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Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley was saddened earlier this month for improperly declaring the Republican primary. 2 people The race after the Iowa caucuses. As it turned out, she was certified on Sunday, shortly after Florida Governor Ron DeSantis withdrew from the 2024 presidential race.
Some people were surprised to hear the news, but the evidence was hidden in plain sight. Mr. DeSantis has bounced back and forth between events in New Hampshire and South Carolina, giving little the impression of a candidate with confidence or a plan. His appearance on Sunday’s show was canceled. Questions swirled about his financial viability, a situation that was sure to be exacerbated by the single-digit rankings he was trending at in the Granite State.DeSantis had 6% on Real Clear Politics. On average, this is well below Trump (47%) and Haley (33%).
Following New Hampshire, South Carolina’s primary election was not held until February 24th. It was an eternity for a campaign whose political obituaries were written in astonishing detail during the final turmoil.
Haley rallies supporters against Trump after DeSantis resigns: ‘May the best woman win’
There are lessons to be learned from DeSantis’ failure. Here we will introduce four of them.
1. Super PACs are no substitute for a well-executed campaign
It doesn’t matter how well-funded an outside effort is. By law, super PACs are independent organizations. They cannot compensate for or compensate for the shortcomings of the candidate or those around them. Never Back Down, a PAC owned by DeSantis, has launched its 2024 effort with $269 million in funding. Their candidates will withdraw from the race with nine delegates remaining. The math isn’t pretty.
2. DeSantis’ stock was always overinflated.
The Florida Republican was one of the few bright spots for the Republican Party in the 2022 midterm elections. And that led to all kinds of expectations about his prospects in the White House.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis withdraws from 2024 presidential election, supports Trump
Make no mistake, winning re-election with a landslide victory in Florida was a great accomplishment. It also attracted support from voters who have fled the Republican Party in recent years, such as Latinos, who gave Mr. DeSantis a 58 percentage point lead. While policymaking regarding COVID-19 is expected to improve over time, DeSantis had a story to tell. His state’s population was growing exponentially.
But success at the state level doesn’t necessarily translate nationally. It didn’t help that Mr. DeSantis took the brunt of attacks from former President Donald Trump and his allies from the jump.
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3. Early state and retail political styles still matter
In Iowa, DeSantis went through all 99 counties and lost by 30 points. New Hampshire has a population of 1.3 million people (the majority of whom get their news from his one media market), so expect voters to give candidates harsh ratings in personal interactions. doing. It wasn’t the best fit for a candidate like DeSantis. Mr. DeSantis is no natural campaigner, with a state that has 10 media markets and more than 20 million residents.
4. If you give voters a choice between Coke and New Coke, they’ll choose Classic every time.
DeSantis offered himself as a younger version of Trump, without any of the troublesome baggage. Primary voters stuck with the original, especially as President Joe Biden’s approval ratings plummeted and a man with a pulse began to advance on the runway to the White House.
At 45 years old and with three years left in his term as governor of the nation’s third-largest state, it’s unlikely we’ve heard the last of Ron DeSantis. His state is the center of a thriving, conservative ecosystem. As time passes, he will have the opportunity to perform other political acts. Like others who aligned themselves with the former president and defeated his opponents, Mr. DeSantis’ quick endorsement of Mr. Trump was intended to begin the recovery process.
With DeSantis returning to Florida on the eve of the nation’s first primary, Haley will squarely target the former president, something that never happened for her 2016 challengers.
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Eight years ago, there were eight strong candidates competing in New Hampshire. With a core of committed voters and a strong base of support, Trump has always benefited from a divided field.
There are only two now. Trump remains the front-runner, but as we’ve seen, voter input can lead to unexpected things.
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