The delight is marred, as it appears increasingly likely that Trump will be the Republican nominee once again, with a real chance of reclaiming the presidency. Jamie Kelter Davis / The New York Times / ReduxAugust 2, 2023, 7:30 AM ETAmerica has always had a soft spot for underdogs, but there’s something undeniably captivating about witnessing a once-mighty figure fall from grace. In recent months, no one’s experienced this downfall more dramatically and publicly than Ron DeSantis. Just eight months ago, the Florida governor was seen as the man who could finally defeat Donald Trump. Today, he’s struggling to stay ahead of Vivek Ramaswamy, a previously unknown contender.
It seems like DeSantis encounters a new problem nearly every day. The latest New York Times poll, published on Monday, shows Trump with a commanding lead over DeSantis. A closer look at the breakdown of voter attitudes and profiles reveals why it will be an uphill battle for DeSantis to close that gap. While DeSantis is attempting to reboot his campaign, it mostly looks like a mass firing, with the same tired talking points and approaches, and most importantly, the same uninspiring candidate. Trump has eagerly exploited DeSantis’s weaknesses, portraying him as lacking personality and highlighting his excessive spending on a campaign that’s failed to gain significant traction.
For those on the left side of the political spectrum, this has provided a mixed sense of pleasure and schadenfreude. DeSantis’s aggressive implementation of hard-right policies in Florida, combined with his antagonistic relationship with the media, once made him appear as both promising and dangerous. Witnessing Trump effortlessly outmaneuver DeSantis, in a manner reminiscent of the 2016 GOP primary, is certainly entertaining. But this pleasure is tainted, as it brings us closer to the grim possibility of Trump becoming the Republican nominee and, ultimately, the President once again.
Some time ago, there was a spirited debate about which would be worse for American democracy: President DeSantis or a return of President Trump. On one hand, Trump showed disdain for democratic institutions and the rule of law, even attempting an autogolpe. On the other hand, his administration was marked by frequent buffoonery and a failure to effectively execute policies. DeSantis, on the surface, seemed like a more typical conservative Republican, but his appeal lay in his ability to effectively achieve results, as evidenced by his record in Florida. This debate has lost steam as DeSantis veers further to the right, passing a stringent abortion law and escalating his feud with Disney. Moreover, his chances of defeating Trump seem increasingly slim.
DeSantis’s decline can be partially attributed to his shortcomings as a politician. His sharp turn to the hard-right and subsequent decline in popularity are not coincidental; he’s pursuing ideas that most Republicans and voters do not support. The more voters see of him, the less inclined they are to vote for him. There’s a famous saying that Americans want leaders they can envision having a beer with. DeSantis comes across as the type of person who would lecture you about the empty calories in your drink, glower while hastily consuming a non-AB InBev product, and then abruptly leave with a bad tip. Nate Silver noted that DeSantis’s electoral record is less than stellar. While his performance in 2022 was impressive, in his other four races, he lagged behind a generic Republican candidate. Trump likes to claim credit for launching DeSantis’s career with his endorsement in the 2018 Florida governor’s race, and he may have a point.
Another significant factor in DeSantis’s dwindling prospects is Trump’s proficiency in dismantling him. From 2018 to 2022, Trump led the Republican Party to defeat, with 2016 being the last time we witnessed Trump fully unleash his ability to dismantle opponents. There’s a certain satisfaction in witnessing an artist at work, even if their masterpiece involves petty bullying of political rivals. While DeSantis, like other GOP candidates, is hesitant to attack Trump to avoid alienating his base, he can’t afford to refrain from criticism to establish a distinction. Either way, DeSantis finds himself trapped. When he echoes Trump, the former president mocks him as a cheap imitation. When he cautiously criticizes Trump, the latter quotes DeSantis’s previous support. When DeSantis tries to outflank Trump on the right, Trump simply stands by and watches. This serves as a reminder that while Trump governed with aspirations of authoritarianism, the rest of the Republican field positioned themselves even further to the right in 2016. Trump revels in accumulating endorsements from elected officials, especially those from Florida Republicans, effectively undermining DeSantis.
However, the liberal satisfaction derived from watching Trump dismantle DeSantis does not indicate newfound affection for the former president. There isn’t a single Republican candidate that Democrats genuinely like (one can be sure that the progressive admiration for Chris Christie would rapidly fade if he were speaking more about his policy ideas than attacking Trump). Nonetheless, many individuals in both parties believe that Trump would be the weakest candidate for the 2024 Republican nomination, placing Democrats in the bizarre position of rooting for Trump in the primary.
It remains uncertain whether Trump is truly as weak as his critics perceive him to be. Conversely, DeSantis may not be any stronger. DeSantis’s wooden personality, staunchly conservative platform, and lackluster performance thus far raise doubts about his ability to stand as a formidable candidate in a general election. Even if Trump is considered a weak candidate, the outcome of the general election will likely hinge on a small percentage of votes, potentially in key states. Given the unpredictability of the economy, President Joe Biden’s age and propensity for gaffes, and the inherent uncertainty of any election, Trump could very well secure victory, ushering in a disastrous second term. Liberals find themselves unable to earnestly support either man during the primary. In today’s American political landscape, the enemy of my enemy is still my enemy.
Denial of responsibility! VigourTimes is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
