UNITED STATES: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis faces a challenging first Republican presidential debate next week due to dwindling national poll ratings, a fundraising crisis, and a reorganization of his campaign team.
A New York Times story on documents disclosed by a political consulting firm linked to Never Back Down, the super PAC that has taken over his campaign, provides crucial insights into his approach to the pivotal debate.
The suggestions presented, including potential attack themes and discussion strategies, may appear patronizing. For example, Ron DeSantis was advised to “show emotion” when discussing his wife and kids. Some passages were frank, like the governor’s suggestion to challenge businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, who has gained ground in the polls but wasn’t previously considered as high-level.
Ron DeSantis appeared to be in a no-win situation following the release of the documents. If he heeds the advice too strictly, he runs the risk of becoming caught up in a political frenzy where his opponents will portray him as being unnaturally rehearsed or subject to political advisors. The more likely course of action may be to ignore it, although doing so might expose DeSantis to criticism for not living up to expectations, such as by failing to take down Ramaswamy.
Republican strategist Alex Conant warns that Ron DeSantis will face a tough debate due to doubters and the need to reveal his approach before the debate. Conant defined the publication of documents as an unforced error. DeSantis’s team claims Never Back Down’s guidance has revealed nothing about his debate approach.
The campaign’s communications director, Andrew Romeo, denied any misinformation about Ron DeSantis’s campaign, stating that the attack was not a memo and was not aware of it prior to the article. Romeo emphasized that DeSantis is the strongest contender and is used to attacks from all sides. The greatest risk on stage on Wednesday could come from DeSantis’s response to criticisms, as he has faced mistakes in previous debates and may face threats from current rivals like Chris Christie.
South Carolina senator Tim Scott, Ramaswamy, and conservative talk radio presenter Mike Pence could all be contenders to unseat Governor DeSantis as the race’s No. 2 contender.
DeSantis supporters hope the Milwaukee debate will help him separate himself from the crowded field of rivals. They expect the debate will draw the greatest audience he has ever encountered, as many Americans are expected to watch the 2024 campaign.
Ron DeSantis faced controversial debates with Charlie Crist and Andrew Gillum, who were in his races for governor. These interactions left DeSantis furious and speechless. Crist challenged DeSantis to commit to serving a full term while he was already planning to run for president.
DeSantis struggled with debating, particularly listening to opponents and countering them, which was exposed in 2018. DeSantis came under fire at the time for advising voters not to “monkey this up” by voting for Gillum, a Black candidate. His remarks drew heavy criticism for being racist.
The Trump campaign plans to scrutinize DeSantis’ performance starting next week, with a “whole war room team” expected to monitor and report any unusual actions, urging him to behave properly.
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