DeSantis Cannot Run His Reelection Campaign Like Trump Did

Image credit: IFunny

In 2022, Gov. Ron DeSantis will be up for reelection. This race is important to me because, as a Floridian, he's one of our only chances of preventing what is happening in New York or California to Florida. The 2018 race was slim as it was (when it shouldn't have been), but he won. I do think he should be careful. Considering his friendship with Donald Trump, he should take note of what Trump did wrong during his 2020 reelection campaign. That way he can avoid losing.

I know many people don't like hearing this, but it is something I have shared with numerous people. Since the Mahgdalen Rose interview, where she really made me see this. Trump ran a horrible campaign. The two aspects that cost him were 1) he chose people who were ONLY loyal to him (rather than skilled AND loyal), and 2) he never ran with a message. What did Trump say in 2016 versus 2020? He had a message of "Make America Great Again," with plans to lower taxes, build the wall, fight human trafficking, etc. For 2020, he focused on what he did. While that's good to draw attention to, he didn't do enough to say "This is what I'll do if reelected." That didn't convince those who were unsure where to vote, and I'd include his own base in that set. 

Who did Trump have working for him in 2016? Skilled strategists and staffers, who knew what they were doing. Even censored conservatives from 2016 (i.e. Milo Yiannopoulos, Laura Loomer, Roger Stone) had a huge part in electing Trump by reaching different voters (i.e. younger voters). In 2020, the "conservatives" who were fighting for Trump didn't do all that much besides tweet and speak at rallies. Republicans didn't fight to win. That's why it is hard for people to believe that Trump won. If he ran one hell of a campaign, like in 2016, people would have believed the truth that he won. Because he didn't, the argument of the Dominion machines didn't stick for people and just caused division. I do believe Trump won, and I do believe Democrats cheated. But you can't overlook he ran a sloppy campaign. 

DeSantis isn't running for President (yet), so comparing a gubernatorial race to that of a Presidential race is like comparing apples and oranges. Nonetheless, he should take note of the mistakes from the past. DeSantis cannot go for people who are Yes Men. He needs to choose people who are both skilled at their job and loyal to DeSantis. 

Right now, the only person I've seen DeSantis hire for his reelection campaign is Phil Cox, who is considered a veteran Republican strategist. From what I've seen, Phil looks like a capable strategist. I spoke with Mahgdalen Rose regarding this, and she agreed that hiring Phil was a good choice, as he's worked numerous gubernatorial campaigns (and led them to victory), and might be a good move for the future in 2024. She did note, however, that Phil's success was in the early and mid-2010s, and the political game has changed since then (i.e. more dependence on social media), so that could end up working against DeSantis. We will see how things go in the future.

Something I also believe DeSantis should be wary of is how much he brings up "fake news." I don't mean how 60 Minutes selectively edited his speech, calling out fake news as a way to deflect. I love how he said "This hit piece came from a New York based company because no Floridian would go after Publix." As a Floridian, this is 100% true! Trump was a storyteller, and many of them were funny, but using those stories took away from his message. DeSantis can call out the media, and out of anyone who deserves to tell off the media, he should. All the lies they have told about DeSantis' handling of Covid, compared to Killer Cuomo, it's just appalling. DeSantis saved Florida, and is an example for all states. He just can't let that be the main thing he says.

(Image credit: IFunny)

DeSantis is excelling in one aspect, compared to Trump, and that's the local aspect. I understand it's to promote his latest projects or the vaccine, but he is visiting all around Florida. He needs to keep that up. Be involved in your communities.

I hope DeSantis is smart about his reelection campaign. I believe he will win, and the margin of victory will be higher. Everyone knows how big a fan I am of DeSantis, but he cannot make that mistake like Trump did. DeSantis has a lot of accomplishments, and I hope to see him have another 4 years. The same goes for any other Republican running in 2022.

Check out my article about DeSantis' new initiative for teaching civics! I couldn't believe it got over 5000 shares on Facebook.

https://www.thecollegefix.com/governor-ron-desantis-new-curriculum-initiative-will-promote-teaching-civics-disavow-critical-race-theory/

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