As the possibility of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis exploring a 2024 presidential bid increases, many conservatives are eager to see him challenge the potential democrat frontrunner, current President Joe Biden. With polls showing that DeSantis is favored over both Trump and Biden in early primary states such as New Hampshire and Iowa, there is great enthusiasm among Republicans for the idea of standing behind his candidacy over other potential Republican contenders.
The Marquette Law School’s recently released poll results show that DeSantis garners 45% favorability compared to Biden’s 38%. In a hypothetical matchup between DeSantis and Trump, the University of New Hampshire Poll finds 42% favoring the governor against only 30% who prefer the former president. This suggests that an increasing number of people are beginning to draw a distinction between Trumpism and conservatism, recognizing a difference between them.
Further fueling this notion is former President Donald Trump’s criticism on DeSantis’ possible run for president in 2024. While calling it “very disloyal,” he also accused the governor of attempting to “rewrite history” regarding his COVID-19 pandemic response. This public rebuke by Trump himself suggests that traditional conservative ideals may have been replaced with nationalist rhetoric due to his time in office. Consequently, it could prove beneficial for conservatives hoping to reclaim their movement if they choose a standard bearer who embodies traditional conservative values like fiscal responsibility, limited government intervention, and personal liberty—all of which align closely with DeSantis’ track record as Florida Governor; efforts like his school reopening plan without federal funding and his signing of legislation banning sanctuary cities in Florida demonstrate those values perfectly.
Moreover, since his election in 2018, Governor DeSantis has enjoyed widespread support from Floridians—regardless of party affiliation—and has maintained high approval ratings even during the height of pandemic crisis due to his effective handling of it. Through cost-cutting measures such as eliminating unnecessary regulations and wasteful spending as well as through innovative policies like instituting mobile testing throughout low-income communities, he managed to keep Floridians safe while avoiding lockdowns or any other restrictions on civil liberties not backed by science or data. Such success stories provide further proof that an alternative version of conservatism can still work wonders in modern America.
Given all this evidence, it appears increasingly likely that Ron DeSantis may be considering a 2024 presidential run with some degree of seriousness, an idea which many conservatives should enthusiastically embrace if they want to restore traditional conservative values back into national politics and constructively compete against President Joe Biden’s liberal agenda come next year’s general election season.
