Joe Henderson: Attacking Ron DeSantis is risky move for Florida Democrats

Democrats might regret tying popular Governor Ron DeSantis to a campaign to defeat Donald Trump.

Memo to Florida Democrats, especially their leaders: Rethink your strategy for turning the state blue in 2020.

That was my first thought after reading the story by Scott Powers in Florida Politics about the Democratic convention in Orlando. He reported that party Chair Terrie Rizzo tried to expand the party’s disdain for President Donald Trump by tying every top Republican in the state to Trump’s oily coattails.

Included in that pairing is Gov. Ron DeSantis, and that’s where I went “whoa.” Yes, DeSantis’ cozy relationship with the President helped him greatly in his campaign for Governor. Normally that would be something to exploit in what could be a close election. This isn’t a normal situation, though.

Less than two months ago, St. Pete Polls reported that DeSantis enjoys a 58 percent approval rating. That number includes a healthy 36 percent of Democrats. Hispanics gave him a 56 percent thumbs-up.

A Morning Consult poll in July reported DeSantis is among the ten most popular governors in the country. DeSantis’ popularity also is not limited to Republicans.

If Democrats want to attach Senators Rick Scott and Marco Rubio to Trump, that could work. But, like it not, a solid majority of Floridians approve of how the Governor does his job. That makes tying a well-liked Governor to what Rizzo called an “axis of corruption” a dubious strategy. That is, of course, unless Democrats have something juicy they plan to spring during the campaign.

Right now, though, Rizzo’s rant seems to be one of two things.

It could just be red meat to fire up the party faithful at a convention. Or it could signal what could be a significant campaign miscalculation.

Remember the campaign ad where DeSantis worked with his young daughter to “build that wall” out of toy blocks? Then he read to his infant son from Trump’s book “Art of the Deal.”

Critics widely mocked the ad.

And. It. Didn’t. Matter.

DeSantis won anyway.

Since then, DeSantis has kept Trump at a distance and his popularity rose. Move ahead to 2020. If  Trump struggles in Florida, DeSantis could put even more distance between himself and the, ahem, stable genius.

Trump is the gift that keeps giving to Democrats. His erratic and occasionally unhinged policy moves could tilt highly valued independent voters against him. There’s another red flag for Dems there, though.

Independents make up about 25 percent of Florida’s voter pool, and more than half of them approve of DeSantis.

Add it up.

In a close race, directly attacking Trump could help Florida Democrats turn the state blue.

They’d be smart to leave it there, though, because adding DeSantis to the mix could get them beat.