Florida Governor Ron DeSantis recently sat down for his first interview since dropping out of the presidential race, and he didn’t hold back in placing blame for his failed campaign. According to DeSantis, the fault lies not with his own missteps, but with the “checked-out” voters who rallied behind front-runner Donald Trump during the Iowa caucuses.
DeSantis expressed his frustration with these voters, claiming that many of them didn’t even like Trump but felt that his nomination was inevitable. “They did not want to see Trump nominated again, but they had basically been told that it was over,” DeSantis explained. He went on to describe these voters as being “checked out” and having “totally dropped out of the process.”
Despite his previous criticisms of Trump, including admitting that the former president lies about elections, DeSantis ultimately decided to end his campaign and endorse Trump. In a video announcement, he stated, “He has my endorsement because we can’t go back to the old Republican guard of yesteryear, a repackaged form of warmed-over corporatism that Nikki Haley represents.”
However, DeSantis’ analysis of his failed campaign conveniently ignores some of the other factors that likely contributed to his loss. His relentless attacks on the LGBTQ+ community, libraries, abortion rights, and even Disney may have alienated potential supporters. Additionally, despite spending hundreds of millions of dollars on his campaign, DeSantis saw minimal change in his poll numbers. In Iowa alone, he poured $53 million into his campaign but only managed to secure 21% of the final vote in the state caucuses.
Perhaps one of the most damning aspects of DeSantis’ campaign was his own lack of enthusiasm and charisma. He was often criticized for his robotic affect when interacting with constituents, rarely seen smiling in photos or videos. This lackluster demeanor didn’t go unnoticed by voters, with one Iowa political operative commenting, “To me, he never looked very happy.”
DeSantis also became the target of mockery, including from Trump himself, for his awkward behavior. His choice of footwear and rumored habit of eating pudding cups with three fingers instead of a spoon became talking points that further undermined his campaign.
Despite these setbacks, DeSantis hasn’t completely ruled out a future presidential run. When asked about the possibility, he responded, “if we have a country left in 2028.” Only time will tell if DeSantis will learn from his mistakes and present a more compelling campaign in the future.
In conclusion, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis blames “checked-out” voters for his failed White House campaign. While he expressed frustration with their decision to rally behind Donald Trump, DeSantis failed to acknowledge the other reasons for his loss, including his controversial attacks and lack of enthusiasm. His campaign’s considerable spending did little to improve his poll numbers, and his robotic demeanor and peculiar habits became subjects of mockery. Despite these challenges, DeSantis remains open to a future presidential run, provided the country is still intact.
