Will DeSantis become the next republican presidential candidate?

He currently has the support of the conservative media and doesn't have the negative image of trump (though democrats will try to create it if he runs as president)

What do you think about him?

I haven't seen much unconventional or not typically republican policies from him. He seems to largely reflect his party's more traditional platform.

The most interesting thing that i have seen from him is breaking the education standard test systems in to several smaller tests distributed over the school year.

The worst thing I have seen about him is refusing to condemn the claims of elections fraud (he simply won't answer questions about it)

What do you think about him? Does he have a chance againt trump in primaries? Is he better suited to run against a democrat in the general elections? (i think he would easily defeat Biden). If you are a democrat does he make you less afraid than trump as a potential president?

Probably, but who really cares? Republicans aren't likely to see the inside of the white house for a long time.

@tjandmia: How do you figure?

@tjandmia: I hope you're joking... But yeah, I think he'll be the next candidate and will win 2024.

Dear god I hope so. I don't love him as a candidate, but I can't deal with Donny anymore. It's just too exhausting.

I think he will. First because, even if I don't agree with his views, he seems to be the only high profile republican with a fully functioning brain. Second because Trump's meltdowns will be hilarious to follow. Trump has no decency and only believes in serving himself, it will be a great and decadent show.

Pretty simple. The young people who voted for the first time this year just saw that their vote matters and can change the outcome, so now they will turn up the next time as well, and you can bet that they won't be voting for the reds.

Yeah.. that's what you people said about hispanics and they were a big part of DeSantis's 20 point victory. And that theory that younger people are going to be more liberal and displace republican voters has been going around since at least the 60s.

Florida doesn't speak for the rest of the country. Midterms should have taught you that.

I think he will. He has a good track-record in terms of gaining a lot more votes the second time. He also has a good, tough uncompromising style in interviews etc that I would imagine appeals to the base. At the same time he is far less crazy than Trump. At the end of the day I think many republicans must be a bit tired of Trump (optimism lol).

De Santis would easily defeat Biden imo. Biden's current fragile state will look really weak next to De Santis. But I think the democrats realize this and will find another candidate.

I can't imagine a world where Trump loses the primary to DeSantis and then fully acquiesces. Would anyone at all be surprised if Trump mounted a run as an Independent and then spoiled the race for Republicans?

Not that I want to see Republicans do well at all in 2024 but were I a GOP voter I'd be hoping for two things: 1) that the Dems don't wise up and nominate someone younger and more dynamic than Biden and 2) that Trump is thoroughly rejected and cast aside well before the Republican primaries. If those two conditions are not met, I don't see a path to success for Republicans in 2024. I suspect a Trump-Biden rematch would play out much the same way it did the first time.

That depends solely on turnout. DeSantis isn't getting any non conservative voter.

No, if anything the midterms demonstrated a rejection of conservative extremism. If they tried to lead the charge with DeSantis they'd predictably lose, then predictably whine about rigged elections.

Yes. He's a far right candidate. The US is not far right. Not even close.

all these politicians are trash. The best way to screw them over is to start a voting movement. If a dem president got voted in last time, everyone should vote for a gop president next time, but screw them over with a straight dem house and senate. Then the next election after that do the opposite, elect a dem president, and screw them over with a straight gop and senate.

Its about time a GOP president won, but sadly theres all these turds and very poor electability. Even Mitt Romney seems reasonable compared to these loons. Well whatever, elect whatever GOP president for 2024 and then choose straight dem for the senate and house.

@blaznwiipspman1: Mitt Romney would an excellent candidate imo.

@kathaariancode: he seems like a Saint compared to the clowns up there.

But my ideal gop candidate is anyone that promises to tax the rich, tax the poor, cut spending across the board, get budget under control and pay down the debt. Still waiting though, looks like conservatives don't want someone like that these days. Fiscal responsibility seems to be dead in the water. Nobody gives a shit about it anymore, everyone with their hands out asking for more.

I hope not.

DeSantis might just be toeing the line and saying and doing these things just to maintain the support of MAGA, but I am not willing to take that risk. DeSantis in the Whitehouse would be terrible.

GOP needs to come back into the fold, find some moderate-conservative.

I'd like to see us maybe adopt some European ideals of how we measure things on the political spectrum, i.e. liberal-conservative, conservative-progressive, etc. A lot of these things we want and need but appear to be at odds with eachother simply are not

I think renewables/green energy/etc. is a good example of this, because you could have a pro-corporates candidate who wants to support green initiatives and by incentivizing the biggest polluters to change, could have a huge progressive agenda while still being fiscally conservative.

Yeah, me-from-10-years-ago would have never said this about Romney, but good god he would certainly be a huge improvement if elected.

Yes he is a corporate stooge, but at least he is relatively moderate and has the decency to publicly decry the direction the GOP is going in.

The way I feel is this: even if my preferred candidate doesn't win, I shouldn't have to worry because at least the person I didn't vote for is competent and moderate, even if our overall ideals don't match. I don't feel that way as it is now.

Don't you think that some non-conservatives will vote for De Santis based on competence if he faces Biden? I have nothing against Biden, but he is clearly not at his peak. Ideology is one thing, but you also want someone with a fresh mind who has the energy to deal with the many challenges.

No I don't. DeSantis isn't particularly liked by average moderate Americans. He is considered extreme.

Trump won Florida by 51,2 %. De Santis got 59,4 %. Clearly there has to be a fair number of non-conservatives in De Santis' numbers, no? People who thought he just handled the job well.

Florida is NOT the entire country.

That is no doubt correct. Obviously De Santis won't do as well in other states. My point was just that it wasn't just conservatives who voted for him.

Florida is a very red state.

It’s not a 60-40 state.

That's not what the most recent election results say. DeSantis won by 20%

There was higher voter turnout this year. The majority of that higher turnout was for DeSantis. 57% of Latino voters in Florida voted for DeSantis, an ethnic group the DNC has always claimed some kind of dominion over in elections.

The bottom line is, if DeSantis wants to be president, at some point, he's going to be.

@mattbbpl: when was the last time a Republican president actually won the popular vote, 2004? I don't think we'll see a Republican president for a while.

I would say yes, DeSantis can win the nomination. Though Trump is a political monster and has a specific appeal to Republicans.

Systemic advantages and increasingly aggressive voter suppression efforts will all but ensure their near term viability.

Trump gets 4 then DeSantis can get his 8.

@sargentd: well trump definitely wants it that way. He is been attacking DeSantis and calling him names ("de-sanctimonious" which doesn't seem very catchy).

But we will see. He is definitely a much weaker candidate for the general election (he even lost to a very visibly cognitively reduced Biden), so i am not sure how many republicans will remain loyal. Specially if the democrats are smart enough to present a good candidate.

Seems more like they'll battle each other and help the Dems win in the process.

not a good picture if you're a GOP dinosaur

The Desantis/Trump spectacle will kind of hand the bag to Dems. Both parties would do well to get new faces.

I think it's fairly inevitable now, considering the popularity/success coupled with his political tact. It would be a challenging ticket for any GOP challenger at this point, even Trump.

Interesting how those "voter suppression efforts" were the normal laws not 5 years ago, and tend to be milder than the rules in many blue states. But yeah, keep thinking "voter suppression" is why Republicans win, whatever helps you sleep at night.

@eoten: It's difficult for me to tell if you have the memory of a goldfish and truly can't remember the dozens of times we've had this conversation, or if you just pretend to for some unknown reason.

Either way, it's tiresome.

And yet, no proof of actual voter suppression is what you're using to accuse measures we had just two years ago as being such, but you're convinced it must exist.

Do you ever get tired of being proven wrong?

I mean, there are dozens of modern political era instances in that first article (a large number post the striking down of the Civil Rights Act's protections). And I've linked this particular party strategy to you at least a dozen times.

I think he will. And unless Trump decides to run as an independent in order to spite him by splitting the vote, I also think he will be the next POTUS.

There is more voter suppression in Blue states? Link? Very interesting, never heard that before.

Not sure if Republicans "win" solely due to voter suppression and gerrymandering, but it certainly helps them in certain races. Unquestionably.

Uhhh.....

Vote Suppression | Brennan Center for Justice

Quantifying Gerrymandering – A nonpartisan research group centered @ Duke Math

Deceased G.O.P. Strategist’s Hard Drives Reveal New Details on the Census Citizenship Question - The New York Times (nytimes.com)

It objectively exists. Just like climate change, a round Earth, and Covid. This isn't even up for debate dude.

Why do you even bother writing stupid nonsense like this that everyone knows isn't true and doesn't even bother taking seriously? It's like you just like talking to yourself online. 🤣

Again, you prove my point because you post links you do not read. Parrots rarely understand what they are saying. We've covered gerrymandering, and I've even shown data that proves both parties benefit about an even amount through redistricting. But you want to hyper focus on the side that isn't yours to claim it happens more. That fails to prove "voter suppression." And then you try to claim a citizenship question on the census, is voter suppression too. No idea how, or if it's even relevant, but you posted a link talking about a citizenship question and drew some links in your mind.

Don't you ever get tired of falling for these conspiracy theories? If it's not voter suppression, you people think blacks will be put back into chains, women will be forced to stay home and pump out babies, Nazis are going to rise and get us all, Russians hacked the election. It's one conspiracy theory after the other.

Yeah.. voters are so suppressed over a citizenship question, that's why 57% of Latino's in Florida voted for DeSantis.

Wait people are denying that voter suppression is a thing?

First of all, voter suppression is clearly a republican favorite, which is why we get people like Brigette Gabriel arguing for raising the minimum voting age and banning same day voter registration.

Second Florida is passing "election security" bills all the time, here is one of them,

https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/florida-enacts-sweeping-voter-suppression-law

Third, there is a well konwn fact that polling booths are closing, usually in areas, where certain demographics live. Which results in needlessly long queues, and politicians pushing for policies allowing for greater voter suppression, sometimes only one polling both in an entire county (looking at you Texas). So now we are seeing mail in ballots, and republicans want to put a stop to those, why exactly do you think that is?

Same day voter registration has never been a thing in most places, not even sure it's common in other countries. So how exactly is it suddenly now "voter suppression" to not have it? It isn't. Dems have unilaterally decided they want something, and have resorted to simple baseless, nonsensical accusations if they don't get what they want. That isn't suppression.

Secondly, why the hell would I take your accusatory op-ed link seriously? You literally operate on the premise that any kind of security measures, like actual security monitoring drop box locations to prevent tampering, must be suppression and some grand conspiracy to stop democrats. I bet the people whining about it live in a country that requires ID to vote.... which is pretty much all of them except the US, because ya know, that'd be suppression right?