Ron “Don’t Say Gay” DeSantis is reverting to an old strategy often deployed by losing political candidates: bashing the very polls that show him trailing.
At an event over the weekend in Iowa, where the flailing Florida governor has shifted roughly one-third of his remaining campaign staff, DeSantis told GOP voters to view polls skeptically.
“Some of this stuff is so fraudulent when you look at it. They want Trump to be the candidate, for their reasons,” he said.
“I’ve never seen the obsession with these polls before. It’s like they report that it’s… actually functional news. And a lot of people pay for these things.”
Spoken like someone who continues to bomb in the polls! The latest Des Moines Register sampling of Iowa Republicans shows Donald Trump with 43% of support — up from 42% in August.
DeSantis clocks in a distant second with 16% of the vote, tied with the surging Nikki Haley. “Meatball Ron” has dropped three points since August, while Haley has gained 10 points.
Right on cue, Haley’s campaign just announced a $10 million ad investment in Iowa and New Hampshire, five times larger than DeSantis’ ad budget for the same period.
As of now, DeSantis is only spending in Iowa. A couple of months ago, the chief strategist of DeSantis’ Super PAC was recorded begging donors for $50 million, pinning the campaign’s fading chances on a win in the Hawkeye State.
“This doesn’t run on, you know, fumes,” said Jeff Roe. “And so we’re going to go spend this money right now, betting that our donors won’t let us down. And I’ve been let down by donors a lot. And I’ve already lost once to Trump and we can’t do it again.”
Speaking of donors, DeSantis’ biggest backer, Las Vegas real estate tycoon Robert Bigelow, announced prior to the last debate he was ditching the gay-hating governor.
Bigelow, who believes humans can survive death, says DeSantis’ positions are too extreme.
It’s bad news when a candidate is even too crazy for a billionaire who claims he owned a ranch in Utah that was overtaken by flying orbs and other strange phenomena.
As an analogy, Bigelow said Trump is the “bull,” and DeSantis is the “dinner.”
On tonight’s menu: a cooked presidential hopeful!
DeSantis’ campaign is at such a low point, the candidate is now spending his time talking about foot fetishes and footwear.
It’s been theorized that DeSantis wears heels in his cowboy boots. The belief is so widespread, annoying businessman and 9/11 truther Vivek Ramaswamy referenced DeSantis’ lifts in the last debate.
At the aforementioned event in Iowa, voters sounded unimpressed with DeSantis.
One potential supporter pleaded for DeSantis to “do something different,” because he’s “so far behind.”
“He comes across as a manager. I love that. He’s very capable,” said the man. “But he’s not showing his heart enough and he’s not painting the vision you want to walk into.”
Good luck with that! DeSantis is famously aloof, with dozens of stories circulating about his social faux pas. Apparently, he’s done it all: stiff colleagues at the airport, snub supporters, eat pudding with his hands.
Many of the quotes from people who know DeSantis are damning.
“The more he is met by people, the more they are not going to like him,” said a former chairperson of the Florida GOP.
It’s hard to be more succinct than that!
With Ron’s social shortcomings in mind, the campaign has routinely relied on his wife, Casey DeSantis, to paint a more likable picture of her husband.
But she just keeps making him sound stranger. (Casey, who’s obsessed with making her “Walmart Melania” nickname happen, isn’t all that relatable herself.)
Ron DeSantis’ awkwardness was on full display Saturday in Iowa. When talking about the war in Gaza, he threatened to fire rockets at… the Bahamas?
Theoretically, of course.
“What are you supposed to do? I mean, I used to say even when they would just fire the normal rockets because they’ve been firing these rockets for years and years. And I thought to myself, like, if the Bahamas were firing rockets into Fort Lauderdale, like, we would not accept that for, like, one minute. I mean, we would just level it,” he said.
DeSantis has run on a myriad of hateful messages, mainly demonizing LGBTQ+ people. Maybe “leveling the Bahamas” could be next.
In this GOP field, he’s increasingly on a deserted island.
Jack
The only Republican nominee who tells the truth is Chris Christie and he gets slaughtered for it. The rest of them are bat shit. I think it’s a tie for who’s more dangerous—Rob or Vivian. I think it’s a tie for who is more obnoxious—Rob or Viv….. No it’s Vivian.
LumpyPillows
Christie has Trump clearly in his crosshairs. He’s tough as nails and as tenacious as any pol from NJ ever. I like him for that. He is smart, but when you let him talk long enough, he does veer down those stupid right-wing rat holes. If a gun were pointed at my head and I had to vote for a republican, it would be Christie.
Fahd
I’ve seen 13 year old girls in their first high heels walk with more grace than the stilt walker DeSaster in that one video.
Btw, as regards (see above): “It’s bad news when a candidate is even too crazy for a billionaire who claims he owned a ranch in Utah that was overtaken by flying orbs and other strange phenomena.”
This is a reference to Bigelow’s former property, Skinwalker Ranch, subject of a highly rated History Channel series for the last few years. The series tries to explain the flying orbs and strange phenomena on the ranch. Also to discount these happenings seems an insult to Native American culture that has been offering explanations for what is happening on the ranch for many years, hence “skinwalker”, even before Mr. Bigelow’s ownership. So, bad example to show that Bigelow is “crazy”.
LumpyPillows
I’m torn. My biggest fear is Trump gets re-elected. I’d love to see this republican field quicky drop to one opponent and that person takes Trump out in the primaries, so I don’t have to worry. But I fear that a younger candidate that isn’t Trump might beat Biden because of the age problem.
dbmcvey
With the exception of Christy, none of these people will go after Trump. They’re all terrified or worshipful of him.
LumpyPillows
We’re agreeing. I’m scared.
Ronbo
I’m more scared of endless wars, censorship, poverty, for-profit educational systems, jobs going overseas, genocide, etc…. Unfortunately, neither party, has been able to rise above corrupt neoliberalism to bring progressive change. Being Republican-lite has not helped any of these issues. Or has it?
Rather than spreading hate and fear, we win when the focus is on hope. At this point, neither party gives me hope. Winning elections doesn’t help if all it does is put a friendly face on slaughtering children, exporting jobs, censorship, exporting weapons of mass destruction, etc….
humble charlie
it’s more like ron “don’t say i’m gay” depipsqueak.
and if a gun were pointed at my head and i had to vote for a republican, i’d pull the trigger.
LumpyPillows
Now, that was funny.
cuteguy
If Gavin was running the Dems would easily win
Baron Wiseman
@cuteguy
Well, he did just travel to China to suck up to the Communists.
dbmcvey
Baron’s stupid. He went to China to address environmental concerns.
Baron Wiseman
@dbmcvey
Yes, because the governor of California has so much to do with environmental concerns in China! Maybe if China had any “environmental concerns”, instead of being the world’s worst polluter.
dbmcvey
California’s economy is larger than any other state by far. I’m sure you’re too stupid to know that. The very people you need to address about the environment are the polluters.
Just how dumb are you?
dbmcvey
And larger than many countries.
abfab
Don’t ask the troll how dumb he is. He will tell you.
LumpyPillows
I like Gavin. It would be interesting, but not as easy as you think. He is smart, articulate and can go toe to toe with the bully boys from the right.
He clearly scares the republicans. So, that is good.
dbmcvey
None of these people will be the nominee. I will vote for whoever the Dem candidate is over the truly terrible Trump.
LumpyPillows
Agreed, but our votes were never in question. It’s the fickle 40%.
Kangol2
Miss Senator Tim Scott with his (faux?) “girlfriend” is out of the race.
I’m sure the “girlfriend” is breathing a sigh of relief, like anyone else with good sense!
abfab
Tim Scott. Another republican creep. Oh how dreadfully redundant.
abfab
Napolean Bonaparte 5’2” A French politician and army leader who ruled France from 1799 to 1814.
Fiorello La Guardia 5” 2” Mayor of New York.
Ron Desantis 1” 0” A paranoid man-child afraid of drag queens and not being tall enough
Baron Wiseman
Oh, the comedy.
abfab
It wasn’t meant for you.