Did Ron DeSantis’ unenthusiastic campaign have a predetermined failure?

In the recent Republican primary, Ron DeSantis emerged as the top opponent to former President Donald Trump and as the expected successor challenging the established leadership.

The governor of Florida was described as a version of Trump without the problems, a strong conservative who was prepared to fight against the “radical left” and lead more effectively than the chaotic reality TV personality, boastful property tycoon, and complain-filled entertainer.

In a competition against the most senior president in American history, being born in the late 1970s rather than the mid-1940s could provide an advantage. The idea was that Mr. DeSantis could secure the presidency by simply appearing alongside President Joe Biden during debates and not appearing aged.

Was his struggling candidacy always unavoidable? Was Mr. DeSantis always too uncomfortable to hold the position of president?

According to Rick Wilson, a past GOP strategist and co-founder of the Lincoln Project, the answer is most likely affirmative.

“The most overpriced stock in the realm of American politics.”

In the spring of 2021, I stated that Ron DeSantis was the most overvalued asset in American politics,” he informs The Independent. “His victory in Florida was not due to any special talent of his own, but rather the result of inheriting the strongest Republican infrastructure in the country. He was propelled into office by 30 years of Republican control in the state and an endless supply of funds.”

According to Mr. Wilson, Mr. DeSantis lacks political charm and the belief that he would be a successful campaigner was quickly disproven.

According to Mr Wilson, the governor is the most poorly-performing and well-funded candidate in a primary race that he has seen in a considerable amount of time.

Rich Lowry, editor-in-chief of the right-leaning National Review, holds a differing viewpoint.

According to him, Trump’s strengths are the main factor. The use of the term “DeSanctimonious” by Trump has not caused any significant damage to him. It is simply that Trump has a strong hold on Republican voters and his popularity increased even more after the initial indictment. He has also been the center of attention.

Mr. Lowry observed that the DeSantis campaign spent too much and placed too much emphasis on cultural issues at the start, although not without reason.

“But they adapted and expanded their message. However, he has not shown himself to be a charismatic campaigner,” he states, acknowledging the challenge of “competing against the most captivating performer on the planet.”

Mr. Lowry states that the person is currently in a difficult situation and mentions that there is a potential opportunity, but they must win Iowa. Currently, they are not near achieving this goal.

His figures are not showing positive progress.

According to Ann Selzer, a well-known pollster in Iowa, Mr. De Santis’s backing in the state is currently decreasing.

She warns that his figures are not showing positive progress, but she reminds that the outcome ultimately depends on the voters.

I have participated in numerous caucuses and have witnessed a variety of outcomes. Therefore, I am unable to predict whether this will lead to success or failure for DeSantis.

Reports have highlighted how the pandemic, Mr. Trump’s influence, and the rise of social media have resulted in a decrease in campaign events.

“Yard signage is scarce, with only two signs seen for DeSantis. Ms. Selzer notes the lack of visibility in the area. In the past, these were indicators of a campaign’s level of activity. However, setting up headquarters for phone banking is not a priority, as volunteers can now do so remotely.”

“It can be difficult to accurately gauge his support unless you attend his events and observe the size of the crowd. This is what potential caucusgoers are likely doing. If he struggles to attract a large number of people at the Pizza Ranch, it is possible for likely caucusgoers to conclude that he is not a strong candidate.”

Katie Akin, a politics reporter for Des Moines Register, has attended numerous events featuring Desantis in Iowa throughout this campaign season.

The author mentions that Mr. DeSantis will be completing his tour of all 99 counties in Iowa, dubbed the “full Grassley” in honor of Senator Grassley who is 90 years old. The tour is scheduled to end on Saturday, December 2nd.

A divided campaign involving an abundance of employees.

She observed that the governor has a significant presence after traveling throughout the state to report on his activities.

“I am not sure of the exact number, but he has a large team,” she shares with The Independent. She also mentions that she communicates with two different groups, the campaign and the Never Back Down Super PAC, which is not typical for most campaigns.

Both the political campaign and the political action committee have been plagued by internal conflicts and frequent changes in personnel. Most recently, Adam Laxalt, the 2022 Nevada GOP Senate nominee and head of Never Back Down, withdrew his support and resigned from the PAC at the end of last month.

Mr. DeSantis is frequently viewed as confrontational towards the media, adopting a tactic similar to that of Mr. Trump.

But during the journey, Ms Akin states that he is “fairly accessible…I wouldn’t characterize him as overly assertive.”

She mentions that he is skilled at staying on topic, which may not always result in the response you were expecting from him.

Hillary Clinton is similar to Ronald Reagan in comparison to Ron DeSantis.

Some may view him as robotic and overly reliant on pre-planned statements.

According to Mr. Wilson, Hillary Clinton appears more similar to Ronald Reagan when compared to Ron DeSantis. He believes that DeSantis is one of the most inadequate candidates in terms of connecting with people, across all races and levels.

Even if you were to provide him with the most skilled speech writers, he would still deliver his words in a mechanical, cutting, offensive, and unemotional manner,” he remarks. “It’s strange because his wife, Casey, who is planning to run for governor of Florida, is a former television anchor and therefore a trained performer. They even had someone coaching him for speeches and debates, but it was evident that it didn’t have any impact.”

According to Mr. Wilson, Mr. DeSantis’s awkwardness and lack of charm are not necessarily detrimental on their own.

When discussing the 41st president, the strategist describes him as “charmingly awkward.” As a young man, the strategist worked for George Herbert Walker Bush and observed his New England preppy demeanor, which could be silly at times, but still had a certain charm.

Richard Nixon was, in various aspects, a socially clumsy individual, according to Mr. Lowry. However, it is a challenge to compare him to Trump.

According to Mr. Wilson, being socially awkward or unusual will not excuse one’s actions. He acknowledges that President Trump is a skilled performer, despite personally disliking him. Mr. Wilson recognizes that Trump knows how to put on a show, a skill that not everyone in politics possesses, especially not DeSantis.

According to Mr. Wilson, Bill Clinton was highly skilled at storytelling, while Barack Obama had a talent for making people feel cared for.

According to Mr. Lowry, he did not believe that Mr. DeSantis’s perceived awkwardness would automatically lead to his downfall. He believes this was just one of the negative narratives surrounding him before he even entered the race.

However, he acknowledges that there is some validity to the belief that Mr DeSantis may not be the most charismatic candidate. While he performs well while giving speeches, he does not have the same natural charm as Bill Clinton when it comes to connecting with individuals.

Is the DeSantis campaign coming to a close in Iowa?

“In my opinion, he remains in Florida due to his arrogance. According to sources in Tallahassee, his wife is against him resigning and passing the position to Nikki Haley,” states Mr. Wilson.

He could have chosen to run a different campaign and present himself as a different candidate. It was not necessary for things to turn out this way for him.

“His associates were openly discussing their ambitions to hold positions such as Secretary of State and head of the Commerce Department, showcasing their incredible arrogance.”

He states that the political world has a unique way of punishing arrogance that is unlike any other industry.

Some Republican voters do not perceive the governor’s awkwardness and unpleasant demeanor.

According to Iowa political reporter Ms. Akin, DeSantis has had a strong turnout at his events. Unlike other candidates with lower polling numbers or less recognition, DeSantis consistently draws a few dozen attendees, even in small rural areas.

According to her, people have varied opinions of him depending on their beliefs and backgrounds. Some find him to be charming and charismatic, while others perceive him as awkward and rigid. Even after attending the same event, individuals can have completely different views of his stage presence.

In Iowa, it is important to never say never.

Ms Akin believes that in Iowa, it’s important to never say never. Past election cycles have shown that there are candidates who experience a surge in support in the final weeks or even days leading up to the caucus.

According to Ms. Selzer, Iowa is the most uncertain state. She mentions that they analyze the highest number of candidates.

“Please remember that during the year 2012, Rick Santorum, a former Pennsylvania Senator, consistently received low poll numbers, averaging around five to six percent. However, in the final poll, he reached double digits for the first time.”

According to her, our surveys indicated that he was gaining momentum, but this did not occur until the last week before the caucuses. However, on the night of the caucuses, he emerged as the winner.

In the 2016 Democratic primary, Ms. Clinton maintained a consistent lead throughout the race.

According to her, Bernie Sanders consistently maintained a three percent in our polls and only lost by a small margin on caucus night. This aligns with the intended process, where unexpected events occur later on.

However, the pollster who has been in the field for a long time mentions that during Mr Obama’s campaign, there was a noticeable surge in momentum for the candidate. That same feeling is not present for DeSantis.

“Iowa is full of surprises”

“Iowa is full of surprises,” she remarks. “I was reviewing data from previous years and noticed that candidates who were leading in November or October often ended up placing third or fourth on caucus night.”

According to Mr. Lowry, one of Mr. DeSantis’s main points was that he could be like Trump but more successful and win the election. While I still believe he would be a stronger candidate in the general election compared to Trump, it is difficult to make this argument when Trump is currently leading in polls against Biden and beating DeSantis and other candidates by a significant margin in the primary.

Mr Lowry claims that Mr DeSantis is strategically utilizing his time in Iowa to visit all 99 counties and secure the support of Governor Kim Reynolds and Bob Vander Plaats, a prominent figure in the socially conservative community and a repeat candidate for governor. This, according to Lowry, is the only viable option for Mr DeSantis.

“He has completed the tasks, the travels, and the campaigning. He has fully committed himself to the Grassley, but time is running out and progress must be made,” he stated.

The Independent has contacted the DeSantis campaign for their response.

Source: the-independent.com