Post-midterms Ron DeSantis positioned as GOP' s 2024 front-runner - Axios MiamiLog InLog InAxios Miami is an Axios company.
Post-midterms Ron DeSantis positioned as GOP' s 2024 front-runner
A Trump booth reflects the current political thought of conservative America. Photo: Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images Gov. Ron DeSantis' dominant re-election win on Tuesday, including , solidified his status as a . Conservative media, from the New York Post to Fox News and the Wall Street Journal, responded yesterday with headlines touting him — or — of the Republican Party. Why it matters: Florida went ruby red Tuesday, but nationwide, Republicans fell short of expectations in the midterm elections. Former President Trump, who's a presidential bid at a planned Mar-a-Lago rally next week, received part of the blame for the promised GOP wave not materializing. Many of Trump's handpicked Republican candidates in winnable races, Axios' Jonathan Swan, Josh Kraushaar and Alayna Treene report. What they're saying: Kathryn DePalo-Gould, a political science professor at Florida International University, told Axios that she now considers DeSantis "the front-runner for the Republican nomination for president in 2024.""DeSantis had the playbook for how Republicans can win and win big," she wrote in a text message. Sean Foreman, a political science professor at Barry University, called the midterms a "tale of two elections" — with Republicans dominating in Florida but underperforming nationwide.Foreman credits that to DeSantis' being a popular incumbent with historic fundraising totals and a strong legislative track record."He can shine in the spotlight for several weeks now and gloat about this big win, and he'll continue to receive the presidential attention," Foreman told Axios in an interview. The intrigue: Trump has taken aim at DeSantis in recent days, if he ran against him and labeling him "" at a rally over the weekend. What to watch: Foreman said he doesn’t believe DeSantis will be in a hurry to run for president. DeSantis, who's 44, just won another four-year term and can wait until 2028 to run, Foreman said.He added that DeSantis has "enormous political capital" in Florida, which has supermajorities in the state Legislature and a conservative Supreme Court. If he runs for president, there's a risk he loses to Trump."People want to start playing up the rift between Trump and DeSantis, but every Trump supporter is a DeSantis voter," Foreman said.Data: AP, New York Times; Map: Jared Whalen/Axios Visuals Get more local stories in your inbox with .Subscribe Support local journalism by becoming a member. More Miami stories
No stories could be found Get a free daily digest of the most important news in your backyard with Axios Miami.Subscribe Support local journalism by becoming a member.