Ron DeSantis's Quest for a Fresh Start Intensifies | Vanity Fair

Written by Eric Lutz

Ron DeSantis, previously anticipated to succeed Donald Trump's MAGA leadership, is experiencing a chaotic campaign less than two months prior to the first contest of the 2024 GOP primary. With all of Trump's harshness and propensity for cultural conflict minus the frequent errors and imminent legal risks, the Florida governor’s chances appear to be fading. His average trailing points in the polls are nearly fifty behind Trump. Furthermore, Nikki Haley seems to have gained the “Never Trump” momentum in the competition for second position. NBC News reported that DeSantis’s attempts to obstruct Haley’s rise serve only to emphasize the splits within his own campaign.

Key allies of the Florida governor, including Jeff Roe, a top aide to the DeSantis-supporting SuperPAC Never Back Down, and Scott Wagner, a longtime DeSantis collaborator, narrowly avoided physical altercation last week during conversations about counteracting Haley. While no physical harm resulted, the incident points to an internal discontentment with the directionless nature of DeSantis's drive for presidency.

A DeSantis supporter told NBC News, “I'm getting frustrated with the fact that they have invested so much money without getting anything in return. One cannot just continue to pour money into a venture like someone would into Radio Shack.”

DeSantis, whose presidential aspiration is at risk, plans to participate in a debate next week, not with his 2024 main competitors, but with the Democratic Governor of California, Gavin Newsom. The debate, moderated by Sean Hannity, is presented as a debate about their individual approaches to state management. In reality, both Newsom and DeSantis are likely using the event to bolster their political statuses. Newsom is seen as a potential 2028 contender, while DeSantis had been viewed as a strong contender for 2024 until his actual campaigning began.

DeSantis views the forum as a significant preliminary battle against Biden. However, this may just be a strategic move to rejuvenate his fading campaign. The forum could be an opportunity for him to re-fortify his reputation of “defeating” the opposition. Regardless, it’s questionable whether such measures will improve his poll rankings or present him as a credible alternative to the leading candidates.

Notably, a series of unrelated news headlines have no direct links to the main storyline of the article and can be removed for conciseness. These include updates about Barbie, Greta Gerwig, Real Housewives, the Frenchie Revolution, Trump’s “Body Guy,” Tucker Carlson’s departure from Fox News, a Frat-Boy Crime Ring in South, and a reprint from the 2000 Murder Archive.

Additional authors who have contributed content to the site include Sloane Crosley, Anthony Breznican, and Kase Wickman.