How Electable Is Ron DeSantis?

More than Trump?

By
276
lorida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks to Iowa voters on March 10, 2023 in Des Moines, Iowa. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

There are many reasons to prefer Florida’s governor to Florida’s most famous resident as the next presidential nominee of the Republican Party, as I do. He’s never tried to overthrow the government. He has no obvious psychological disorders. (Unsociability is an idiosyncrasy, not a disorder. And frankly, in my eyes, a virtue.) He’s smart and deeply engaged on policy. He’s never been indicted.

He hasn’t been accused of sexual misconduct by more than 20 women. He didn’t try to shake down a foreign leader for oppo on his next election opponent. He doesn’t think Kim Jong-un is a chill bro.

We could do this all day.

Above all else, in case you’re eager for some reason to see this increasingly authoritarian movement back in charge of the executive branch, he’s electable.

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  1. Avatar photo
    Ben Connelly

    “ Unsociability is an idiosyncrasy, not a disorder. And frankly, in my eyes, a virtue.”


    Hahahaha! I agree. But of all people you would be one to say that, Nick. Does a picture exist of you on the internet (presumably not)? Have you ever gone on a podcast? Have you ever responded to a commenter on the Dispatch? Do you respond to emails? Is Nick Catoggio even your real name?

    Actually, if there’s an AI that can generate a fake voice for you can you please go on the Remnant? That would be awesome! The AI-generated voice would only add to the aura of mystery.

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  2. Deodand

    This is a welcome and interesting article, sophisticated and thoughtful. These are *exactly* the questions I have been wondering about, and so any discussion is welcome and interesting, and Mr Catoggio's analysis is sophisticated in asking some clever questions to try and figure out what is going on.

    I say "thoughtful" because Mr Catoggio as recently as a couple of weeks ago pronounced Mr DeSantis "unfit to be president," followed by some probably unintentionally revealing and regrettable (and likely regretted) screedish squeaks, which as I noted at the time were somewhat the opposite of thoughtful.

    An article like this is an article I can do business with. Lots to think about here.

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  3. Marla Hughes

    What Nick said: ""Black leaders are watching his crusade against “wokeness” and critical race theory."
    What I said in reply: Your assumption that black people are less conservative than white people is erroneous.
    In the context of what Nick wrote, the only reason to assume 'black leaders' are watching DeSantis regarding CRT and wokeness is negative toward DeSantis. I reminded him that black parents are also at the school board meetings objecting to their children being indoctrinated in ideology that demands one skin color is evil and unredeemable.

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    1. Avatar photo
      Normb1442

      The flaw in your point is the assumption that anti-woke and anti-CRT might be perceived by black parents as reasonable positions for those of conservative inclination, rather than as manifestations of racism. The notion that our society's history of racism is somehow not still a powerful force oppressing blacks today may seem reasonable to you but very few black people would agree. Even conservative black people know they often won't be shown a house they can afford in a white neighborhood, and that a lot of anti-CRT is designed to deny those kinds of facts.

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      1. Marla Hughes

        I'm speaking directly about real black/POC parents speaking up against racist and pornographic literature and teachings in their children's classrooms. You're assuming to know black people's opinions and if your neighborhood is that racist, I'd move if I were you.

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        1. Avatar photo
          Normb1442

          I' m not clear on what you're saying in response here, but it seems as if you're implying that it is racist on the part of black people to regard CRT as factual. If that's the case, I have no words to fully describe how totally wrong I think you are, and we have nothing to discuss.

          Porno is a different matter. Judy Blume, say, is sometimes cited as pornographic. I disagree but I've known black people who don't. But I have never met a black person who thought that CRT (or its equivalent in the past) was anything but a fundamentally accurate description of what black people have to deal with to this very day, including some of my past bosses.

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          1. Marla Hughes

            Let's simplify it.
            Assumption: Everyone objecting to CRT being taught in schools is white.
            Assumption: Black people all have the same leaders and those leaders agree with the premises of CRT.
            All of those assumptions are wrong.
            You need more diverse friends. Every POC I know refuses to accept the premises of CRT. This is a good place to start: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1znlcw7JT8
            Porn as in PORN. As in books depicting sexual acts between children and between children and adults.

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  4. Scarloc

    So Trump is bad but unelectable, if he wasn’t unelectable it wouldn’t matter that he’s bad. DeSantis is bad but potentially electable so it ok that he’s bad.

    The old Republican Party would reject both because they were bad, electable wouldn’t matter. Sigh.

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  5. Linilulu

    Whoever can win the midwest will win. DeSantis would have a better chance of doing that than Trump.

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  6. Allen Z

    If Nikki Haley would come out and say she's against proposed 6 week abortion ban in Florida--keep it at 16-20 weeks, it would help her to be the Trump alternate. If DeSantis signs the bill, I'm giving up on him.

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  7. Avatar photo
    Jndestefanis

    Who cares if he is more electable than Trump, what matters is he shouldn't be elected. But still, attacking Disney, 6 week abortion bans, and using state power to muzzle all dissent might work in the primaries but will not win over new voters in a general. It also sounds like a recipe for a repeat of Republican failures in the 2022 election. Trump was actually much more liberal on social issues when he got elected.

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  8. Kevin Dolan

    I would vote for DeSantis, but not Trump. Personally, I think Nikki Haley would be a great president, so wouldn't hate it if DeSantis kept his powder dry for a later run. Maybe after his term as governor is over, he could run for Senate, or if Haley did somehow prevail over Trump AND Biden, he could get a Cabinet post.

    If Trump loses to anybody and tries to blow up the party, so be it. It might be the band-aid ripping off the party needs.

    You only need to browse through this comment thread to see the kind of lies and character assassination DeSantis would be the subject of in a general.

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  9. Keheitzman

    Desantis is as unelectable as Trump.

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  10. Avatar photo
    O.W.L.

    My steel man argument: We elected one Richard Milhous Nixon to the presidency. So, if a beady-eyed guy with large jowls and negative social skills managed to get elected, then DeSantis has a chance..although I will submit that Nixon had better manners. His biggest culinary offense was cottage cheese with ketchup, and nobody accused him of eating it with his fingers.

    On the other hand, several people smarter than me pointed out the Dukakis vibe. I don't think that's quite right-I think he's more of a Carter. Super smart--doesn't trust anybody--does his own research. You can get away with that as a governor, but if you insist on being the smartest guy in the room as President, you will either fail or get in your own way.

    Biden has been surprisingly effective as President since he doesn't insist on doing it all himself. He reminds me of Truman and Reagan---modest men with much to be modest about--and the self awareness to know when they were over their heads and the confidence to delegate. I think Biden also benefited from watching Obama insist on being the smartest guy, when he was a wily old bastard and knew that the kid was going to drive into a brick wall...which he did.

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    1. Kevin Dolan

      I'd be interested in what area you think he has been effective. Certainly not from any viewpoint that could be considered conservative. He seems less unsuccessful than he has been by dint of relentless gaslighting - by him and his administration, his supporters and the parts of the media that are aligned with the left - the broadcast networks, most newspapers, MSNBC, NPR, CNN.

      And to compare Biden in any way shape or form to Reagan or Truman is either trolling or pure sophistry.

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      1. Kevin Dolan

        Waiting patiently...

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    2. Kevin M

      Well, it also helps to know how to hire and whom to delegate to. W delegated, but he was a singularly poor judge of character and ability.

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      1. Avatar photo
        O.W.L.

        W. may have been a lousy President, but anybody who calls Karl Rove "Turdblossom" has a place in my heart.

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