Former U.S. President Donald Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis speak at midterm election rallies, in Dayton, Ohio, U.S. November 7, 2022 and Tampa, Florida, U.S., November 8, 2022 in a combination of file photos. REUTERS FILE PHOTO
GILBERT, South Carolina 鈥� In the first full week of his 2024 presidential campaign, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis worked hard to define himself as a candidate to voters 鈥� and just as hard to define the man who stands in his way for the Republican nomination.
As he toured 12 cities in three early-voting states, DeSantis, 44, made his case that he is the more conservative and consistent alternative to Donald Trump, the former president and current front runner in the race.
Trump fired back in a sudden escalation of the war of words between the two men that not only heightened tensions in the Republican race but also provided insight into DeSantis鈥� initial strategy.
Touring Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina this week, the governor continued to cast himself as an unapologetic warrior on issues such as abortion, immigration, government spending, crime and LGBTQ rights.
But for the first time, DeSantis began to draw sharp contrasts with Trump, painting the former president as a politician who had lost his way and who became a creature of the government he was supposed to transform by compromising too readily.
Trump鈥檚 camp has tried to do the same to DeSantis, calling him a 鈥渟wamp puppet鈥� and playing down his accomplishments as Florida鈥檚 governor. In a party where being a political outsider still holds broad appeal, neither wants to be tagged as the candidate of the establishment.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 why they鈥檙e doing it,鈥� said David Kochel, a veteran Republican presidential campaign operative in Iowa. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a dirty word.鈥�
DeSantis鈥� tour of the three states that will hold the first nominating contests of the Republican primary next year was aimed at quickly cementing himself as Trump鈥檚 largest threat.
He largely played to small but packed venues and supportive crowds, even if several voters told Reuters they had not decided on who to vote for.
In speeches, DeSantis notably did not criticize Trump by name, but instead made more opaque references, telling audiences that he would be the candidate to 鈥渇inally鈥� secure the U.S. southern border or that 鈥渓eadership鈥� was more important than 鈥渂uilding a brand.鈥�
It was a way of nodding to Trump鈥檚 supporters that he would continue his work without antagonizing them by insulting the former president, who still has many fiercely loyal supporters.
But in speaking to the media, DeSantis was less guarded. He suggested Trump, his main rival for the nomination had moved 鈥渓eft鈥� during his White House term and that he was no longer the same candidate that ran in 2016.
DeSantis called Trump鈥檚 penchant for giving his opponents nicknames 鈥減etty鈥� and 鈥渏uvenile,鈥� in an interview with a New Hampshire radio station on Thursday.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think that鈥檚 what voters want and honestly, I think his conduct, which has been doing for years now, I think that鈥檚 one of the reasons he鈥檚 not in the White House now,鈥� DeSantis said.
DeSantis contrasted Trump鈥檚 time in office with his own as Florida governor, where he and the Republican legislature have enacted a long string of conservative reforms.
鈥淭here鈥檚 always going to be ways you can say you can鈥檛 do something,鈥� DeSantis told a crowd in Gilbert, South Carolina on Friday as he wound up his tour. 鈥淭here will always be easy excuses that you can proffer.鈥�
Trump dominates the Republican field with 49% support, while DeSantis is next with 19%, according to the latest Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll conducted in May.
Trump alternative
DeSantis鈥� message appealed to voters such as Doug Lambert, 58, the vice chair of the Belknap County Republican Party in New Hampshire.
鈥淚鈥檝e witnessed Republican after Republican get elected to whatever office and then they all kind of backed down and compromised,鈥� Lambert said. 鈥淣ot that there鈥檚 anything wrong with sensible compromise, but I really think that if we put conservatism out there, a majority of the American people will realize that it鈥檚 a good thing.鈥�
Maureen Plyler, 74, who watched DeSantis鈥� event in Gilbert, was more skeptical, saying she favored Trump鈥檚 business background. 鈥淗e鈥檚 just proven,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he economy was great.鈥�
She was unhappy with the increasingly rancorous exchanges the two candidates. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e not changing my mind,鈥� she said.
DeSantis moderated his message at times. In his four stops in New Hampshire, with its large pool of independent voters, he didn鈥檛 mention the strict abortion ban Florida passed this year. But it was a top talking point in Iowa and South Carolina, where evangelical Christians hold more sway.
DeSantis also contrasted himself with the billionaire Trump in less obvious ways, calling himself a 鈥渂lue-collar kid鈥� who has had to work for everything and telling audiences that he decided to join the military instead of pursuing a lucrative career.
He frequently brought his wife, Casey DeSantis, to the stage, where they spoke about raising their young children, a reminder that DeSantis represents a wholly separate generation from the 76-year-old Trump.
Bill Hixon, a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives who introduced DeSantis in Gilbert, said he was ready to move on.
When Trump became president, Hixon said, 鈥淚 was so excited. But frankly right now, I鈥檝e lost my excitement.鈥�
A woman in the crowd replied with a soft 鈥淎men.鈥�
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