Governor and Presidential candidate Ron DeSantis (R-FL) went on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” with Joe Scarborough to discuss the political landscape surrounding the general election. He believes that if former President Donald Trump (R) receives the nomination – as he is currently poised to do – then the general election would be a referendum on Trump, not President Joe Biden (D).
If DeSantis is our candidate in 2024, the election will be a referendum on Joe Biden — and we will win.
If Trump is our candidate, the election will be a referendum on him — and the Democrats will win, again.
“There are millions of voters out there who don’t like what Biden is… pic.twitter.com/xQkiuOFZMW
— DeSantis War Room 🐊 (@DeSantisWarRoom) October 10, 2023
“If we’re not talking about inflation and interest rates and the border and crime, then that gives the Democrats a huge advantage to try to retain power,” said Gov. DeSantis.
Scarborough attempted to receive clarification from DeSantis by questioning, “You’re saying if the election’s about Donald Trump instead of Joe Biden, then that is bad news for Republicans?”
Gov. DeSantis replied, “I think a referendum on Joe Biden means we win if I’m the candidate, I think a referendum on Donald Trump – if that’s it – then I think the Democrats would win. Joe, there are millions of voters out there who don’t like what Biden’s doing, think the country’s going in the wrong direction. They want to vote for a Republican, but once it’s Donald Trump, that’s just a dealbreaker for them. They just won’t do it.”
DeSantis continued, “I saw a report I think on your network where someone said he was a Republican, he said it didn’t matter, he would [vote] Biden. That’s just the reality that Republicans have to face up to if we want to win, and we saw these losses in the most recent elections, ’22, ‘20’, 2018. Let’s give America a chance for a fresh start, and I think the results will be very positive for us.”
Reporting from The Floridian has showcased that DeSantis is making up ground in Iowa against former President Donald Trump.
During five recent campaign stops in and around southeast Iowa, the level of grassroots support that Gov. DeSantis is currently enjoying has significantly increased since he first announced his presidential candidacy in late May, and after the subsequent campaign reboots.
The first event was held in Ankeny, Iowa, where roughly 400 Iowans showed up to hear DeSantis convey his political views and ideas.
These attendees were not the usual Trump supporters who came out to merely hear what DeSantis had to say, as was the case in the past, rather ardent DeSantis supporters, who many told The Floridian that they were going to caucus for him over President Trump.
The same was the case at the subsequent smaller events throughout the day, where DeSantis and the Never Back Down PAC took their touring bus on the road to rural counties and towns.
Several voters who once supported former President Trump echoed the growing argument that they believed “new blood” was needed in The White House because both Trump and President Joe Biden were too old,” and that “Trump fatigue” had taken a toll on them.
Trump is way ahead in the polls, leading DeSantis by 30 percentage points in the latest Iowa poll conducted by CBS News, but DeSantis seems to be turning his campaign around and has jumped about 5 points in the poll.
