Heartbeat is detected after 6 weeks.
Death by DeSantis
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DeSantis Fading as a Threat to Win the General Election
Some non-Republicans, including me (an independent voter), have cared enough about the topic to form a considered opinion about who to root for to win the Republican nomination for president. We won't be voting in a Republican primary because we are not Republicans. But not wanting to see any hard-right Republican win the general election, not seeing any viable moderate Republicans yet in the field, and understanding that the Republican Party is certain to nominate someone to run in the general election, a question rises; "Of the Republican candidates now seeking the presidency, which one is likely to be the easiest to beat in the general election?"
At present, Trump is far and away the leading primary candidate according to the polls. DeSantis is second, and the rest are behind those two. Up to now, I have been rooting for Trump to win, because I believed DeSantis is the more capable and intelligent of the two, he had less political baggage, no one is charging him or accusing him in a meaningful way of any crimes, and he is younger. Thus, I reasoned, Trump would be easier to defeat in the general election.
After observing developments and reading this piece, I have shifted from rooting for Trump to being on the fence. In the end, my opinion makes no difference, since I won't be voting for either one of them in the primary. For me, this is more of an eat-popcorn-and-enjoy-the-show these two are currently putting on. The latest highly amusing installment is this anti-DeSantis pudding-fingers ad.
Article excerpt:
"Trump has well-known liabilities as a general-election nominee that hardly need recapitulating here. But DeSantis’s liabilities have grown significantly. He has gone on the record in the past supporting both privatization and benefit cuts for Social Security and Medicare, a position so deeply toxic that even most Republican voters recoil from it. More recently, he signed a ban on abortion after six weeks, a period so restrictive it virtually amounts to a complete ban." (Source)
I think Trump is still the likely Republican nominee, but DeSantis is less of a threat to win the general election than I thought he was before.
Some non-Republicans, including me (an independent voter), have cared enough about the topic to form a considered opinion about who to root for to win the Republican nomination for president. We won't be voting in a Republican primary because we are not Republicans. But not wanting to see any hard-right Republican win the general election, not seeing any viable moderate Republicans yet in the field, and understanding that the Republican Party is certain to nominate someone to run in the general election, a question rises; "Of the Republican candidates now seeking the presidency, which one is likely to be the easiest to beat in the general election?"
At present, Trump is far and away the leading primary candidate according to the polls. DeSantis is second, and the rest are behind those two. Up to now, I have been rooting for Trump to win, because I believed DeSantis is the more capable and intelligent of the two, he had less political baggage, no one is charging him or accusing him in a meaningful way of any crimes, and he is younger. Thus, I reasoned, Trump would be easier to defeat in the general election.
After observing developments and reading this piece, I have shifted from rooting for Trump to being on the fence. In the end, my opinion makes no difference, since I won't be voting for either one of them in the primary. For me, this is more of an eat-popcorn-and-enjoy-the-show these two are currently putting on. The latest highly amusing installment is this anti-DeSantis pudding-fingers ad.
Article excerpt:
"Trump has well-known liabilities as a general-election nominee that hardly need recapitulating here. But DeSantis’s liabilities have grown significantly. He has gone on the record in the past supporting both privatization and benefit cuts for Social Security and Medicare, a position so deeply toxic that even most Republican voters recoil from it. More recently, he signed a ban on abortion after six weeks, a period so restrictive it virtually amounts to a complete ban." (Source)
I think Trump is still the likely Republican nominee, but DeSantis is less of a threat to win the general election than I thought he was before.
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Nobody will beat Trump in the primaries. DeSantis is fading because Dems are attacking Trump with frivolous charges and investigations. It’s consolidating support for him.
Plus, DeSantis hasn’t been able to run campaign ads defending himself because he hasn’t declared yet. It’s like a candidate holding on to his spending for political ads until the very end. In the meantime his opponent is able to define him with negative political ads.
It will be forgotten after the primaries.
Who remembers Hillary Clinton saying “Shame On You Barack Obama” during the primaries?
He made her Secretary Of State.
Or Kamala attacking Biden about race.
He made her his VP running mate.
It will all be forgotten.
Plus, DeSantis hasn’t been able to run campaign ads defending himself because he hasn’t declared yet. It’s like a candidate holding on to his spending for political ads until the very end. In the meantime his opponent is able to define him with negative political ads.
It will be forgotten after the primaries.
Who remembers Hillary Clinton saying “Shame On You Barack Obama” during the primaries?
He made her Secretary Of State.
Or Kamala attacking Biden about race.
He made her his VP running mate.
It will all be forgotten.
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danthewolf00
Veteran Expediter
You make a worthy point supported by good examples. And Trump has welcomed back people who were harshly critical of him before.
Trump will be 1000% unwilling to run as DeSantis's VP. Might DeSantis be willing to run as Trump's VP? And might Trump be willing to have him? Or is DeSantis too much of an alpha threat to Trump because DeSantis is a big media personality himself? The idea of a Trump-DeSantis ticket, with their massive campaign funds combined is tantalizing to some in the Republican Party, I'm sure.
In the end, the answers to such questions will boil down to these two men's egos and calculations. The two men may inwardly despise each other, but their political calculations combined with their lust for the office may drive them to stage a public reconciliation, with VP DeSantis secretly hoping for Trump to die.
Personally, I doubt this will happen. I don't think it's in one or both of these men to stage a public reconciliation. And even if they do, their right-wing views are so far away from the general population that they cannot win the general election, individually or together.
I’m not really suggesting that Trump would put him on the ticket or even appoint him to some high ranking job in the administration. Just pointing out that it will be old news after the nomination. Nobody will much care, and what Biden’s economy will look like 18 months from now will be on most people’s minds.
While the economy is always an important issue, that's not what will define the 2024 race. That race will be defined by abortion rights. That's the issue people feel more strongly about than the economy. That's the issue that is driving people to the polls in large numbers to recover and protect the abortion rights the Supreme Court and subsequent Republican actions are taking away.
danthewolf00
Veteran Expediter
People vote when their wallet is empty......and the last 2 years it is alot more bare.
This is generally true about college students that are squirreled away at their Universities for 4 years, pretty much unaffected by inflation/ economy, that their parents are encumbered by. Dems are targeting the students with abortion ads using TIKTOK.
But the fact remains, the majority of Americans want restrictions on abortion.
About six-in-ten Americans say abortion should be legal in all or most cases
A majority of U.S. adults say abortion should be legal in all or most cases; 37% think abortion should be illegal in all or most cases.
www.pewresearch.org
80% of Americans Think Abortion Should Be Illegal in Third Trimester: Poll
"Removing the many existing barriers to earlier abortion care would reduce need for second- and third-trimester abortions," said Jenny Ma from the Center for Reproductive Rights.
www.newsweek.com
Another poll from NPR/Marist - which usually tilts to the left - shows the economy to be top of mind among the registered voters surveyed, while abortion ranks 8th out of nine issues, and tied for last among independents. The Dobbs decision seems to be having its intended effect by sending abortion rights back to the states. It will take several years for each state to fine tune their laws, and the single issue fanatics on both sides will likely never be satisfied. However, it appears that there quite a few issues more important to most people's everyday lives than abortion.
That will change as Republicans impose more and more abortion restrictions.
Trump, Christie & Pence Trash DeSantis's Disney Stance
Trump: “DeSanctus is being absolutely destroyed by Disney. His original P.R. plan fizzled, so now he’s going back with a new one in order to save face,” Trump said on Truth Social, unveiling a new nickname for the governor. (Source)
Christie: ... “[DeSantis is not the guy I want sitting across from President Xi [Jinping] ... or sitting across from [President Vladimir] Putin and trying to resolve what’s happening in Ukraine, if you can’t see around a corner [Disney CEO] Bob Iger created for you,” Christie said Tuesday during a livestreamed interview with Semafor, adding: “I don’t think Ron DeSantis is a conservative, based on his actions towards Disney.” (Source)
Pence: "Pence, in a CNBC interview Wednesday, said he supported DeSantis for signing a law last year limiting school instruction about gender identity and sexual orientation but not his actions seeking to punish Disney for opposing the measure. 'That was beyond the scope of what I as a conservative, limited-government Republican would be prepared to do,' Pence said."
(Source)
Trump: “DeSanctus is being absolutely destroyed by Disney. His original P.R. plan fizzled, so now he’s going back with a new one in order to save face,” Trump said on Truth Social, unveiling a new nickname for the governor. (Source)
Christie: ... “[DeSantis is not the guy I want sitting across from President Xi [Jinping] ... or sitting across from [President Vladimir] Putin and trying to resolve what’s happening in Ukraine, if you can’t see around a corner [Disney CEO] Bob Iger created for you,” Christie said Tuesday during a livestreamed interview with Semafor, adding: “I don’t think Ron DeSantis is a conservative, based on his actions towards Disney.” (Source)
Pence: "Pence, in a CNBC interview Wednesday, said he supported DeSantis for signing a law last year limiting school instruction about gender identity and sexual orientation but not his actions seeking to punish Disney for opposing the measure. 'That was beyond the scope of what I as a conservative, limited-government Republican would be prepared to do,' Pence said."
(Source)
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Are the Wheels Beginning to Come Off the DeSantis Wagon?
This post relies on a Politico article that cites unnamed sources. I generally put little stock in such pieces because we have no way of knowing if the writer is telling the truth or just making something up they want others to believe. But this piece also includes info that is factually verifiable and it does cite a couple of on-the-record sources. For this post, I'm focusing only on those.
The article begins with "Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ iron-clad grip on the Republican-controlled Legislature may be slipping amid growing frustration among GOP legislators."
Is that true? Can that view be supported with facts and named sources? I think so, yes.
Excerpts:
"Republican lawmakers are stalling a handful of his key remaining legislative priorities with just weeks left in the annual session." That can be verified by looking at the speed (or slowness) at which these legislative priorities are moving through the process.
"Republican lawmakers remain unwilling to speak out publicly against DeSantis because of his power and clout." That can be verified by noticing that no Republican lawmakers are speaking out publicly against DeSantis.
A former lawmaker who is in a position to know is saying this on the record: “People are deeply frustrated,” said former state Sen. Jeff Brandes, a St. Petersburg Republican who has been talking to his former GOP colleagues frequently this session. “They are not spending any time on the right problems ... Most legislators believe that the balance of power has shifted too far and the Legislature needs to re-establish itself as a coequal branch of government.”
The article says, "DeSantis has struggled to gain traction nationally after weathering weeks of criticism from former President Donald Trump and other Republicans ahead of his likely 2024 announcement." That is factually verifiable. The weeks of criticism is on the public record.
Even Florida’s GOP Legislative leaders, Senate President Kathleen Passidomo and House Speaker Paul Renner, on Wednesday declined to endorse DeSantis. That statement is true on its face. They may endorse DeSantis in the future but it is not without significance that they have not yet done so at a time when DeSantis is actively traveling to Washington to collect endorsements, and returning home empty handed.
The article says, "By all accounts though, DeSantis has racked up some big wins this session. Lawmakers have already passed multiple bills that the governor backed, including a ban on abortions after six weeks, a measure letting people carry concealed weapons without a permit and legislation that will no longer require a unanimous jury recommendation in death penalty cases." That's all true and objectively verifiable by looking at the public record.
My point is not about what DeSantis has been able to get done in the legislature. It's about a possible shift in the momentum. Clearly, the DeSantis wagon remains on the road. But things are developing that make it rational to wonder if the lug nuts are a little loose.
This post relies on a Politico article that cites unnamed sources. I generally put little stock in such pieces because we have no way of knowing if the writer is telling the truth or just making something up they want others to believe. But this piece also includes info that is factually verifiable and it does cite a couple of on-the-record sources. For this post, I'm focusing only on those.
The article begins with "Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ iron-clad grip on the Republican-controlled Legislature may be slipping amid growing frustration among GOP legislators."
Is that true? Can that view be supported with facts and named sources? I think so, yes.
Excerpts:
"Republican lawmakers are stalling a handful of his key remaining legislative priorities with just weeks left in the annual session." That can be verified by looking at the speed (or slowness) at which these legislative priorities are moving through the process.
"Republican lawmakers remain unwilling to speak out publicly against DeSantis because of his power and clout." That can be verified by noticing that no Republican lawmakers are speaking out publicly against DeSantis.
A former lawmaker who is in a position to know is saying this on the record: “People are deeply frustrated,” said former state Sen. Jeff Brandes, a St. Petersburg Republican who has been talking to his former GOP colleagues frequently this session. “They are not spending any time on the right problems ... Most legislators believe that the balance of power has shifted too far and the Legislature needs to re-establish itself as a coequal branch of government.”
The article says, "DeSantis has struggled to gain traction nationally after weathering weeks of criticism from former President Donald Trump and other Republicans ahead of his likely 2024 announcement." That is factually verifiable. The weeks of criticism is on the public record.
Even Florida’s GOP Legislative leaders, Senate President Kathleen Passidomo and House Speaker Paul Renner, on Wednesday declined to endorse DeSantis. That statement is true on its face. They may endorse DeSantis in the future but it is not without significance that they have not yet done so at a time when DeSantis is actively traveling to Washington to collect endorsements, and returning home empty handed.
The article says, "By all accounts though, DeSantis has racked up some big wins this session. Lawmakers have already passed multiple bills that the governor backed, including a ban on abortions after six weeks, a measure letting people carry concealed weapons without a permit and legislation that will no longer require a unanimous jury recommendation in death penalty cases." That's all true and objectively verifiable by looking at the public record.
My point is not about what DeSantis has been able to get done in the legislature. It's about a possible shift in the momentum. Clearly, the DeSantis wagon remains on the road. But things are developing that make it rational to wonder if the lug nuts are a little loose.
DeSantis hasn’t garnered many endorsements because Trump has gobbled them up. Trump leads him in the polls, even in Florida. They want to jump on the winning wagon.
I will blame Desantis for anything I think he is responsible for, but this is a stretch to blame him for this. Should he have cut his book tour short to come back to Florida because of the flooding, yes, but nothing he could have done would have made a difference in the reason the gas stations are running out of fuel.
On a personal note, I bought and EV so I dont have to worry about finding gas anymore.....
I agree. Weather-related disruptions in the fuel supply are just that, and only that, weather-related disruptions.
Congrats on your new car. You're helping lead the way to the EV world to come.