Down in Florida, Republican gubernatorial nominee Ron DeSantis has been making news almost exclusively for the things that come out of his mouth. Tampa Bay Times political editor Adam Smith notes that on the ground, however, that DeSantis is barely bungling his way through the rest of the campaign.
No significant crowds like Gillum draws. Grumbles from local Republican leaders about DeSantis coming to town and holding private meetings. Clumsy falsehoods like claiming Gillum would do the virtually impossible and enact a state income tax. [...]DeSantis, 40, has a gift for TV interviews — which helped make him a Fox News favorite — but in person he is not a natural politician, as Gillum definitely is. People don't necessarily notice when DeSantis walks into a room. He seems mildly irked and impatient when he addresses a crowd, like someone tolerating the interaction more than enjoying it.
That's not to say DeSantis can't pull it off, by any stretch. But it's significant that Republicans are already fretting about his campaign and making noises about his failings. DeSantis was in his element when he was being asked to be a Trump-focused Fox News extremist, but seems to have put little to no thought in developing, say, detailed policy stances on Florida-centric issues. He’s blown off Florida newspapers to do flattering Fox News segments instead. Once in an apparent dead heat with Gillum, a new poll now puts DeSantis nine points behind.
Smith also notes that "the sheer number of fringe activists associated directly or indirectly with this nominee is unprecedented in modern Florida politics," which is effing saying something for a Florida election. But those ties to the extremist fringe also may be DeSantis's only path forward, at this point in the campaign. He doesn't seem able to "pivot" to the general election, to use the phrase that marked Trump coverage for an entire summer, and so will need to rely on turning out the sort of Republican voters who are attracted to his most racist sentiments and his most conspiracy-minded allies.
If that's the case, we might see DeSantis get even more (ahem) "controversial" in the next few weeks, rather than less, as he tries to keep the supporters who saw him through the primary properly motivated while giving up on appealing to anyone else. You might think that an implausible path to victory, but quite a few implausible things have been happening of late. You never know.
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