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Is DeSantis Jeopardizing a Presidential Run?
Many of us have said that if there’s any indication that Ron DeSantis was running for President, he would immediately have a target on his back. He hasn’t even declared his candidacy yet, and the media is attacking him. At this point, though, it’s helpful to actually know the facts about his potential for running, the ideas and policies that will help or hinder him, and what the future might hold.
So why hasn’t DeSantis declared his candidacy? The answer seems so obvious to me. Several months ago, he stated that he wanted to stay engaged with the FL legislature until this session was concluded; that happens in May. I’m pretty certain that he isn’t going to allow a persistent and badgering media to change his mind. Second, he technically can’t run for President while he is governor of Florida:
Currently, F.S. Chapter 99 reads: (4)(a) Any officer who qualifies for federal public office must resign from the office he or she presently holds if the terms, or any part thereof, run concurrently with each other. (b) The resignation is irrevocable.
Since the next presidential term would begin in January 2025, in the middle of DeSantis’s second term as governor, lawmakers will certainly make adjustments to allow him to stay governor as long as needed.
In that case, there’s no hurry to pass the new legislation.
Another criticism is the image the media is trying to impose on DeSantis. Some describe him as cold and indifferent to people; others say that he is trying to imitate Trump through his assertive language. In the first place, this is the man who protected Floridians from draconian Covid policies, and also made sure that the most at-risk people, including the elderly and minority groups, had access to the shots. Comparing him to Trump is a bizarre observation; DeSantis rarely attacks other people, limits his name-calling (I do think he called Biden “Brandon”), and is direct and not hyperbolic in his feedback on destructive policies.
The most critical arguments against him are almost always about policies that Floridians have embraced (including many Democrats) and that outsiders hate. He has been described as authoritarian when he refused to comply with the Biden administration’s demands. He was labeled uncompassionate when he wouldn’t allow people to be forced into Covid shots. His protecting children from the education system was courageous and consistent; refusing to allow gender-affirming curriculum, CRT propaganda, and prohibiting books in school libraries that were inappropriate for children made him a champion among parents.
DeSantis has repeatedly said that Florida is a place where “woke comes to die.”
One of the most controversial conflicts has been with the Disney company. Given that Disney took political positions, attacking not only DeSantis but the people of Florida, DeSantis felt they were fair game for retribution. Thus, began the fights over the Reedy Creek Improvement District, where Disney had been given nearly full control. He also decided to create a new governing board that would be accountable to the state, not to Disney. The Disney company tried to make an end run around this change, but they completed only two of the legal requirements to maintain control, and thus their efforts to reverse the DeSantis actions were voided.
Up to this point, I agreed with the DeSantis changes regarding Disney; I believed that the Disney accommodations by Florida were extreme and needed to be modified. But more recently, DeSantis has pushed for more actions that appear to be more punitive than warranted. He proposed that Disney World would no longer self-inspect its own rides, as Disney and the other large amusement parks have done for many years. The other parks, like Sea World and Universal, would continue to self-inspect, so it appears that Disney was singled out—even though it had a stellar record on safety and reporting. I agree with ride safety expert Brian Avery that the issue shouldn’t be politicized and requirements should be uniform for large parks:
‘What’s good for one should be good for all,’ he said. ‘This should not be targeted in any way . . . I would rather that they all be removed from the exemption [that allows them to self-inspect] and then the Department of Agriculture acts as a layer providing additional safety inspections, oversight [and] accident investigations.’
Better yet, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
Occasionally, DeSantis likes to poke at people and organizations that try to flex their muscles against the state (as Disney has repeatedly tried to do). He commented on the district land that Disney didn’t own:
‘People are like, ‘Well …what should we do with this land?’ said a smiling DeSantis. ‘Maybe create a state park, maybe try to do more amusement parks? Someone even said, ‘Maybe you need another state prison?’ Who knows? I just think that the possibilities are endless.’
Donald Trump is piling on his criticisms of DeSantis with name-calling and misleading issues. (He’s distorted DeSantis’ position on Medicare and Social Security, for starters.) I believe that the more hyperbolic Trump acts and speaks, the more his efforts will be self-defeating. Self-immolation, so to speak, makes the DeSantis run even more appealing.
Finally, much has been made of the abortion law passed in Florida. This article, for thoughtful reasons, explained why the fetal heartbeat (six-week) law passed in Florida was appropriate for this state, following a 15-week law that passed earlier when he ran again for governor. The problem is not that “extreme” laws are being passed, but that the laws are not being drawn up to meet the needs and expectations of a state’s population:
Running on an absolutist pro-life platform now is the mirror image of the mistake Democrats have made running on an absolutist pro-abortion platform. Some tolerance for less-than-ideal laws is politically necessary. So, too, is a willingness to work incrementally—enacting a pain-capable law today if that’s possible, working to shape public opinion, and passing a heartbeat bill later. Florida accomplished that in only a year.
When the law matches the state’s expectations, Republicans can win:
Taxpayer-funded abortion on demand throughout all nine months of pregnancy—the official Democratic platform—is extremely unpopular, going too far even for many Democratic voters. The pro-life movement and the GOP have an opportunity to expose this left-wing extremism.
When articulate politicians do this, they win. Mr. DeSantis—no shrinking violet in front of hostile media—ran for re-election in 2022 having signed into law a pain-capable bill, which protects babies after 15 weeks, that same year. He won by 19 points. Last week, while considering a presidential bid, he signed the heartbeat bill. In Ohio, Gov. Mike DeWine won last year by 25 points after signing a heartbeat law. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott both won decisive victories after signing heartbeat laws. Sen. Marco Rubio was re-elected by 16 points after expressing strong support for a 15-week federal limit.
But Republicans can’t win if they allow Democrats to define the debate. The Republicans must rally constituents in primaries in an effort to save the lives of the unborn. They must remind the people that Democrats—without exception, at least publicly—are prepared to kill fully developed babies. Instead of seeing the abortion debate as a liability, we must fight for babies’ lives.
* * * *
The national abortion argument is precisely the type of stance that Gov. Ron DeSantis has been prepared to engage, along with many other issues.
He speaks clearly and with conviction. He takes care of the people in his state. He knows his values and the interests of his constituents.
I believe DeSantis will declare his candidacy in the next three months.
He will run.
And he will win.
Published in Elections
I still think DeSantis is waiting for 2028. He saw what happened to Rick Perry and Scott Walker . . .
But I could be wrong, as neutral observer is always reminding me . . .
Excellent point, Susan. I was not aware of Florida’s law on this.
He also saw what happened to Chris Christie. CC had a good image and could have run in 2012, with a good chance to beat Barry O. CC passed, and then “Bridgegate” happened. When he did in run in 2016, his image was greatly tarnished, and the rise of DJT killed his run.
IMHO the time is right for DeSantis to run. But only if he has realistic plans to use the Dems tools against them, such as “ballot harvesting.” As Robby Burns said, “Nae man can tether time or tide.”
I assume when you say ballot harvesting, you mean just collecting the ballots, not “filling them in” for voters. If so, I’m in full agreement, MWD. He should use any legal means he can!
Well, its hard to bet against neutral observer. I don’t know whether DeSantis will run. Has he laid some groundwork? Yes. Has he raised his national profile? Yes. Has he thrown some elbows? Yes. These are all things that someone running would do.
Are people pushing him to run? Yes. GOPe sees him as a “Trump-killer” and wants him to get in and do it. But some financial backers are holding off, so DeSantis is getting some negative signals as well.
No one runs for president unless they are an egomaniac. That is not a criticism. It takes an outsized ego to strive to be “the leader of the Free World”. (Of course, after Biden’s done its not clear that will be a reality.) But they must also keep in mind what a character in a BBC drama said about his striving to be Prime Minister: “I thought I was fighting for the top, but it turned out I was fighting to get in the middle”. President Trump has experienced this, DeSantis has not. Will President Trump be a better champion against the Deep State, or will DeSantis? If the next president doesn’t pare back the power of the Deep State (“destroy” is too much to dream for) and put us on a path to restoration of citizen-controlled government, the future of our republic will not be bright.
I am hoping that DeSantis’ time in Congress will prepare him to go after the Deep State. He knows what he’s getting into and I think he’s ready for the fight.
Trump looks unbeatable in the Republican primary right now. DeSantis may be getting cold feet. I don’t think he has a lot of time left to declare and he has a great job right now that he appears to be quite capable of performing at the highest level. I have a great deal of sympathy for Trump because of the legal barrage the Democrats have inflicted on him. But a lot of his problems are self-inflicted. One thing I am really not liking is the B.S. campaign Trump has run against DeSantis. It is entirely unnecessary and mean-spirited. No matter what happens, Trump, at best, has 4 years to lead the MAGA movement. Then what? Does he think he will walk away as an immortal superhero as the screen fades to THE END? Why be so antagonistic to the man who could be the best bet for continuing America First? We have much more trouble than a four-year term of Trump could ever resolve. Right now it appears that Trump could very possibly be the final destroyer of the Republican Party. Some might think that is a good thing, but not if something doesn’t get built as a replacement.
Because the primary process is inherently antagonistic. Also, if they mostly agree on policy then all that’s left is persona. I think a challenge based significantly on persona would be inherently antagonistic.
cdor, I agree with almost everything you write, except this point. Wait until May; I see no reason to think that DeSantis is getting cold feet. I am so glad with how he’s governing, but the whole country needs him!
Ed, It would be interesting to see if DeSantis goes to personal attacks against Trump. I don’t think he will, but it is usually part of the primary process.
I just don’t see how he would do anything else. “I agree with Trump on this that and the other thing, but I’d do it better?”
We talk a lot about Trump’s successes, but he didn’t do well at all in some areas. He could focus on policies, such as not reducing the deficit and the debt.
How about, “I agree with Trump on this that and the other thing, but he’s shown he can’t choose personnel who will help carry out his vision. Personnel is policy.”
Very astute. I wonder why he had so much difficulty in this area?
Sure, but I’m not sure the legitimate distinctions are the direction that Desantis would want to go even if I would think he’s “right”. Covid is one example, but to me it’s apples and oranges, the authority each had and exercised. Plus Desantis didn’t have a sword of impeachment and removal hanging over his head the way Trump did, nor the home team antagonism. That’s the elephant in the room that obscures some head to head policy comparison.
On a different post, I commented that it’s fair to ask if he was hamstrung by so many Republicans refusing to serve in his cabinet. It’s hard to get things done as a Cabinet Secretary, e.g., if you have to figure out how the system works.
It would also have helped Trump if he had a Congress that actually shared his views, but that’s a different discussion.
Fair enough. Be assured, though, that DeSantis got a lot of heat locally from the Progressives who tried to make him into a monster.
Agreed to some degree, however I’m not sure anyone could pick good enough because the pool is filthy. I was thinking about a post on this topic after listeningvtoba recent Megyn Kelly podcast where they were discissing Mock Mulvaney and more generllay how no one has anything good to say on private but thety keep muk on public (sometimes and barely).
How about this: “President Trump and I are substantially alike on policy issues, but we are substantially different on personality issues. And yes, I think I could do it better.”
Absolutely valid excuses, but excuses none the less.
So then yes it will be personal attacks both ways. Substantially alike on policy leaves only entirely subjective assessments and unknowable fortune-telling.
Reasons. Valid ones. You dismiss them anyway? Or what are you saying?
I am saying that those things you mentioned did happen to Trump and they were maddeningly unfair and he had to fight his own Party as much as the Democrats. What has changed that would make any of that different if he were re-elected?
Maybe nothing is different. Has anything changed so that it would be different if it were Desantis instead? If Desantis has the same policy (or even more conservative policy) then he will face the same obstacles and swipes, maybe more. That is not a reason to switch to Desantis.
It’s all about which one I believe has a better chance winning. I just think Trump has burned too many bridges. I’d love to be wrong. But he keeps doing it against DeSantis and I don’t understand.
Trump burned bridges? It wasn’t the arsonists throwing fuel and fire all over Trump (and the country and its institutions)?
So it’s already personal for you. That’s ok, by the way, it’s just that clarity would be helpful for all involved. We can avoid all the smokescreen of discussing points that ultimately don’t matter to you and discussing this all as if there’s some element of objectivity. And I mean it: there’s nothing wrong with thinking that A or B has a better or worse chance of winning, and having a preference based on that and other personal preference criteria.
I think there are tens of millions of voters who do not want to vote for a candidate who is over 75 years old. Joe Biden is 80 and Trump is 76. Ron DeSantis is 44.
While most Americans are more interested in issues rather than age, there are enough of these swing voters who don’t like seeing the White House used as a senior citizens’ rest home to swing the election to a younger candidate.
I thought Trump was a great President. The thoughts I am expressing here are not meant to diminish either him or his accomplishments. I am disturbed by some of the things he and the good folks at CTH are saying about DeSantis. Time has passed since he was in office. I am one year younger than him and deficiencies start building more rapidly the older we get. I’m just sayin’…
Does “qualify for office” mean “run for office”?
Yeah, that seems unclear. One could read to mean “elected” rather than _on the ballot.” Heck, one could read it to mean “meets the requirements in the US Constitution for holding Federal office.”