In a recent memo penned by James Uthmeier, the campaign manager for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, it is claimed that DeSantis is the only candidate capable of defeating both Joe Biden and Donald Trump. The memo asserts that the DeSantis campaign is the only one built for the long haul, in terms of resources and organization.[0] However, despite these claims, it is evident that DeSantis has not had a successful campaign thus far and has not made a notable impact in any way.
The memo does acknowledge the growing popularity of DeSantis’ Republican rivals in recent polls.[0] While it does not specify which opponents it is referring to, it states that the “fundamentals” of the primary race have remained unchanged since the last debate.[0] This debate was seen as a crucial moment for DeSantis to revitalize his campaign after a period of declining poll numbers and negative press coverage.
However, despite the campaign’s confidence, DeSantis continues to trail Trump by a significant margin in both national and state-level polling.[0] Other GOP rivals, such as Vivek Ramaswamy, Nikki Haley, and Chris Christie, have surpassed DeSantis in recent polls. In an early presidential primary state poll conducted by CNN-University of New Hampshire, DeSantis ranked at 10%, while Ramaswamy had 13%, Haley had 12%, and Christie had 11%.[0]
It is worth noting that DeSantis’ campaign has focused on early primary states like Iowa and New Hampshire, which are crucial for gaining momentum as an insurgent candidate.[1] However, even in these states, DeSantis trails former President Trump by a national average of nearly 45 points.[1] This significant gap suggests that DeSantis faces an uphill battle in securing the Republican nomination.
Furthermore, it is interesting to observe that both DeSantis and Trump have decided to skip the second debate.[0] Trump, who is 77 years old, has chosen to travel to Detroit to deliver a speech to current and former auto union members in the midst of a strike against major automakers.[2] DeSantis’ decision to skip the debate may be an indication of the challenges he is facing in his campaign and his need to focus on alternative strategies to gain support.
In conclusion, while the DeSantis campaign may claim to be the only one capable of defeating both Biden and Trump, the evidence suggests otherwise. DeSantis has not been able to distinguish himself in any meaningful way, and his rivals have steadily gained popularity in recent polls.[3] With Trump still commanding a significant lead and other GOP candidates surpassing DeSantis in key primary states, it remains to be seen if DeSantis can overcome these challenges and secure the Republican nomination.
0. “DeSantis campaign pre-debate memo criticizes Trump, is dismissive of other rivals despite polling gap closing” CBS News, 23 Sep. 2023, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/desantis-campaign-pre-debate-memo-criticizes-trump/
1. “DeSantis trails Biden nationally as primary continues, polls show” Florida’s Voice, 22 Sep. 2023, https://flvoicenews.com/desantis-trails-biden-nationally-as-primary-continues-polls-show/
2. “‘His campaign is living in a fantasy land devoid of reality’: Team Trump slams DeSantis’ pre-debate memo to do” Daily Mail, 24 Sep. 2023, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12554157/Trump-slams-DeSantis-pre-debate-memo-donors.html
3. “Team DeSantis: Dumpster Fire of a Campaign Is Burning Nicely” WhoWhatWhy, 24 Sep. 2023, https://whowhatwhy.org/elections/team-desantis-dumpster-fire-of-a-campaign-is-burning-nicely/
