DeSantis is biding his time as he watches Trump 'self-destruct': report

According to a report in the Palm Beach Post, advisers to Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) have convinced him to hold his fire on Donald Trump if he hopes to successfully supplant the former president as the presumptive GOP presidential nominee in 2024.

The report notes that DeSantis is being advised to hold back on any attacks on Trump that might turn into open warfare as well as dial back some of his commentary over fears he may peak too soon with the national primaries over a year away.

According to Zac Anderson, who writes for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, "As Ron DeSantis keeps looking stronger as a presidential candidate and Donald Trump keeps looking weaker, attention increasingly is turning to how DeSantis handles his next few months in office, which could launch his run for the White House in 2024. DeSantis had a big year in 2022, winning reelection in a blowout, but 2023 could be the year that makes or breaks his presidential aspirations."

"DeSantis proved adept over the last two years at governing in a way that thrilled the GOP base and routinely grabbed national attention. Political observers expect more of the same, which will help DeSantis stay in the spotlight and not peak too early."

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The report goes on to note that, while the former president continues to sling arrows his way, DeSantis remains mostly silent as he watches Trump "self-destruct."

Case in point, Anderson wrote, "Trump’s sinking poll numbers came amid a disastrous campaign rollout plagued by controversies, including a dinner at Mar-a-Lago with a notorious white nationalist, a statement calling for the 'termination' of the Constitution and teasing a 'major announcement' that turned out to be an effort to make money by selling a collection of non-fungible token, or NFT, trading cards," adding, "Trump’s company also was convicted of tax fraud and he faces investigations into how he handled government documents after leaving office and his role in the Jan. 6, 2021 storming of the U.S. Capitol."

According to Democratic Rep. Anna Eskamani of Orlando, the DeSantis strategy is working so far providing he doesn't go to extreme lengths with his own conservative initiatives in the state in an effort to compete with the former president.

"He’s trying to walk this line of not isolating a general electorate while trying to appeal to his base," she explained. "But at the end of the day, if it’s you versus Trump, you can’t play that game anymore. We’ve seen with Republican primary voters what their priorities are.”

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