Trump Keeping Close Eye on DeSantis, Has Reportedly Identified a Key Weakness
C. Douglas Golden, The Western Journal By C. Douglas Golden, The Western Journal
Published September 26, 2022 at 6:15am
While the field is theoretically wide open, the presidential nomination for the GOP in 2024 thus far has seemed like a two-horse race between former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Now, a Washington Post report says Trump’s advisers have identified a key weakness in DeSantis’ chances: While his act may work in Florida, he’s never undertaken a campaign on the national stage and could wither once he’s tested.
“Trump’s advisers said they see weaknesses in DeSantis that could inform their strategy against him, should they be pitted against each other in 2024,” the paper reported Saturday.
“They argue that he’s not tested on a national stage and that he is not a compelling speaker. Some people who have met DeSantis earlier this year described the governor as a poor conversationalist with donors.”
What’s clear is that the two are now de facto competitors. When Trump endorsed DeSantis for governor in 2018, he called the Harvard Law grad and Navy vet a “tough, brilliant cookie” and a “great friend.”
However, the former president — now officially a Florida resident, it’s worth noting — has yet to endorse DeSantis as he runs for a second term as governor. For his part, DeSantis has not asked Trump to campaign, according to the Post.
A Trump adviser told the Post that although the two had spoken regularly, “those days are gone” and the two top GOP dogs haven’t spoken since early in the summer.
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https://thefederalistpapers.org/us/trump-keeping-close-eye-desantis-reportedly-identified-key-weakness
