Trump discourages DeSantis, says candidacy would ‘only hurt’ Republican Party

[libertybele]

Trump obviously see DeSantis as a threat.  He keeps hounding him.

Though I want DeSantis to remain my governor, I think he's exactly what the Republican Party needs; a true conservative.

Polls have proven time and time again not to be accurate.

Trump discourages DeSantis, says candidacy would ‘only hurt’ Republican Party

Former President Trump on Monday sought to discourage Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) from officially getting into the 2024 presidential race, claiming it would ultimately divide the GOP and hurt DeSantis’s career.

“Ron DeSantis is a young man who is not doing well against me in the polls, to put it mildly,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “I believe that if he decides to run for President, which will only hurt and somewhat divide the Republican Party, he will lose the cherished and massive MAGA vote, and never be able to successfully run for office again.”

“If he remains Governor, which is what Florida voters assumed, it would be a whole different story….JUST SAYIN’ – But who knows?” Trump added.

In a press release sent later Monday, Trump’s campaign took aim at DeSantis over whether he would support a change to Florida law that requires state lawmakers to resign if they are running for federal office.

The Trump campaign pointed to DeSantis’s decision to resign from Congress in 2018 while running for governor, suggesting it would be hypocritical for him not to do the same this time around............

https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/3942406-trump-discourages-desantis-says-candidacy-would-only-hurt-republican-party/

[Kamaji]

[libertybele]

The hounding will never stop until DeSantis announces that he's not running.

Right now Trump is the one hurting the GOP.

[cato potatoe]

Says the guy who makes a mockery of quite literally everything the Republicans claim to represent, and the guy who will sabotage the ticket if he loses the nomination.

[Maj. Bill Martin]

Yeah, Trump's whole point about a DeSantis candidacy dividing the Republican party is pretty ironic. There is no reason that different Republicans can't run against each other in the primary without tearing each other down, and while all agreeing to support the winner. That's how primaries were conducted for decades.

The only reason there is a risk of dividing the party is Trump's refusal to do that.  He's basically a hostage taker. Either give him what he wants, or he'll kill the hostage.

If Trump is so confident he can beat DeSantis, there is no reason for him to go scorched earth and divide the party.  Make a public gentleman's agreement to support whoever wins the primary, and go into the general election with a unified Republican party.

If Trump is so certain that he's going to win the primary, why wouldn't he be willing to do that?

[Kamaji]

Yeah, Trump's whole point about a DeSantis candidacy dividing the Republican party is pretty ironic. There is no reason that different Republicans can't run against each other in the primary without tearing each other down, and while all agreeing to support the winner. That's how primaries were conducted for decades.

The only reason there is a risk of dividing the party is Trump's refusal to do that.  He's basically a hostage taker. Either give him what he wants, or he'll kill the hostage.

If Trump is so confident he can beat DeSantis, there is no reason for him to go scorched earth and divide the party.  Make a public gentleman's agreement to support whoever wins the primary, and go into the general election with a unified Republican party.

If Trump is so certain that he's going to win the primary, why wouldn't he be willing to do that?

[libertybele]

Yeah, Trump's whole point about a DeSantis candidacy dividing the Republican party is pretty ironic. There is no reason that different Republicans can't run against each other in the primary without tearing each other down, and while all agreeing to support the winner. That's how primaries were conducted for decades.

The only reason there is a risk of dividing the party is Trump's refusal to do that.  He's basically a hostage taker. Either give him what he wants, or he'll kill the hostage.

If Trump is so confident he can beat DeSantis, there is no reason for him to go scorched earth and divide the party.  Make a public gentleman's agreement to support whoever wins the primary, and go into the general election with a unified Republican party.

If Trump is so certain that he's going to win the primary, why wouldn't he be willing to do that?

    Good post.

[kevindavis007]

If Trump was President then I can see the case of no one running against him in the primary, however, he is not President so therefore he has to earn the nomination.

[libertybele]

If Trump was President then I can see the case of no one running against him in the primary, however, he is not President so therefore he has to earn the nomination.

I just find it interesting that DeSantis is such a threat to Trump.

[Kamaji]

I just find it interesting that DeSantis is such a threat to Trump.

[Right_in_Virginia]

[Right_in_Virginia]

[libertybele]

Oh good grief!!      As Trump continues to go after DeSantis, it only indicates that Trump finds him a threat. I can see why; DeSantis is a successful, conservative.

[Right_in_Virginia]

"The only way this makes sense is if Paul Ryan, Karl Rove, and the Establishment machine want to use him as a pawn to weaken Trump"

DC_Draino
@DC_Draino

Here’s what I don’t get about DeSantis

He’s hugely popular in FL and widely seen by the MAGA base as the heir-apparent to Trump

He’s young, has $100+ million in the bank, and *just* got re-elected

His term ends 2027 & he’d have nearly 2 full years to run for POTUS in 2028

Why waste all that money, political capital, and goodwill to run and likely lose in 2024?

Trump is going to hit him so hard in the primaries that a solid 30%+ of MAGA will probably never support DeSantis again, especially since his polls have rocketed after these indictments

Pence made 1 giant mistake and crossed the base on J6 and now MAGA has crossed him off their list forever - why flirt with that danger?

The only way this makes sense is if Paul Ryan, Karl Rove, and the Establishment machine want to use him as a pawn to weaken Trump

Please don’t fall for it Governor

You’re the POTUS in 2028 with the full MAGA machine supporting you

Keep crushing it as our Governor and help Trump win in 2024 - You’ll only *grow* your support that way!


4:10 PM · Apr 10, 2023

Matt Gaetz
@mattgaetz

I’m with Draino.
 
4:36 PM · Apr 10, 2023

[LMAO]

If Trump was President then I can see the case of no one running against him in the primary, however, he is not President so therefore he has to earn the nomination.

Right

It's not up to Trump who gets to run in the GOP primary

[libertybele]

It doesn't make sense because DeSantis hasn't even announced he's running.  Why is Trump so threatened by him? 

Then again, Trump went after everyone except Hillary.  Who knows.

Do I believe the rumors about Rove and the Bushies and DeSantis?  Definitely not.  Otherwise we'd see DeSantis leaning to the left.

[Right_in_Virginia]

Exclusive: Florida GOP Congressman Backs Trump for President, as More Prepare to Follow Suit
Time, Apr 10, 2023

As Republicans in Congress mull whether to back a candidate in next year’s presidential race, the choice facing Florida’s delegation is particularly fraught. The battleground state is home to both Donald Trump and his most formidable potential rival, Gov. Ron DeSantis. But since news broke last month of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s criminal prosecution of Trump, more of the Sunshine State’s federal lawmakers are abandoning their positions of neutrality.

In recent weeks, both Reps. Anna Paulina Luna and Byron Donalds have endorsed Trump, joining Rep. Matt Gaetz in supporting the former president over DeSantis.

Now, another member of Florida’s Republican House delegation, Rep. Cory Mills, is going all-in on Trump’s quest to take back the White House. “I think that what’s happening in New York is a very unifying event,” Mills tells TIME. “We need to stop the infighting and come together and unify. And I think right now the person that we need to be unifying behind is President Trump.”

Mills, a freshman member who represents a Central Florida district, will likely soon be accompanied by more of his colleagues. Other GOP Florida House lawmakers have told associates that they will endorse Trump in the coming days or weeks, including Reps. Kat Cammack, Brian Mast, Vern Buchanan, and Greg Steube, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.

“To be clear, I love them both. He’s my governor, and I’m going to support him every step of the way as governor,” Luna tells TIME, referring to DeSantis, but she says she endorsed Trump in part because she believes the indictment reveals that Democrats see him as a threat. “I think we need someone who will be aggressive on foreign policy—and that’s Trump. You know, this is politics, you’ve got to pick your sides. I think that he’s the person that we need right now for this country.”

Donalds, a longtime DeSantis ally, stunned the Florida political community last week when he endorsed Trump. Donalds and the governor have been close for years, with Donalds playing the role of DeSantis’ 2018 gubernatorial rival Andrew Gillum in debate prep five years ago and introducing him at his election night victory party last year. He’s also been exploring his own bid for governor after DeSantis leaves office. Taking Trump’s side this early, Florida insiders say, may complicate his ability to secure DeSantis’ endorsement down the road, should Donalds seek to succeed him.

https://time.com/6269749/donald-trump-endorsement-florida-exclusive/

[Right_in_Virginia]

It doesn't make sense because DeSantis hasn't even announced he's running.

Tell that to his $100 million dollar mega donors.   

[GtHawk]

I can't say how nice it is of Trump after insulting, defaming and slandering DeSantis for the good of Trump that he then appeals to DeSantis not to run because it would hurt the Republican Party Trumps chances.

[roamer_1]

I can't say how nice it is of Trump after insulting, defaming and slandering DeSantis for the good of Trump that he then appeals to DeSantis not to run because it would hurt the Republican Party Trumps chances.

That's a fact.

[libertybele]

I can't say how nice it is of Trump after insulting, defaming and slandering DeSantis for the good of Trump that he then appeals to DeSantis not to run because it would hurt the Republican Party Trumps chances.

 

[Right_in_Virginia]

Think it through, Ron.  Half of those money bags writing you checks voted for Hillary in 2016 and Biden in 2020.

If you are successful in wounding Trump, they won't give a damn where you end up ---- but we will.

Think this through, Governor.  Carefully. 

Good luck.

[Maj. Bill Martin]

DC_Draino
@DC_Draino

Here’s what I don’t get about DeSantis

He’s hugely popular in FL and widely seen by the MAGA base as the heir-apparent to Trump

I don't see that at all.   Trump himself has said that DeSantis is a RINO, a globalist, and completely owned by special interests.  Plus other negative comments. Trump supporters here have reiterated that.   So the claim that DeSantis is "widely seen as the heir-apparent to Trump" is just false.  Trump and his core supporters openly despise DeSantis.  The stuff about "you're the heir-apparent" is just disingenuous dreck intended to convince him not to run.

Nothing to be gained by trying to appease or ingratiate yourself with people who despise you to that extent.  Might as well just go all-out, and try to discredit Trump/beat him down.  At the very least, voters will see he is a fighter who will not be intimidated.

Core Trumpers will just turn on him anyway in 2028 so there's no point in waiting.

[DB]

Think it through, Ron.  Half of those money bags writing you checks voted for Hillary in 2016 and Biden in 2020.

If you are successful in wounding Trump, they won't give a damn where you end up ---- but we will.

Think this through, Governor.  Carefully. 

Good luck.

Trump wrote a few fat checks for Hillary and many other Dems... My bet is DeSantis wrote none to Hillary. But that escapes you...

[Right_in_Virginia]

Trump himself has said that DeSantis is a RINO, a globalist, and completely owned by special interests.  Plus other negative comments. Trump supporters here have reiterated that.   So the claim that DeSantis is "widely seen as the heir-apparent to Trump" is just false.  Trump and his core supporters openly despise DeSantis.  The stuff about "you're the heir-apparent" is just disingenuous dreck intended to convince him not to run.

DeSantis was considered one of the heir apparents of the MAGA movement. But the longer he stays at this, the faster and further he falls away.

And, it's on him.  DeSantis, himself, is proving his political soul is for sale --- and the ones he's selling it to are notoriously anti-Trump, globalists and neocons who need Trump out of the way to keep their gravey train running.  DeSantis, himself, is causing America Firsters to hit the "no" button on his candidacy. DeSantis is proving himself to be, at best, untrustworthy.

Ron's either willingly taking bad advice, or he's too green to understand how bad the advice is.  Either way, the DeSantis legacy is likely to be that of the perpetrator of the single worst self-inflicted wound in American politics ----and at the age of 44.