Opinion | Why DeSantis is no match for Trump in the race for the Republican presidential nomination
- Awkward and aloof, DeSantis is not seen as being tough or mean enough to take on the force of personality that is Donald Trump
- In the primaries, being ready for prime time matters; DeSantis is not. And the Republican base still loves Trump
Last year could not have ended better for DeSantis when he won his re-election in November by nearly 20 percentage points, while most other Republicans underperformed in the pivotal midterms.
DeSantis had gained popularity beyond his state by keeping Florida more or less open during the Covid-19 pandemic while most other states were shut down. For a moment, he even looked like he would overtake Trump in the popularity stakes when Fox News all but declared him the chosen one, resulting in him topping polls for a hypothetical match-up with Trump.
Since his re-election, however, DeSantis has endured a difficult few months that raise the question of whether he’s ready for prime time. He committed a faux pas by calling Russia’s war against Ukraine a “territorial dispute” while suggesting the US should cease support for Kyiv. The immense backlash, even from within the party, forced him to make a U-turn – which just made him look worse.
