Joe Henderson
Give Gov. Ron DeSantis credit for one thing. The social media platform formerly known as Twitter worked flawlessly Sunday afternoon, carrying his video announcement that the presidential campaign backed by the Never Back Down super PAC was, well, backing down.
It tiptoes up to irony that a campaign that began with a splat when that same media platform sputtered, spit, and wobbled when carrying the launch of DeSantis’ doomed campaign worked just fine when carrying the Governor’s concession that (paraphrasing here) he was toast.
But seriously, folks, has any presidential candidate squandered so much, so quickly, and not just money, either? DeSantis’ reputation was the Next Great Hope for Republicans lay in tatters of single-digit polling in New Hampshire.
Even worse, DeSantis puckered up and immediately endorsed Donald Trump.
I always wondered what would happen when DeSantis got out of a safe Florida cocoon and ventured into places where even some Republicans look askance at banning books and brawling with Disney.
We saw it. It was a complete repudiation of Florida’s wooden, charisma-challenged Governor.
On the campaign trail, DeSantis never defined what he would do to make life better for the (fewer and fewer) people who came to his rallies. He was ultimately defined by the culture wars he unleashed on Floridians, and that’s no way to win.
The result was ridicule for someone once nicknamed “America’s Governor.”
POLITICO magazine ran an opinion piece under the headline: “The DeSantis Team Ran the Worst Campaign in History.”
And there’s this: He tried to out-Trump Trump. That was a fool’s errand. Trump is a menace, and a second term for Orange Hair would be an epic disaster. He might even be in jail. DeSantis tried to run to the right of THAT, but Trump supporters weren’t impressed, and the GOP “moderates” sized up DeSantis’ faux tough guy persona and decided “nah.”
What’s next for the Governor?
He may find a few things changed as he heads back to Florida for the final two years of his term. Republican lawmakers spent the last six years barking on command from DeSantis, but they have much less reason to fear him today than they did a year ago.
Many of them have ambition, too. They’re sizing up their own chances at the Governor’s mansion in 2026, and voters are showing they’re weary of DeSantis’ focus on controlling women’s bodies, banning books, LGBTQ+ people, trans kids, Disney’s corporate policies, and so on.
Going forward, I would expect the Republican message to moderate a bit because I believe that’s where the voters are.
DeSantis could find it hard to put the cork back in the bottle if he wants to take another swing in 2028. He could see it impossible to recreate the war chest he had for this campaign.
I go back to the beginning with DeSantis. Remember his first year in office? Even Democrats credited him for working across the aisle on the environment and other issues. He received widespread praise for stances that benefited everyday Floridians, regardless of party or sexual orientation.
Then someone whispered, “Ron, you ought to think about running for President.”
And with that, the starting gun had sounded on Ron DeSantis’ road to destruction. He hit the finish line Sunday.
13 comments
Florida Artificial Intelligence 📉
January 21, 2024 at 7:41 pm
“I will make up a quote about success and failure, and I will attribute it to a famous political figure.”
—Winston H.J. Churchill, Jr.
JustBabs
January 21, 2024 at 7:58 pm
Who better to write the obituary of Desantis’ presidential aspirations than Joe Henderson. RIP. Sorry to see his attentions turned back to making Floridians miserable but not surprised. He sure did pucker up fast for those orange feet.
PeterH
January 21, 2024 at 8:33 pm
Very well said Joe Henderson!
Thought it was going to happen last Thursday, but I’lm take it
January 21, 2024 at 8:35 pm
DeSantis’s term mercifully ends in January of 2027, and he will not be moving on to another office from there. He will have absolutely no base from which to launch a meaningful 2028 presidential campaign, and he will still be wooden and empathy-challenged. Fortunately the courts will continue to dismantle his unconstitutional laws, and his influence in Tallahassee reduced somewhat.
Michael K
January 21, 2024 at 9:05 pm
He’s toast. I doubt there is any room to forgiver the horrible, hateful attacks he made on so many people for cheap political gain: LGBTQ, Black people, migrants, women, teachers, public health professionals… and on and on.
He finally “woke up” too late to realize that his anti-woke nonsense has zero traction or meaning. His destruction of New College and many attempts to dismantle higher education and public education at all levels were cheap political stunts that will take years to correct. He’s a mean, cruel person, and deserves karmic retribution for the pain he inflicted on so many good people.
Keep Florida Red
January 21, 2024 at 9:30 pm
Funny I don’t recall Joe Henderson writing anything like this about Nikki Fried’s flameout in the Demo Governor primary or even when Charlie Crist got destroyed by DeSantis for Governor. Just another writer on behalf of the Demo party. Just like reading the editorial page of the Sun-Sentinel.
Florida Artificial Intelligence 📉
January 22, 2024 at 3:57 am
So sad for your beating but you come for Mickey you better not miss…
My Take
January 21, 2024 at 10:18 pm
Not WWJD ?
But HWDRR ?
“How would a dumb redneck react?
.
Apparently there are not enough of them, and Trump firmly has most of them.
Nebraska Granny's
January 21, 2024 at 10:59 pm
Pride goeth before a fall, Trumpites. Always has, always will.🇺🇸🤠
Florida Artificial Intelligence 📉
January 22, 2024 at 3:58 am
They just can’t learn.
Jackson Holmes
January 21, 2024 at 11:39 pm
Thank you.
Well written.
“He tried to out-Trump Trump”.
DeSantis has ASPERGER’S SYNDROME. HE CAN’T CONNECT WITH PEOPLE.
Mad Magazine character, but a true psychopath. “One of the most psychopathic persons ever to run for President”, starting with being PRO SEDITION and PRO ESPIONAGE ACT MAR A LAGO CRIMES.
Phil Morton
January 22, 2024 at 2:10 am
I’ve missed Joe Henderson on this site. Welcome back and hope to hear more from you as DeSantis crawls to the end of his term as governor.
JD
January 22, 2024 at 9:50 am
Thank you Mr. Henderson. I hope to see more of your musings on this site and others. Well written.
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