'Oddball' Ron DeSantis might not be a hit on the national stage: former GOP insiders

Many boosters of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis describe him as someone who can enact Trump-like policies while simultaneously acting a little bit less erratic than the former president.

A new column from The Atlantic's Mark Leibovich warns against the assumption that DeSantis is somehow the savior of the GOP, however.

"People who haven’t met him think he’s a hot commodity. People who have met him aren’t so sure," he explained.

DeSantis has been called "Trump with a brain" by some of his supporters, but in a world of retail politics that begins with the Republican primary, some former GOP insiders believe the Florida governor will lack the people skills to succeed.

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“He was standoffish in general,” said former Virginia GOP Rep. Barbara Comstock when asked about DeSantis.

“A strange no-eye-contact oddball,” said former GOP strategist Rick Wilson, writing for Resolute Square.

“I’d rather have teeth pulled without anesthetic than be on a boat with Ron DeSantis,” says former GOP lobbyist Mac Stipanovich, who left the party over disgust over Trump.

Essentially, these insiders argue, DeSantis doesn't play well in person. So in states like Iowa and New Hampshire, where locals joke they can't decide on a candidate until they've met them three times in someone's living room, it could be rough for DeSantis.

"He prefers to keep his earbuds in," said The Atlantic. "His 'Step away from the vehicle' vibes are strong."

Read the full column from The Atlantic's Mark Leibovich.