'I fully expected the downfall': Florida GOP insiders unsurprised by DeSantis campaign death-spiral

The crash and burn of the Ron DeSantis' presidential campaign, long before the first GOP primary, is not coming as any surprise to an assortment of Republican Party lawmakers who dealt with him when he served in Congress and now during his tenure as Florida's governor.

As three-time indicted Donald Trump is steamrollering the opposition on his way to a third GOP presidential nomination, DeSantis, who looked like a legitimate contender, has seen his poll numbers go into a death spiral.

According to a report from the Washington Post's Josh Dawsey, DeSantis did round up some support for his bid among GOP lawmakers in his state, but a substantial number fell in line behind Donald Trump — some out of fear of the vindictive former president.

As the report notes, DeSantis' personality -- or lack of it --was also a major contributing factor in GOP reluctance to endorse him.

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According to former Florida GOP Chairman Joe Gruters, "The more he is met by people, the more they are not going to like him. The more he’s out there, the more his numbers go down. It’s not a good long-term scenario for him. I fully expected the downfall of his campaign a long time ago.”

While that has been a common refrain since DeSantis hit the campaign trail and people have seen him up-close, GOP insiders describe him as cold and difficult to work with due to his standoffishness.

"Interviews with more than 30 people in Florida and Washington who worked closely with DeSantis — many of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe their interactions with him — indicate that expectations were lower among some who knew him closely in Tallahassee — and that they always expected the candidate to be the challenge," the Post is reporting.

The report adds, "... in interviews, Florida Republicans described an aloof governor who believed in 'sticks and no carrots,' according to a senior Florida official, and whose idea of negotiating was 'my way or the highway,' in the words of another. An insular governor who infrequently talked to some senior members in his own Cabinet, including his top law enforcement officials, or other leading Republicans. A congressman who seemed to avoid any opportunity to make friends with others in the delegation. A politician who rarely tried to connect with donors and supporters and seemed to not enjoy being around crowds or attending events. A governor who sometimes declined to participate in a lot of the customary niceties in politics, such as thank you notes and calls to donors."

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According to Dawsey, there is one story, verified by onlookers, that is emblematic of how DeSantis treats others.

"At a Florida airport with former congresswoman Gwen Graham, a gubernatorial candidate in the 2018 election cycle, Graham came up and spoke to DeSantis. He stared ahead, leaving his earphones in and acted like he did not recognize her, according to three people familiar with the incident. Graham later told people it was one of the most bizarre moments of her political career," the Post is reporting.

You can read more details here.