Raking in $8.2 million in first day after announcing his 2024 run for president May 24, 44-year-old Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis broke all records for fundraising, surpassing 80-year-old President Joe Biden in 2020. It took 76-year-old former President Donald Trump six months to raise $9.5 million after he announced Nov. 15, 2022 his third run for president. Donors in Miami raised prodigious sums of cash for the controversial Florida governor who represents the best of hope for Republicans to derail Trump’s front-runner status, leading DeSantis, before his announcement, by some 20%. Only 57-year-old South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) has more cash, transferring $22 million from his senate campaign war chest. Judging by DeSantis big haul, it looks like the GOP establishment has moved on from Trump, despite hanging on before the next legal problem drops in the near future.
DeSantis’ decision to jump into the ring has to do with the growing sentiment in the Republican Party to have a fresh face in 2024 to go up against Biden. Biden faces his own problems heading into 2024, especially recent polls that show a majority of voters skeptical of another four years due largely to his advanced age. Trump has been baiting DeSantis for months, trying to discourage him from running. Trump thought DeSantis showed disloyalty running against him because of the help DeSanits received from Trump in the 2018 governor’s race. Unable to fathom that the disloyalty is not with DeSantis but the Republican Party that doesn’t want Trump to run in 2024. Most Republicans don’t think Trump can beat Biden, largely because of his baggage and impending legal problems that could derail his 2024 presidential campaign. DeSantis just sits back a watches Trump implode.
Trump insulted DeSantis saying he needs a “personality transplant,” describing the Florida governor’s more sedate nature, especially compared to Trump What Trump doesn’t get is that the vast majority of voters don’t want his drama, want instead any new leader to show a degree of decorum, something not associated with Trump. Trump has insulted too many people to be accepted by American voters. Voters look in 2024 for a fresh face, looking ahead for the future not looking back over Trump’s four years in office. What made Trump’s term so difficult was the U.S. media attacking him at every turn, whether he deserved it or not. Trump could do nothing without condemnation by the U.S. press. Everything Trump did during the Covid-19 global pandemic was condemned by the press. Washington Post Watergate-famed reporter 80-year-old Bob Woodward led the charge against Trump.
Nothing in the U.S. press was factual about Trump, including his management of the Covid-19 crisis. U.S. citizens were so disgusted by government lockdown and Zoom schooling that they took out their ire on Trump. Trump did everything possible to stop the spread of Covid-19, despite Woodward’s constant insults. Trump’s Covid-19 chief 82-year-old Dr. Anthony Fauci spent most of the 2020 Election Year slamming Trump on liberal media. Trump was blamed by the media for the death of George Floyd who was made into a Black martyr, blaming Trump for White supremacy. By the time the 2020 election rolled around, Trump was so demonized by the press, it was only a matter of time before he lost the 2020 election. By the time Trump lost the 2020 election, he was so thoroughly discredited, voter fraud was not a coherent excuse to blame the outcome of the election.
Trump can’t stomach the fact that the Republican Party no longer supports his 2024 election campaign. However skillful at mass campaign rallies, the GOP opts in 2024 for less drama, despite the fact that the liberal press will no doubt attack DeSantis. DeSantis controversial stands on public education, including fighting “wokeness,” makes DeSantis look backward. When it comes to gays, DeSantis looks opposed to the gay lobby, pushing the LGBTQ agenda in public schools. DeSantis banned teaching gender identity in K-12 public schools, wanting to keep the woke mob out of Florida’s public schools. DeSantis’ strong opposition to abortion, enacting one of the strictest abortion laws in the country, leaves DeSantis vulnerable to the women’s vote. Overwhelming numbers of women support a women’s right to choose, keeping government out the decision-making process.
Voters will eventually decide who becomes the GOP’s 2024 nominee. But judging by DeSantis’ campaign launch, he’s got his fundraising machine in gear. Time will tell if Trump can compete with DeSantis’ youth, since many 2024 voters don’t see much difference between Trump and Biden, only four years by age. DeSanits has time on his side, while Trump awaits a fateful decision by 71-year-old Atty. Gen. Merrick Garland and 54-year-old Special Counsel Jack Smith Most legal experts think Trump will be indicted for mishandling classified documents under the Presidential Records Act. Without saying a word, DeSantis can sit back a watch Trump’s 2024 campaign implode with one more indictment. If Trump bows out, DeSantis would pick up most of Trump’s loyal following, realizing that the MAGA movements lives on in DeSantis, despite Trump ending his 2024 bid.
About the Author
John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.
