Ron DeSantis says Donald Trump held him back in 2018 election

Trump ad DeSantis
'I saw it in Florida in my re-election.'

Ron DeSantis says he was better off as a gubernatorial candidate without Donald Trump than with him.

On Monday night’s Fox NewsSpecial Report,” the Governor contrasted his narrow victory in 2018 with his blowout win for re-election, noting that in 2022 he performed better despite the former President not performing for him.

“I saw it in Florida in my re-election. You know, I won the first time by less than a percent, second time by 20. Why did people vote against me in ’18 but they voted for me in ’22. The number one reason they gave was because of Trump,” DeSantis said.

The Governor noted that “because in ’18 they said that they were voting against me to vote against Trump … even though they didn’t know much about me. By ’22, that was there.”

DeSantis brought that up to illustrate his belief that Trump can’t win a General Election, while he can, saying “there’s too many voters who just aren’t going to vote for him going forward.”

DeSantis also suggested that swing state polling shows him to be a better bet against the current President than the former President would be.

“So I think in states like Georgia and Arizona and, and look, I don’t put stock in the polls but you guys talk about them, the polls that come out,” DeSantis said. “I beat Biden in Georgia. Trump doesn’t. I beat Biden soundly in Arizona. Trump doesn’t. Those are just the realities.”

For months, meanwhile, Trump has told a familiar story about DeSantis begging for an endorsement with “tears in his eyes.”

“I’m a loyalist,” Trump said in March. “And when a man comes to me (with) tears in his eyes, he’s at almost nothing in the polls, and he’s fighting somebody that’s at 42, and he’s got almost $30 million in the bank. He’s at almost nothing. He’s got no cash. And I said, ‘I can’t give you an endorsement. There’s no way you can win. You’re dead.’”

Despite misgivings, Trump granted the endorsement, as DeSantis fought for him “just a little bit on the impeachment hoax.”

If DeSantis’ comments are any indication, he didn’t need Trump at all … and may have been hurt by him in his first run for Governor.

A.G. Gancarski

A.G. Gancarski has been the Northeast Florida correspondent for Florida Politics since 2014. His work also can be seen in the Washington Post, the New York Post, the Washington Times, and National Review, among other publications. He can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter: @AGGancarski


11 comments

  • Dont Say FLA

    July 31, 2023 at 7:20 pm

    I knew Rhonda flip flopped to hatred of Disney after having held his first wedding at Disney, but I honestly didn’t expect him to take over Fantasyland like this.

    LOL @ Delusional Rhonda

  • DeLusional

    July 31, 2023 at 7:34 pm

    Suffering from a false belief or opinion.

  • DeLusional

    July 31, 2023 at 7:34 pm

    Suffering from a false belief or opinion.

  • Lillian

    July 31, 2023 at 8:06 pm

    what an idiot!

  • My Take

    July 31, 2023 at 8:14 pm

    I love it.
    Trump will have a comment or two I suspect.

  • The General

    August 1, 2023 at 8:35 am

    Ron is talking about the general, and he might be right. Thing is, he never would have been in the general without Trump’s endorsement, so there’s still that. Without Trump, DeSantis would probably be an failed attorney turned I.T. phone support guy by now, but only a contract so he can get a new job every 3 months by the time people start to realize their own inclusion in the Everybody Hates Rhonda club.

  • Silly Wabbit

    August 1, 2023 at 10:38 am

    He kwazy.

  • Susan

    August 1, 2023 at 11:56 am

    I’m a native Floridian of 73 years. I’ve never seen such a lack of respect or need to keep stabbing a good man.

    You, sir ….

    are done. I wouldn’t vote you into any position, ever again.

    • Bwj

      August 1, 2023 at 3:14 pm

      Uh.. are you saying that Trump is a good man?

      • Dont Say FLA

        August 1, 2023 at 4:02 pm

        I think she might be saying that, but whatever. Who cares what any private citizens not on any jury think of Defelonious Javina Trump as long as they’re s on board with hating Rhonda’ cause Everybody Hates Rhonda and I don’t want anyone to feel left out, not even Trump fans.

  • joey

    August 2, 2023 at 6:50 am

    If is not for Trump you will not win the GOP primary in 2018 .

Comments are closed.


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