Who will be the GOP nominee?

[Dave Gray]

There's a part of Desantis we just don't know yet.  He doesn't appear to be particularly quick on his feet.  So, when he's attacked in the moment, like on a debate stage, it will be interesting.  I'm actually excited to see the fight.

[Spider-Dan]

DeSantis is just Scott Walker, for literally all the same reasons.  I'm not sure why you guys don't see it.
Maybe because you live in FL instead of WI?

[CF DolFan]

There's a part of Desantis we just don't know yet.  He doesn't appear to be particularly quick on his feet.  So, when he's attacked in the moment, like on a debate stage, it will be interesting.  I'm actually excited to see the fight.

I'm curious why you say that? I've seen him kill the media whenever they try and get smart with him. It's why they rarely do.

[Dave Gray]

I'm curious why you say that? I've seen him kill the media whenever they try and get smart with him. It's why they rarely do.

I see him not sounding particularly smooth and he gets flustered and kinda comes across as grumpy.  ...like when he told that kid to take his mask off and looked all frustrated, or when he was asked if he was gonna run for President and he just stared there like a weirdo.

I think Trump is going to rattle his cage.  It might work, it might not.  But Desantis isn't smooth.  Trump always seems like he doesn't give a shit which works in his favor in a debate setting.

[Spider-Dan]

I'm curious why you say that? I've seen him kill the media whenever they try and get smart with him.

The way in which he engages the media is tailor-made for you, the Republican voter: he goes into the standard tactic of "Well, I'm not going to comply with your liberal narrative and say what the wokesters want me to say."  Not only does this work wonders with the base, it doesn't really even matter what the topic is: any question from "Trump is saying you are a pedophile" to "Your administration has banned discussion of Rosa Parks" can be answered with the Liberal Narrative speech, and Republican voters will cheer and clap.  (Again, this is exactly the same strategy that Scott Walker used in WI.)

But one arena where this can't be deployed effectively is in a GOP primary, because your opponents are not going to let you just evade questions without answering.  And DeSantis has no other card in his hand.

[Spider-Dan]

It finally came to a head today.

When asked if he would cooperate in extraditing Trump to NY if he is indicted and arrested on Tuesday (as expected), DeSantis instead tried to deflect with some BS about "Soros-funded prosecutor."  But there is no audience for that!  The Trumpists will accept nothing less than full fealty, and everyone else hears "Soros" and thinks you're talking about the Rothschilds or the other secret Jewish masters.  (DeSantis also threw his first semi-direct dig at Trump: "Look, I don't know what goes into paying hush money to a porn star to secure silence over some type of alleged affair. I can't speak to that.")

So predictably, DeSantis is getting absolutely BURIED by Trumpists:







https://twitter.com/AccountableGOP/status/1637849183792103425
https://www.rawstory.com/steve-bannon-ron-desantis-donald-trump/

This was, and has always been, the only possible result.  DeSantis' poll numbers will crater as Trump drives the hardest of wedges between MAGA and what remains of the GOP.

[dolphins4life]

DeSantis trying to score points by banning the Covid vaccines in Florida

[Phishfan]

DeSantis trying to score points by banning the Covid vaccines in Florida

I'm curious, do you explain things badly or do you lie or do you not comprehend or do you believe bullshit? DeSantis is not promoting a ban of COVID vaccines. He is opposed to vaccine mandates. This is miles apart from what you described so please explain why you are so far off the mark.

[CF DolFan]

It finally came to a head today.

When asked if he would cooperate in extraditing Trump to NY if he is indicted and arrested on Tuesday (as expected), DeSantis instead tried to deflect with some BS about "Soros-funded prosecutor."  But there is no audience for that!  The Trumpists will accept nothing less than full fealty, and everyone else hears "Soros" and thinks you're talking about the Rothschilds or the other secret Jewish masters.  (DeSantis also threw his first semi-direct dig at Trump: "Look, I don't know what goes into paying hush money to a porn star to secure silence over some type of alleged affair. I can't speak to that.")

So predictably, DeSantis is getting absolutely BURIED by Trumpists:







https://twitter.com/AccountableGOP/status/1637849183792103425
https://www.rawstory.com/steve-bannon-ron-desantis-donald-trump/

This was, and has always been, the only possible result.  DeSantis' poll numbers will crater as Trump drives the hardest of wedges between MAGA and what remains of the GOP.

Unless DeSantis comes out and blows Trump his ardent followers will not be happy. This is a small but noisy minority of the party as a whole. some media is tryig to blow it up for ratings but few really care.

As far as the Soros comment ... if you think this is about justice and not retribution you are lying. No one out side of politics cares about hush money paid to a porn star 12 years ago. We are discussing money to keep quiet about an affair. Especially a DA whose whole stance is to go soft on crime. I'm not a big fan of the guy but this is probably the most silliest of attacks on him I've seen. 

[Sunstroke]

No one out side of politics cares about hush money paid to a porn star 12 years ago.

You mean that no part of the electorate cares whether or not the President is a decent human being?

I have to disagree...

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

paid to a porn star 12 years ago.

You might want to recheck you math.  Paying hush money isn't the crime, falsifying business records, tax evasion, and improper campaign finance are the crimes. 

[CF DolFan]

You mean that no part of the electorate cares whether or not the President is a decent human being?

I have to disagree...

I never said no one but you bring up a great point in that it really doesn't matter. Trump was known to be an arse and a rule bender before he ever ran let alone won. JFK loved prostitutes as well cheated on his wife constantly with celebrities & friends and everyone knew it. Clinton was a huge cheat as well and yet all are popular. I think it's pretty clear the majority of people in this country care much less about being whatever "decent" is than being good with policies they support. This idea certainly wasn't invented for Trump.

[Spider-Dan]

DeSantis sees lowest level of support since December in new poll, trails Trump by 28 points



DeSantis is still clinging to the fantasy that he can defeat Trump in the primary.  Half of the GOP is praying that Trump has a heart attack on the golf course, because that's the only way they can avoid voting for him AGAIN in November 2024.  You're all terrified of the Trumpists and dare not take them on directly, desperately hoping the grim reaper solves your problems for you.

[CF DolFan]

I don't buy that at all. You can't take one poll and say everything has changed dramatically. Honestly ...  many polls taken involving Trump has always been pretty bad at best. 

I know Trump supporters who would back DeSantis but I don't know very many DeSantis supporters who would back Trump at this point. I also know people who voted for Biden who support DeSantis but definitely not Trump. It's probably best for you if Trump wins the GOP because he's lost much of the support he previously had and even that wasn't enough.

[Spider-Dan]

I know Trump supporters who would back DeSantis but I don't know very many DeSantis supporters who would back Trump at this point.

Oh, at this point?  Yeah, I'm sure there are a lot of tough talkers 20 months ahead of the election.
But ultimately, they are no different than the Republicans who insisted they wouldn't vote for Trump back in spring 2016.  They have all the spine of a bowl of noodles; they will absolutely vote for Trump if the alternative is any Democrat.

I mean, you are a DeSantis supporter and you won't even attack Trump.  You're still defending Trump to this day, in this very thread! Like all Republicans DeSantis supporters, you're just hoping Trump loses somehow without ever working up the courage to mount any serious criticism of him.  It's pure wishcasting.

It's probably best for you if Trump wins the GOP because he's lost much of the support he previously had and even that wasn't enough.

The outcome that is most likely to produce results I favor is if DeSantis decides to run in 2024, and Trump remains alive until DeSantis loses (primary or general).  The rationale is very simple: Trump is the one person on the planet who can deal the most damage to DeSantis' political career, and Trump will be maximally motivated to do so from this day forward until DeSantis is defeated or withdraws.