Mike Pence: Ron DeSantis’ closer?

The Jacksonville market has been a particular strength for Republican gubernatorial nominee Ron DeSantis.

A former Mayport-stationed Navy man, DeSantis went on to marry a local newscaster. The candidate has performed strongly against Democrat Andrew Gillum in the region in polls.

And what’s clear is that DeSantis sees the region as key to victory.

DeSantis: "We have to make sure Northeast Florida that we really run up serious margins. Not only Duval, but we need the neighboring counties. Nassau's big. St. John's big. Everyone who voted for the president needs to turn out in this midterm."

— Andrew Pantazi (@apantazi) October 19, 2018

If a candidate wants “everyone who voted for the President” to turn out, there is an irony in that Vice President Mike Pence seems to be the preferred exponent of Trump administration policy to the Jacksonville market.

And on Thursday afternoon, he will be working a Jacksonville crowd again, with a one-show-only rally at the Prime Osborn for DeSantis.

Back when the Trump Administration was pushing Obamacare repeal, Pence was the one who made the case in this market.

Pence assured the crowd that “the Obamacare nightmare is about to end.” He had local backing, including Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry and Gov. Rick Scott.

Curry said “the President and Vice President told us they’re going to repeal and replace Obamacare and that’s what happens now.”

Gov. Scott, introduced by Curry, noted that “Obamacare was sold on a lie. A complete lie … choices have gone down, prices have gone up.”

Sure, the GOP line has changed on the Affordable Care Act.

Repeal and replace didn’t happen. And with midterms approaching, everyone all of a sudden is backing coverage of pre-existing conditions.

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1055077740792160256

But the point here is that for Republicans, Jacksonville is a unicorn: A large population center with Republican leadership, a safe media market that serves as a handy jumping off point for appeals to the right.

Enter the Veep.

The campaign for Governor, Republicans hope, will be predicated on convincing swing voters that Democrat Gillum just can’t be trusted.

Questions about the apparently-FBI-provided ticket to Hamilton remain. As do questions about Gillum’s ties to radical groups, such as the anti police/prison industry Dream Defenders.

Gillum has explanations for both, of course. But whether they will prove to seal the deal with swing voters is another matter.

In a Facebook video posted late Tuesday, Gillum said that, while the tickets were reserved by friends of Corey, he assumed that they were paid by Marcus Gillum, his brother.

He added that criticism from political opponents serves to “reinforce, frankly, stereotypes about black men.”

In Sunday’s debate, Gillum likewise didn’t seem completely aware of the Dream Defenders pledge he signed.

With DeSantis debating him Wednesday, Gillum will be on the defensive for these issues for sure. The question going into Thursday’s rally is how Pence is used as a closer.

Also this week, Democratic former Vice President Joe Biden came to town, drawing roughly 500 people, and making slashing arguments about the Donald Trump administration.

Biden spared DeSantis the rod, but he did smack Gov. Rick Scott, calling him a “know nothing,” an interesting rhetorical choice that opens up a lot of possibilities for Pence.

If Pence wants to talk about corruption narratives in the news, he’s far better suited than the actual President to do so.

Recall that this is the man who, when in New York City, ate at Chili’s: An event that was much of America’s first introduction to him.

What does Mike Pence’s Chili’s dinner say about the vice presidential candidate? #FWx https://t.co/W9zwo63Cb8 pic.twitter.com/JxZGQ3JoR8

— Food & Wine (@foodandwine) July 18, 2016

There’s no way to run up a $6,000 dinner tab there, even with desserts and appetizers. Chili’s in Manhattan may be as far removed as one can get from the apparent glamor of Gillum’s life, one that included trips to New York, Costa Rica, and the Middle East that have now become part of the campaign narrative.

Pence is also uniquely suited to burnish DeSantis’ positives, reaffirming the narrative of a man who came from a working class home to work his way through Ivy League schools, then through an unpopular war, and then as the avatar of a Tea Party reaction to President Barack Obama.

Even DeSantis’ supporters have been caught by surprise. At his Jacksonville hurricane relief event, this reporter heard a man say that he bought DeSantis’ book, Dreams from Our Founding Fathers, on the trail in 2012 because he felt sorry for him.

No one is feeling sorry for Ron DeSantis ever again.

Like a post-World War II Richard Nixon, he has made all the right moves, taking risks as a foot soldier for the Trump-era conservative movement, and progressing very quickly up the ranks.

And his reward is Mike Pence.

Pence’s first Jacksonville visit during the campaign was a Sunday morning trip to First Baptist Church. The auditorium was not full.

But it didn’t matter. Pence’s role was as sherpa, letting the faithful know that when it came to Donald Trump, there were no worries.

“He and I have had some precious moments,” Pence related of Trump, including Trump asking Pence to pray with him.

Pence received a standing ovation after his remarks.

Expect the same in Jacksonville.

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Tallahassee correspondent Danny McAuliffe contributed to this post.