For all the contortions that Ron DeSantis’ presidential campaign is making, one might think the Florida governor is mulling a second career as a gymnast.
In recent months, DeSantis has taken stances that have given me – and other conservatives – pause.
That’s disappointing, especially at a time when the Republican Party desperately needs a strong candidate who could take on former president Donald Trump – and one who has a good shot at making sure President Joe Biden is a one-term president.
I thought DeSantis might be the candidate who could do both.
Only nine months ago, DeSantis was coming off a definitive reelection victory and a productive legislative session.
And as he started touring the country, he highlighted what he had accomplished in Florida as a governing blueprint for the country. His focus was on how he was a winner, in contrast to his chief GOP presidential contender’s recent record (ahem, Trump).
It was a winning message, and at the beginning of this year, DeSantis and Trump were nearly tied in the polls.
Today, Trump has blasted past the governor, and their gap in the polls has grown to nearly 40 points. DeSantis is getting dangerously close to single-digit territory, like the rest of the non-Trump candidates.
At the same time, the DeSantis campaign is going through serious internal shake-ups.
DeSantis attacks the wrong things
All the Republican presidential hopefuls are struggling to navigate a field in which Trump still dominates the party’s base. How does one stand out without alienating that sizable bloc?
It’s DeSantis’ attempt to navigate those political straits that has gotten him into trouble. By attempting to show he’s “to the right” of Trump on social issues, DeSantis has taken extreme positions that could sink his current ambitions – and even future ones. He’s only turning 45 next month. It would be a shame if he blew up his long-term political future because of missteps in this campaign.
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For instance, his war on wokeness in Florida helped the governor gain national recognition. Yet some of his stances have gone too far, encroaching even on free speech, and that appears to be scaring off big campaign donors.
Last month, for instance, the DeSantis campaign shared a strange anti-LGBTQ ad on social media and earned swift backlash. The video attempted to slam Trump for past comments he had made in support of the gay and transgender community, but it served only to make Trump look reasonable – and DeSantis extreme.
The same is true for the latest tack DeSantis is taking on vaccines – which he once advocated. This seems a desperate appeal to fringe Republicans.
Arguably, Operation Warp Speed is one of the most important accomplishments the Trump administration made to combat the pandemic, and it’s disappointing to see DeSantis dabble in conspiracy theories in an attempt to win votes.
DeSantis even recently said he’d consider appointing known anti-vaxxer (and Democratic presidential contender) Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to a major federal health agency. DeSantis has since walked back that comment, but it was a bizarre idea for him to broach.
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It’s hard to see how any of this is a winning strategy. Trump has many glaring flaws, and his slew of legal troubles and criminal indictments should offer obvious fodder to DeSantis.
Attacking Trump for what he got right as president makes zero sense.
Bring back the effective Florida executive
Last week, DeSantis agreed to a debate with California Gov. Gavin Newsom, hosted by Fox News’ Sean Hannity. It could be a high-profile opportunity for DeSantis to highlight his accomplishments as governor. It also could serve as a reset for DeSantis’ campaign.
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Florida is about as different from California as broccoli is from peanut butter, and it would be fascinating to see these two governors on opposite sides of the political spectrum make the case for why their model of governing should prevail.
Culture war issues around race and gender are rising in importance for conservative primary voters. But more traditional concerns around the economy, inflation, taxes and immigration still hold a higher priority. Those are the issues most voters care about.
In both this debate and on the campaign trail, DeSantis should embrace his economic victories in Florida and his defense of freedom and keeping businesses open during the COVID-19 pandemic.
While Trump is mired in the past, DeSantis has − or at least should have − a winning message that appeals to the future.
That’s what voters are waiting to hear.
Ingrid Jacques is a columnist at USA TODAY. Contact her at ijacques@usatoday.com or on Twitter: @Ingrid_Jacques
