Ron DeSantis seeks to reset his campaign. But is it too late to beat the Trump juggernaut?
CBC
A focus group of two-time Donald Trump Republican voters who reside in some of the early primary states was recently asked: What presidential candidates interested them?
Many chose the former president, while a few brought up South Carolina Senator Tim Scott and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, according to John Conway, director of the Republican Accountability Project, an anti-Trump group seeking to support Republican candidates who don't believe the 2020 election was stolen.
Not one of the members of the focus group mentioned Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
"We're watching the group. And we're like, when are they going to bring up DeSantis?" Conway said. "We had to ask them, we had to prompt them. Nobody said Ron DeSantis."
It's an indication of just how much DeSantis — who a year ago was perceived by some as the one Republican capable of giving Trump a good competitive run in the primaries — has fallen from the political landscape, and how far attempts to reinvigorate his campaign would have to go.
Perhaps his best chance at a fresh start is this week, with the first Republican presidential candidate debate being held in Milwaukee. But a strong debate showing or his recent instalment of a new campaign manager still may do little to halt the commanding lead by Trump, who seems at this point destined to win the Republican nomination.
"I don't know that anybody was going to win this election besides Trump," said Michael Binder, faculty director of the Public Opinion Research Lab at the University of North Florida.
"So you were always going to be up against it no matter what."
DeSantis, says Conway, will really have to do a lot of work trying again to convince voters that he is the clear alternative, that he is a more electable version of Trump.
"He's really kind of lost the sense of 'Trump without the baggage,'" Conway said. "He's really alienated that position from himself. Maybe the campaign can pivot. They're trying to get him in front of voters more. They're trying to give him a little bit more access to everyday folks and talk to the media a little bit more.
"It's going to be a bigger reset, I think, than just changing the campaign manager."
Although he's still running second to Trump, DeSantis's poll numbers have cratered over several months. There were times last December when some polls showed DeSantis besting the former president. But now, according to some Republican primary polls, Trump holds an almost 40 point lead over the governor.
If there's any good news for DeSantis, his poll numbers are a bit higher in the early primary state of Iowa than his national numbers, although Trump still holds a double digit lead there.
But in New Hampshire, polls suggest former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and DeSantis are getting about the same support.
