It’s not just across the nation that Ron DeSantis’ lackluster campaign has forced a reset – the Florida governor is tanking in his home state too, the Washington Post reported Sunday.
The Post cited an event earlier this month at which DeSantis spoke. It should have been the local GOP’s biggest annual fundraiser, but ticket sales dropped by two-thirds on the previous year and the venue’s ballroom was like a cavern for the just 380 attendees who turned up.
“That evening offered a snapshot into a conundrum for the DeSantis campaign: While the governor runs on a platform to “make America Florida,” his support in the Sunshine State is showing signs of teetering,” the Post reported.
“The governor’s uphill battle in his own state is a troubling sign at a moment when his campaign is struggling to regain momentum.”
Multiple polls show that DeSantis would be crushed by former President Donald Trump in the state if a GOP primary were held now, according to the Post.
And political analysts warn if DeSantis can’t win wide support in Florida, he can give up elsewhere in the country.
“Some supporters now fear he may have turned away those who propelled him to success in Florida,” the Post said.
Among the turn-offs are his heavy focus on the culture war and extremely conservative policies involving abortion and LGBTQ issues. His feud with Disney has also not proven popular, and he’s lost favorability at home because of the amount of time he’s spent out of state.
The dwindling support is in stark contrast to November 2022, when DeSantis won a resounding reelection victory to remain governor.
GOP member Camille Fiveash voted for DeSantis twice. She told the Post she’s considering becoming a Democrat, disillusioned by DeSantis’ passing laws outlawing certain books in schools and targeting the LGBTQ community. She was particularly angry when he signed a six-week abortion ban.
“We didn’t elect him to do those things,” she said.”
But there’s another reason people in Florida aren’t swelling behind DeSantis – his main competitor, another state resident, remains popular with many.
“He’s running against Trump, and I don’t like that,” Rocco Talarico, a Palm Beach County Republican, told the Post. “I feel like he’s kind of turned around and stabbed him in the back.
“Most people feel that he’s betrayed Trump. That’s hard to forgive.”
