The United State election cycle is entering the primary phase ahead of the 2024 presidential race. The latest polls show Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is losing his ground, both nationally and in early voting states. According to a CNN survey, in New Hampshire, where the first Republican primary is to be held in January, 2024, the Florida governor gets only 10% support, falling behind Vivek Ramaswamy (13%), Nikki Haley (12%) and Chris Christie (11%).
In a new Fox Business poll of likely Iowa Republican caucusgoers DeSantis has gained 16% support, 30 points behind Trump. The picture is similar in South Carolina, where another Fox Business poll shows the Florida governor with 10% support, well behind the former president (46%) and Nicky Haley (11%). Nationally, the Quinnipiac University survey in September 2023 has revealed that DeSantis receives 12% support, trailing Trump by 50 points. Nevertheless, the outcome of the second debate confirms that Ron DeSantis will be Donald Trump’s main rival in the primaries.
It should be noted that in his public appearances DeSantis’ is attempting to emulate GOP frontrunner’s certain aspects of political style. However, while some of Trump’s policies were popular among his supporters, others questioned their potential negative impacts. This can lead to facing criticism for appearing inauthentic or lacking originality, which could undermine DeSantis’ credibility and public trust.
In his first major policy rollout of his 2024 presidential campaign, DeSantis proposed deploying the military to the border and organizing mass detentions and deportations, using deadly force against undocumented people. DeSantis, however, did not take into account outbursts of violence these steps would provoke. As a result, we may get what is now happening in Europe against the backdrop of the Hamas-Israeli . Migration is a global issue and should be solved in a civilized way, while DeSantis’ Trump-like approaches show every sign of being xenophobic.
Stricter immigration policies can limit the availability of skilled and unskilled labor in certain industries. This can lead to labor shortages, hinder economic growth, and potentially increase costs for businesses and consumers. Immigrants have historically played a significant role in driving innovation and entrepreneurship in the United States.
While the majority of Americans still support providing economic aid (61%) and sending additional weapons and military equipment to Ukraine (63%) in its fight against Russian aggression, DeSantis followed Trump’s initiative to cut off funding for Ukraine, saying it is not in the U.S. interest.
“The United States has many vital national interests — securing our borders, addressing the crisis of readiness within our military, achieving energy security and independence, and checking the economic, cultural, and military power of the Chinese Communist Party — becoming further entangled in a territorial dispute between Ukraine and Russia is not one of them,” DeSantis said.
America has already handed over more than $75 billion to Kiev. Given that Russia has recently resumed its offensive, a reduction in funding would mark Putin’s both final victory in the and an imminent loss of U.S. credibility.
DeSantis’ decision to ban abortion has also drawn mixed reactions from the Americans. An Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs poll showed that the DeSantis’ six weeks abortion ban finds little understanding among the U.S. residents. 73% of all American adults across the country believe abortion should be allowed before six weeks of pregnancy.
In other words, while Trump remains in the race, DeSantis’ ongoing attempts to please the most active part of the Republican Party electorate seem not really effective. With each day his chances of winning the primaries are getting slimmer, and let’s be honest – it is unlikely to change.
The situation at the current stage of the 2024 presidential election allows identifying three political figures who will potentially take part in the 2024 presidential election – Joe Biden, Donald Trump and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. In this regard, one of the favorable options for the Florida governor is to follow the example of his counterpart – Robert F. Kennedy Jr. – who announced to run for President as an independent candidate. Opinion polls suggest that the majority of the U.S. population doesn’t want to choose Trump or Biden. This is where DeSantis can try his luck and emerge victorious in the national election, bypassing his likely loss during the primaries.
Governor DeSantis has a different political background and governing style. He has implemented policies such as tax cuts, deregulation, and criminal justice reforms, which some supporters argue have contributed to Florida’s economic growth and job creation. Despite the fact that an independent candidate often faces difficulties in terms of fundraising, media coverage, and ballot access, DeSantis has every chance to attract voters from both parties, allowing him to prioritize their beliefs and the needs of their constituents.
