As if Gov. Ron DeSantis didn't have enough things go his way Tuesday in Florida, voters in many other parts of the country reared up and said they are tired of Donald Trump and all his drama.
Trump's endorsement was magic four years ago, but not this time. The Mar-a-Lago Menace backed losers like Mehmet Oz and Doug Mastriano in Pennsylvania. Tudor Dixon, Trump's choice for Governor in Michigan, went down. Herschel Walker is behind in Georgia, although that race likely will go to a runoff.
What does this mean for DeSantis?
Maybe everything. He may have just become the front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024.
Trump is the COVID-19 of politicians. No matter how often voters inoculate themselves against him, a new variant of him always pops up, and it's happening again. The latest is his promise of a "very big announcement" on Nov. 15 about his future.
Gee, whatever could it be?
However, the lying, election-denying, three-timing candidate may find DeSantis a different kind of cat from the sycophant Republicans who kiss his, um, ring.
Say what you will about DeSantis — and I have — he is no sycophant. He won this election without any help from the big guy. And following his smashing re-election win Tuesday, DeSantis has no reason to cower from Trump or any other challenger in 2024.
And given what happened in other parts of the country, DeSantis just got the green light to go for the gold in two years.
Trump cemented DeSantis' status as a top contender for the GOP presidential nomination by gifting him a nickname — DeSanctimonius.
Actually, that's clever and not inaccurate.
DeSantis, of course, has repeatedly brushed aside suggestions that he plans a presidential run in two years. Raise your hand if you believe him. Trump clearly does not.
It will be interesting to see if DeSantis pivots toward more moderate positions in his second term. He spent much of his first four years positioning himself as a culture warrior, making him a darling to many in the GOP. But even though Tuesday's takeaway was more cracks in the Trump façade, the bigger message could be that voters are tired of the noise.
Trump, of course, continues to spread the lie that forces of darkness stole the 2020 election, a position many GOP candidates parroted. DeSantis didn't take that bait, unless you want to count his silly election police force as at least a nibble at the hook.
DeSantis might be the Republicans' Next Big Thing, but he'll still need support from the middle. You don't get that by banning books and picking fights with Disney.
Trump clearly believes DeSantis owes him fealty for the endorsement that powered DeSantis to victory in the 2018 Governor's race. But among other things, DeSantis is foremost a cut-throat politician. Trump may have created him but finds it impossible to control him.
So, with the formality of this election over and done, we await the main event. Get your popcorn ready.
Trump.
DeSantis.
This time, it's personal.
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