- Mr. Trump disparaged his erstwhile political neophyte, calling him a “average” governor who lacked “loyalty”.
- In Tuesday’s midterm elections, Mr. DeSantis easily won re-election solidifying his position as the most promising rising star in the Republican party.
- Florida Gov.-elect Ron DeSantis’ victory over Charlie Crist has received unanimous praise from right critics.
Former US President Donald Trump has attacked Florida Governor Ron DeSantis as their long-brewing animosity has reached a boiling point.
Mr. Trump disparaged his erstwhile political neophyte, calling him a “average” governor who lacked “loyalty.”
In Tuesday’s midterm elections, Mr. DeSantis, 44, easily won re-election, solidifying his position as the most promising rising star in the Republican party.
He is largely anticipated to seek the party’s candidacy for president in 2024.
But Mr. Trump, 76, seems more and more likely to get in the way of his plans.
The former president would be a strong opponent for Mr. DeSantis or any other Republican who dared challenge him. He has a sizable campaign war fund and is incredibly popular with the party’s base.
In a long statement on Thursday night, Mr. Trump disparaged the governor of Florida as a political novice who had approached him in “desperate shape” in 2017 when he was seeking re-election to his first term in office.
“Ron had low approval, bad polls, and no money, but he said that if I would Endorse [sic] him, he could win,” Mr Trump said. “I also fixed his campaign, which had completely fallen apart.”
“Well, in terms of loyalty and class, that’s really not the right answer,” Mr. Trump added.
The former president is anticipated to reveal his own strategy for returning to the White House as early as next week.
The Republicans’ underwhelming showing in the midterm elections has been attributed to Mr. Trump, while Mr. DeSantis is basking in the glory of his reelection victory.
It came down to the wire in the contest for control of the House of Representatives and Senate. The outcome of the race for control of the two chambers of Congress is still up in the air two days after the American electorate cast its ballots.
In 2020, voters overwhelmingly rejected candidates who supported Mr. Trump’s unfounded allegations of election fraud, and several of his well-known contenders for office faltered or lost outright.
Even the ex-closest president’s associates have urged him to change his mind about the major announcement he has hinted would be made on November 15.
“Republicans have followed Donald Trump off the side of a cliff,” one former Trump adviser, David Urban, told the New York Times.
“I think he needs to put it [his campaign announcement] on pause,” Kayleigh McEnany, Trump’s former press secretary, told media.
Contrarily, Mr. DeSantis’ victory over Charlie Crist, a Democrat, by 20 points has received unanimous praise from right critics.
His victory margin in Miami-Dade county, which has historically been a Democratic bastion, was the highest for a Republican in forty years.
In a study conducted by Ipsos in October, 72% of Republicans who identify as such believed that Mr. DeSantis ought to have a significant or positive impact on the party’s future. Regarding Mr. Trump, 76, 64% of respondents agreed.
On Thursday, the governor didn’t immediately respond to Mr. Trump’s jabs.
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