The DeSantis euphoria is gone

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The generational and leadership change among American Republicans actually seemed like a foregone conclusion. In November’s midterm congressional elections, the candidates promoted by Donald Trump suffered heavy defeats, and the ex-president was henceforth regarded as a toxic burden in elections. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, the rising conservative star, was re-elected in a triumphant landslide victory. Many already saw the 44-year-old as a Republican candidate for the 2024 presidential election — but lately things haven’t been going well for the self-proclaimed fighter against a left-wing “awakened” ideology.

According to some polls, DeSantis had a lead over Trump after the so-called midterms in the Republican primary, but the arch-conservative governor has fallen back significantly. He is still considered by far Trump’s most dangerous rival within the party. But in a series of polls, DeSantis is now more than 30 points behind the 32-year-old right-wing populist — despite Trump’s massive legal troubles on several fronts.

Of course, nine months before the start of the party’s internal primaries, such surveys make only very limited sense. Especially since DeSantis has not officially announced a presidential candidacy yet, even though it is expected to do so in the coming weeks. Still, it’s clear that the momentum of late 2022 has fizzled out — and the DeSantis euphoria of many Republicans has evaporated.

Trump with brains?

Most recently, Trump inflicted painful defeats on DeSantis as he gained the support of several Florida Republican congressmen. For the ex-president, who has been attacking DeSantis for months, symbolically important victories in his rival’s territory.

DeSantis is still the hope of many conservatives who wanted to finally close Trump’s exhausting chapter. The former naval officer and prosecutor is regarded by many as the Republican of the future, tough but less outrageous than the former president. A “Trump with a brain”, as is often said. DeSantis distances himself from Trump with the slash that he has “no daily drama”.

In his state, the governor has enacted numerous right-wing reforms: he has tightened abortion laws, relaxed gun laws, eased capital punishment and, with a controversial law, banned school classes on sexual orientation and gender identity, first through third grade and later for all classes.

This law, dubbed “Don’t Say Gay” by critics, has mostly made headlines — and sparked a bizarre spat with entertainment giant Disney, which dared to criticize the law last year after employee protests. DeSantis then launched a revenge campaign against the Disney World theme park and had the autonomy of the gigantic park in Orlando limited. The dispute has even ended up in court.

Hero of the corona skeptics

The governor’s attack on one of the most important taxpayers and employers in his state has sparked a lot of head shaking — including among Republicans, for whom entrepreneurial friendliness is in their DNA. Trump is enjoying the battle between DeSantis and Disney, mocking in April that the governor was “absolutely destroyed” by the entertainment giant.

The disputation with Disney is an example of how DeSantis may be going too far, even for many conservatives, in his fight against what he sees as a left-wing “wake up” ideology. The governor’s policy is aimed mainly at the right-wing base – and in doing so he risks alienating moderate voters. But DeSantis has always loved to engage in culture wars against the left-liberal camp.

The graduate of the elite Yale and Harvard universities began his political career in 2012 when he was elected to the US House of Representatives for a constituency in his home state of Florida. There he was one of the co-founders of the far-right parliamentary group Freedom Caucus, which today includes notorious right-wing populist Marjorie Taylor Greene.

In 2018, he was elected governor of Florida – ironically thanks to the active support of Trump, who now accuses his former protégé of disloyalty. DeSantis caused a sensation in the corona pandemic with an extremely relaxed course in the fight against the virus. He thus became the hero of all those who see lockdowns and other anti-corona measures as state tyranny.

Over the weekend, DeSantis has political appearances in Iowa – the state in which the Republican primaries start early next year and which is therefore very symbolically important. Also on the weekend in the Midwestern state: its rival Trump. (AFP)

Source: Blick