Ron DeSantis wants to be Trump without drama, but attracts chaos himself

Technical glitches, incomprehensible murmurs, lost connection. What sounds like a bad conference call is nothing less than the disastrous start to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ presidential candidacy. His live announcement on Twitter in conversation with tech billionaire Elon Musk had been eagerly awaited. But when the stream starts on Wednesday evening, nothing happens for a long time.

It takes almost half an hour before the moderator greets DeSantis with the words “Congratulations, you destroyed the internet”.

DeSantis lets out a tortured laugh. Then he finally gets to utter the long-awaited words: “I’m running for President of the United States to lead our great American comeback.”

By this point, most of the listeners have already left the stream.

Ron DeSantis – from rising party star to underdog

As Florida’s governor begins to explain why he’s the right candidate for the “great comeback,” it quickly becomes clear that the point is to show who is wrong. Without naming Donald Trump, the 44-year-old boasts that he “doesn’t see government as entertainment,” but actively turns the conservative agenda into law. Political promises are worthless if Republicans keep losing. Another dig at the ex-president.

It’s the same message DeSantis has been delivering at fundraisers and exclusive dinner parties for weeks: “I’m like Trump, just without the drama.”

With its own hard-line legislation, DeSantis presents itself as a pioneer. What he created as governor in Florida, he wants to tackle as president for the whole country. In an interview with Musk, he proudly lists his political achievements: how he led Florida as the first state out of the corona lockdown, how he saved the schools from “woken left-wing indoctrination”, how he “law and order” against illegal migrants has prevailed and how Florida has become the “Nation’s Number One Destination” under him.

DeSantis repeatedly quotes from his new book, the title of which sounds like a campaign slogan: “Florida’s blueprint for America’s rebirth”. In reality, this blueprint looks dystopian.

In the Sunshine State, the law now regulates who can use which toilet, which books must be banned from classrooms and when sex education classes are allowed (only from high school). The law, known as “Don’t Say Gay,” which bans teaching about gender identity and sexuality, now regularly makes absurd headlines. Just last week, the case of a teacher who is being investigated for showing her class a Disney film with a homosexual protagonist became known.

DeSantis started the culture war. He’s losing it on many fronts

As governor, DeSantis has kept his promises. He gave Florida an ultra-right smear. And yet, half a year after its midterm high, it finds itself in a much worse starting position for the race for the White House. In polls, he is far behind Trump. Leading conservatives question his eligibility, while his main rival manages to rally Republicans despite impeachment. “The DeSanctus Twitter launch is a disaster! His whole campaign is going to be a disaster,” the ex-president scoffed on his Truth social network that evening.

One thing is certain, the breakdown start is a new low point for DeSantis. But in the last few weeks, his proclaimed self-image as a chaos-free doer has cracked. This is clearly visible on his book tour, which was actually supposed to set the stage for him nationwide. Instead of sympathy points, DeSantis reaped storms of indignation when he described the Russian invasion of Ukraine as a “territorial dispute”. His freshly signed six-week abortion ban has also met with criticism from major Republican donors. Both polls and the latest election results show that extreme pro-abortion positions are being punished by voters. DeSantis still represents her.

His attempt to step away from Trump has made Florida’s governor swing far to the right. So much so that he is now caught in the crossfire of his own Kulturkampf.

With the escalation of his Disney feud, DeSantis has finally overshot the mark for many conservatives. His obsessive crusade against the entertainment giant for daring to criticize the “anti-woke law” makes the governor look more and more like a stubborn four-year-old by the day. An ego dispute with very real consequences. Just last week, the Disney CEO announced that the company was dropping plans for a new 2,000-job campus in Florida. 1-0 for Mickey Mouse.

More right than Donald Trump – and less charismatic

“Politics is all about perception” is an old American adage. Politics is primarily about perception. DeSantis promises to be a “Trump without drama”. A look at Florida and the unsuccessful start of the campaign make it clear that the governor is creating his own chaos.

The crucial difference: while the ex-president is immersed in the drama, the man from Florida finds it difficult enough to shine on his own stage. Recently leaked video footage from the 2018 gubernatorial campaign shows DeSantis being briefed by his team to appear “likeable.” “When you go on stage, write ‘LIKABLE’ in capital letters on a piece of paper,” a consultant recommends. DeSantis nods.

Five years later he seems to have forgotten the lesson. When a supporter in Iowa told him last week that he drove an extra hour to see him, DeSantis thanks him briefly, but then promptly turns his back on the man. At a fundraising dinner a few days later, one attendee described him as someone who “talks to the people, not to them.” “DeSantis makes you feel like he would turn off your life support just to charge his phone,” says the Wall Street Journal.

There are still nine months until the Republican primary. If Florida’s governor wants any serious shots at the White House duel, he’ll have to prove he can be both “drama-free” and “nice.”

Because as long as DeSantis himself is seen as “the man who destroyed the internet”, a charismatic “Trump with drama” still has the better cards.