He’s No. 2 not 1 formula 1 got their own NO 1
He’s No. 2 — but about 30 points behind Trump. DeSantis ‘win’ isn’t much of one | Opinion
The country’s first Republican nomination contest was a battle for second place with Nikki Haley, with results — a narrow win — that may buy the Florida governor enough viability to get to the New Hampshire primary on Jan. 23 but, in the end, it’s probably just delaying the inevitable: a return to Florida for three (long) years.
His communications director, Andrew Romeo, insisted before the Iowa vote that DeSantis would push forward with a “long, scrappy campaign.” As the caucuses proceeded Monday night and Donald Trump was declared the early winner — the Associated Press called the first-in-the-nation nominating contest for Trump about a half hour after Iowans showed up to precincts — the Florida governor’s campaign staff howled in outrage and labeled it “election interference.” In the end, the results were no surprise. Polls rightly predicted Trump’s record breaking double-digit lead over his opponents on Monday. Trump spoke before the count was complete, declaring victory and saying that DeSantis and Haley “did very well.” It was a speech that sounded, as he no doubt meant it to, like he was already the inevitable nominee. Never-Trumpers hope his legal troubles will eventually catch up with him, but enough Republican voters have made it clear they don’t care how many times he’s indicted. They are unlikely to change their mind when Trump goes to trial,
potentially in the spring. He might have the nomination locked down by then anyway. If DeSantis returns to Florida, as seems increasingly likely, it’s unclear how much power he will still hold in the Legislature and state politics. DeSantis dictated the legislative process in the past two years, getting almost everything he wanted into law and, in the meantime, pitting teachers and parents against each, grown-ups against LGBTQ children and the parental rights movement against Black history. With his extreme politics enshrined into statute, Floridians might wonder one day whether a governor’s presidential aspiration, and the agenda that came with it, paid off for his home state. By coming in second,
DeSantis has a good chance to convince donors to continue to invest in his campaign. But, as the Washington Post reported, there was frustration in his camp that he couldn’t keep Trump below 50%. With 94% of votes counted late Monday, Trump led with 51% followed by DeSantis with 21.2% and Haley at 19.1%. If he can outlast Haley, DeSantis can finally get the two-man race he predicted when he launched his bid, though that’s not likely to happen soon given that polls show Haley has a strong chance to come second in New Hampshire and South Carolina. With DeSantis and Haley splitting the Trump alternative ticket, Trump benefits the most as he continues to rein supreme over the GOP.
DeSantis might never make it past being Trump’s runner-up but, at this point, that’s probably the best he can hope for.
Despite all the media buzz surrounding DeSantis’ lack of charisma and his campaign’s strategic missteps, there is a legitimate question on whether he could do anything different to move the needle in his favor. Monday may have breathed some oxygen into the campaign of Florida’s governor, but Iowa proves that the Republican Party is still Trump’s party, and not DeSantis’. Take Us With You Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand.
