Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is widely expected to announce his candidacy for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination in the coming months. While DeSantis has not officially entered the race, he is Trump’s only serious rival in polling and is viewed as a potential threat to Trump’s re-nomination. However, Trump has turned his attention to DeSantis, attacking his ambitions and criticizing him as being too conventional and weak-kneed to challenge him.[0] Despite this, DeSantis has largely avoided engaging with Trump’s attacks, preferring to make subtle digs while presenting himself as taking the high road.
DeSantis has been positioning himself as an executive figure, arguing that he is best suited to get things done. He has rejected the possibility of being Trump’s running mate and has ruled out the idea of a unity ticket.[1] Meanwhile, Trump has blacklisted anyone who works on DeSantis’ book tour or for his possible presidential campaign, indicating that he sees DeSantis as a serious threat.[2]
The bad blood between the two politicians has been growing rapidly, with Trump taking jabs at DeSantis’ polling and calling him “Ron DeSanctimonious” in social media posts. Trump has also claimed that DeSantis came to him “with tears in his eyes” to ask for his endorsement and mocked him for asking for support.[3] DeSantis has responded to Trump’s attacks with thinly veiled insults and jabs about Trump’s legal troubles, but has largely avoided engaging head-on.
Many Republicans view DeSantis as a potential challenger to Biden in the 2024 presidential election, arguing that he could be a harder challenge than Trump.[4] Since his inauguration as Florida’s governor in 2018, DeSantis has seen a remarkable surge in popularity among Republicans. This is primarily due to his firm stance against pandemic-related restrictions, proactive efforts to combat critical race theory and gender ideology in educational institutions, and confrontational approach towards corporations and media personalities who have opposed his policies.[5] In theoretical 2024 pairings, Republican primary voters prefer Trump and DeSantis as the top contenders, and Trump perceives DeSantis as his greatest challenger for re-nomination.[5]
However, DeSantis’ support is slipping precipitously among Republican voters, according to recent polls.[6] Towards the conclusion of the previous year, he was viewed as a formidable contender, if not the predicted frontrunner.[6] Trump looked weak in the wake of the Republicans’ disappointing midterm elections and his own low-energy campaign launch, and he was becoming even weirder and more paranoid.[6] DeSantis possessed MAGA credentials and garnered the backing of a significant portion of the conservative establishment.[6] Upon recognizing the increasing danger, Trump started attacking DeSantis, and the latter chose to silently endure the criticism.[6] Although the governor is attempting to correct their course, the repercussions have already been felt. According to a Monmouth survey published on Wednesday, Trump has a 14-point advantage over DeSantis, with Trump having gained 15 points since December and DeSantis having lost 12.[6]
In conclusion, the battle between Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination is shaping up to be a fierce one.[7] While DeSantis has yet to officially enter the race, he is viewed as a potential threat to Trump’s re-nomination, and Trump has been attacking his ambitions and criticizing him as being too conventional and weak-kneed to challenge him. DeSantis has largely avoided engaging with Trump’s attacks, preferring to make subtle digs while presenting himself as taking the high road.
0. “‘Executive guy’ DeSantis doesn’t want to be Trump 2024 running mate” The Guardian US, 24 Mar. 2023, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/mar/24/ron-desantis-trump-running-mate
1. “Trump says Ron DeSantis would be working in a pizza parlour if it wasn’t for him” The Independent, 28 Mar. 2023, https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/ron-desantis-pizza-parlour-trump-b2309223.html
2. “Trump will block DeSantis staffers from ever working for him: report” Business Insider, 25 Mar. 2023, https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-block-desantis-staffers-ever-working-for-him-report-2023-3
3. “Trump says DeSantis endorsement was ‘nuclear weapon,’ could be working in a pizza parlor without it” The Hill, 28 Mar. 2023, https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/3921087-trump-says-desantis-endorsement-was-nuclear-weapon-could-be-working-in-a-pizza-parlor-without-it
4. “Would Democrats Rather Face Donald Trump Or Ron DeSantis in 2024?” FiveThirtyEight, 27 Mar. 2023, https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/would-democrats-rather-face-donald-trump-or-ron-desantis-in-2024/
5. “Trump reveals if an alliance with DeSantis for 2024 is possible” Fox News, 25 Mar. 2023, https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-reveals-alliance-desantis-2024-possible
6. “Why Ron DeSantis Looks Like a Loser” The New Republic, 23 Mar. 2023, https://newrepublic.com/article/171344/ron-desantis-trump-loser
7. “Ron DeSantis is driving Trump nuts with the unbearable: Ignoring him” The Arizona Republic, 25 Mar. 2023, https://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/2023/03/25/ron-desantis-is-driving-trump-nuts-with-the-unbearable-ignoring-him/70041922007/
