Ron DeSantis Has the Right Stuff

“To win DeSantis has to differentiate himself from Trump and he has to make a personal connection with the voters. He can still do it.”

It seems that not a day goes by that I don’t read some pundit declare that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’s campaign for President is in “freefall”, or some other adjective to describe an allegedly failing campaign.  I don’t totally dismiss the critics of DeSantis’s nascent campaign; however, I would take such attacks with a grain of salt, the pundit class is subject to group think and possess a herd mentality.

I am old enough to remember the 2008 GOP nomination, Senator McCain was written off early by virtually all the pundits, yet by the end of 2007 McCain found his mojo and in January, he finished strong in the Iowa caucuses and started to win some of the early primaries.

Ron DeSantis has much more going for him then Senator McCain did at this point in 2007. That precedent aside I do think it’s premature to write off a candidate, any candidate, before the first primary, or caucus.  It seems especially premature to write off someone who is in solid second place, and raised 20 million dollars in the second quarter of this year.  Second place is important, because this race will come down to Trump and the alternative.  Despite all the nervous hand wringing, DeSantis, while he has slipped in the polls, is still essentially where he was in May; the front runner as the alternative to Trump.

Trump’s lead is not insurmountable.  He is in a strong position primarily due to the positive feelings Republicans have towards him, they feel he did a good job as President, and there is a certain amount of sympathy and admiration for him over the years of relentless and mostly unfair media attacks he has had to endure, and the belief among Republicans that the Department of Justice is targeting him.  But those warm feelings are not enough to guarantee him the nomination.

His poll numbers went up after he was indicted, however, his poll numbers will inevitably come down over time.  Especially, when the warm afterglow of the indictments (yes plural) wears off and more evidence comes out.  And there may be more indictments to come. 

The common complaint against DeSantis is that he has lost momentum, presumably he once had it, since he officially entered the race on Twitter on May 23rd.  An announcement that was marred by technical difficulties.  The decision to use Twitter was largely second guessed by the pundits.  Many pundits took up the narrative, “Failure to launch.” 

The concept of momentum can be hard to quantify, especially when no votes have yet been cast, and the news cycle is still dominated by Trump, but safe to say that the DeSantis campaign has not yet caught fire.

 To win DeSantis has to differentiate himself from Trump and he has to make a personal connection with the voters. 

I think DeSantis can do both those things; indeed, he is well positioned to do it; he has a great story to tell, with lots of money to spend.   But the story he needs to tell is more than just the Florida success story, which is to his great credit. The fact that he was reelected with 59 percent, in a state, which was a swing state is well known.  Because of the success DeSantis has had as governor he has been able to leapfrog all other candidates with the exception of Trump so far.

DeSantis has another part of his story that he needs to tell.

He has a great biography; indeed, he has lived the American dream, and he needs to talk about it.  DeSantis grew up in a middle-class family in Florida, he went to Yale and then Harvard for law school.  He enlisted in the Navy. Became a lieutenant and then legal advisor team for Seal Team One. He wasn’t born into wealth and privilege, he is the product of Dunedin Florida, a middle-class town, as close to anytown USA as possible.

The DeSantis campaign signaled this week that they plan to talk about the Governor’s background and biography.  I don’t know how they will address it, but I think it is a good idea.

He has a beautiful wife and family.  He played baseball at Yale, baseball the great American game, becoming the captain of the team.  The last President to have served as captain of the Yale baseball team was George H.W. Bush.  OK, maybe that piece of Presidential trivia DeSantis doesn’t need to mention.

DeSantis is a great American success story; it needs to be highlighted.  He should also make clear what he is fighting for, he has young children that will inherit our country’s future, a future in great peril at this point.  His biography, his years of service, and his accomplishments as Governor, are not merely a list of accomplishments, it tells a story, it tells you the type of man Ron DeSantis is, how hard he works, what motivates him, what he fights for, what he believes.

By talking about his background, he can differentiate himself from Trump and connect with the average voter.

I also think DeSantis needs to lighten up at times. He has a good smile; he should use it.  He should employ the use of humor, learn a few new jokes, and better yet be self-deprecating at times.  He should try to reduce his stridency; voters already know he is determined and hard-working.  He can show a sense of ease and levity.  

DeSantis has a very good chance of winning in Iowa, Trump’s lead is not insurmountable, and there is reason to believe that support is moving to DeSantis.  The popular Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, while not publicly endorsing him, although I wouldn’t be surprised if she does at some point, has said nice things about him.  I wouldn’t be surprised if she is helping behind the scenes.  Many Iowa evangelicals are receptive to DeSantis.  In addition, Iowa parents are attracted to DeSantis because of his stand to open schools in Florida during the pandemic and his anti-CRT and woke curriculum policies in schools.

David Shephard is the author of “Elections Have Consequences; A Cautionary Tale.”

Amazon.com: Elections Have Consequences: A Cautionary Tale eBook : Shephard, David: Books

(photo: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, (source: CNN.com)