One Truth Republic
Trump declares war on DeSantis
It’s official. A war is now on. A war between Ron Desantis, the freshly re-elected Governer of Florida, and Donald Trump, the one time president of the United States. A war between the old MAGA guard and the new transcendent republican party.
Despite what others may think, this war was not inevitable. DeSantis, while popular in Florida, was not understood to be a galvanizing figure outside the sunshine state.
Amongst the MAGA republicans Trump was still the King and amongst Democrats DeSantis was one of the many anti-science, Covid denying governors ruling the red states.
But one critical thing happened.
Desantis’ Covid policies in Florida turned out to be the correct ones. Far less restrictive and more focused on letting businesses continue, Florida did not fare any worse with Covid casualties than the states that went into hard lockdown during the pandemic.
Within Florida this has had a tremendous effect of increasing his support with his base AND astoundingly converting democrats into supporters.
Thats right. DeSantis has flipped blue counties into red counties including the massive Miami-Dade county and Palm Beach county. And these were double digit flips with Miami-Dade flipping from 59% for Democrat Andrew Gillum in 2018 to 59% for Desantis in 2022. An 18 point flip!
Even Trump in his hay day couldn’t flip those counties and instead lost them by about 10 points each. DeSantis has just demonstrated that he can do something that Trump could not.
And the rest of the country noticed. Including Trump himself, who now sees the might that DeSantis now carries.
Trump quickly sent out warning shots.
“I would tell you things about him that won’t be very flattering” said Trump as he now loudly warns DeSantis “Don’t Run”. Promising to share things he knows that will “change everything” is a common Trump tactic but one that is usually reserved for people he fears.
Trump had already recognized DeSantis as a threat before the election and had referred to him as Ron DeSanctimonious. But now he is being as clear as possible that he sees Desantis as the real threat that he is. And that the war is on.
The truth is that Trump lost any chance at the presidency 2 years ago. He was ousted not by Biden but by his own chicanery and shenanigans. He lost because of himself. And has now shifted into a position of a cult figure, an elder, a would be messiah whose destiny will never cross paths with the white house again. But Trump doesn’t know this. And he will increase his attacks on Ron DeSantis over the coming months.
But the momentum unleashed in these mid term elections will carry Ron out of reach of Trump and his diminishing fan base. The rest of the republican party will quickly turn it’s attention to DeSantis as the new leader. A leader without the compromise of a sordid past or questionable dealings. A leader with foundational values and importantly the ability to unite.
I am not saying DeSantis is going to win in 2024. He hasn’t even announced running yet - though we all know he will run. Other challengers may jump in and surprise us but at least for now it is clear that the nation has one solid presidential candidate to rely on.
Rebecca Lumin
