will said it better than I could in a Washington Post opinion piece:
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is defining himself before his rivals can define him, but not to his advantage. He seems intelligent but unpleasant, forthright but prickly, accomplished but incapable of political grace notes. He also seems tightly scripted — perhaps for good reasons.
His unforced errors include describing Russia’s war of annihilation against Ukraine as a “territorial dispute.” And backing a ban on abortion after six weeks, which is before women often know they are pregnant. (Is he trying to forfeit the female vote in suburbia, where the 2024 election might be decided?) And vowing, unintelligibly (see the Constitution’s Article IV, Section 2), that he will “not assist” any extradition of Trump from Florida.
For the life of me, I cannot figure out this rudderless DeSantis campaign.
Part of his strategy seems to be to get punched as much as possible, hoping his opponent (primarily Trump at the moment) eventually gets tired or bored of punching him.
But we all know that in political races, you always want to define yourself. (And certainly not allow your opponent to define you.)
And yet that is what DeSantis is doing: not punching back and leaning against the ropes, taking punches.
If DeSantis wanted to show strength, he should have immediately called Trump a three-time loser, who the Republican Party is done with. (The forces of decency have won most elections of late: in 2018, 2020, 2022, and in 2023 in Wisconsin.)
DeSantis should have called Trump a man without morals, who pays off porn stars, and who seems to have a limited understanding of the Bible or its principles.
But DeSantis is afraid to upset the Trump base, who he eventually will need. And thus he’s going to hope he can stay against the ropes and survive the punches.
What do you all think? Is it TOO soon to write off Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in the Republican Primary? (Maybe even the entire race? Because he is not running a race that will win a majority of Americans with his extreme positions.)
Or does his strategy somehow make sense in a way I’m not seeing? Let me know below.
Love and peace,
Stan R. Mitchell
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P.S. Do not despair in these coming days. The light of dawn is emerging, and nothing can stop light (or truth).
P.P.S. If you enjoyed this post, I’ll bet you’d love the book below about President Obama.