Woke Wars Episode 6: Can DeSantis beat the (so far) unbeatable Trump? | Opinion
Donald Trump mastered the art of grievance politics. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis perfected it and showed how an ambitious politician can make them the law, injecting culture wars into every facet of policy.
Now that master and disciple are likely to face off in the 2024 Republican presidential primaries, we’re about to find out how DeSantis will fare against an opponent like no other. Trump, known for never pulling punches, still has immense appeal with GOP voters despite — or, perhaps, because of — his legal problems. DeSantis must walk a tightrope. How much can he criticize the former president without angering his base — the same people DeSantis will need?
In Episode 6 of Woke Wars, an opinion podcast by the Miami Herald Editorial Board, we discuss what makes DeSantis such a rising conservative star. We dig into what a Trump-DeSantis face-off would look like and how the governor could snatch the GOP nomination from his one-time ally.
There’s no doubt DeSantis’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic and his war on “woke” have catapulted him to national prominence. Like Trump, he casts himself as a fighter for Floridians, and Americans, against the agenda of so-called elites, meaning anyone from Dr. Anthony Fauci to Disney executives, teachers and college professors.
That strategy has worked for DeSantis. He won reelection last year by a near 20-point margin. While he hasn’t yet announced that he’s running for the White House, DeSantis is seen as the only candidate who has the chops to defeat Trump.
Still, DeSantis has slipped in early primary polls, and his recent comment about Russia’s war in Ukraine being a “territorial dispute” drew criticism from other Republicans. He walked his words back, saying they were “mischaracterized.”
DeSantis has insulated himself from Florida’s mainstream media, giving interviews and access to friendly right-wing outlets like Fox News. Will he get away with doing that on the larger, national stage when he’s competing against the attention-grabber Trump?
It’s all too early to tell. The first state primaries won’t happen until January. In politics, nine months is an eternity. But the DeSantis-Trump match-up already is intriguing to watch.
Woke Wars, a weekly opinion podcast by the Miami Herald Editorial Board, explores the culture wars that are dominating the Florida Legislature. Listen to new episodes every Thursday on Spotify, Stitcher, Apple, Amazon Music or wherever you get your podcasts. Have a question? Want to share some feedback? Email heralded@miamiherald.com with the subject line WOKE WARS.