MIAMI.- Ron DeSantisthe governor of Florida who was emerging as Donald’s main rival Trump in the primaries Republicans, announced on January 21, 2024 that he was suspending his presidential campaign and endorsing the former president. But let’s see what factors contributed to the failure of his candidacy?
DeSantis had launched his campaign on May 24, 2023presenting himself as a successful conservative who had managed to keep Florida open and prosperous during the COVID-19 pandemic, despite criticism from the media and Democrats.
Likewise, he stood out for his firm opposition to the Biden administration’s immigration, education and environmental policies, as well as his defense of states’ rights and individual freedom. His campaign slogan was “Our Great American Comeback.” (Our great American comeback).
Donald Trump, a tough nut to crack
However, his campaign faced several obstacles from the beginning. The first and probably most important was the presence of Trump, who dominated the Republican field with his popularity and loyalty among the base.
Although DeSantis had been a Trump ally and had received his political support in his aspirations as Florida governor, he failed to obtain his blessing for his presidential candidacy. In fact, at the time, the former president recommended that he not run in the race.
Initially, DeSantis tried to keep a safe distance from Trump, avoiding criticizing him directly, but also not praising him too much. His strategy was to appeal to voters who appreciated Trump’s achievements but were also looking for a younger, more moderate and prepared candidate.
However, this strategy proved insufficient to compete with the fervor and enthusiasm that Trump generated among his followers. Many of them saw DeSantis as a “traitor” or an “opportunist” who wanted to take advantage of Trump’s legacy without recognizing his leadership.
Months later, DeSantis’ tone toward Trump showed a profound change. He said, for example, that Trump’s age was a “legitimate concern” for voters in 2024, and that the United States needed a “vigorous president, capable of serving two terms.”
DeSantis suggested that Trump, who would be in his 80s at the end of his possible second term, was unfit to be president, while questioning him for not accepting a debate with him, accusing him of being afraid to confront his arguments. .
Nikki Halley
Another obstacle for DeSantis’ campaign was the appearance on the political scene of Nikki Haleythe former governor of South Carolina and former US ambassador to the United Nations, as a strong alternative to Trump.
Haley presented herself as a pragmatic and diverse Republican, which could attract independent voters, women and minorities. She distanced herself from Trump, criticizing his role in the January 6, 2021 assault on the Capitol, among other issues.
Haley projected herself as the candidate of the “future” of the Republican Party, compared to Trump’s “past” and DeSantis’ “present.”
Failure in Iowa
But Iowa marked a before and after in the ‘DeSantista’ campaign. The governor focused his efforts on this state, hoping to win support primarily from conservative evangelical voters. In this way, he toured all of Iowa’s counties and gained some important support.
Nevertheless, He only got 21% of the votes, leaving him far behind Trump., which obtained 51%. Additionally, she couldn’t distance herself enough from Haley, who reached 19%. His result in Iowa was disappointing and she left him with no options to continue.
After his failure in Iowa, DeSantis decided to withdraw from the race and support Trumprecognizing that the majority of Republican voters wanted to give the former president another chance.
By withdrawing from the race, DeSantis avoided a possible loss in New Hampshire to Trump and Haley, but it also dealt a blow to his political career, which had been very promising until then. Still, DeSantis still has a long way to go.
