Escalation of Trump-DeSantis Feud Intensifies in the Republican Arena as Battle Lines are Drawn in Florida

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Ex-President Donald Trump is intensifying his presence in the state of Florida, strategically garnering support to eclipse Governor Ron DeSantis’s White House aspirations within their mutual domicile.

In recent times, Trump has gained the endorsement of Senator Rick Scott and Representative Randy Fine—a previous DeSantis confidant and advisor on Israeli affairs. Trump had already garnered a considerable backing from the majority of Republican Congressional members from Florida, and the trend appears to be gathering momentum with potential further endorsements on the horizon.

Despite these developments, DeSantis continues to command considerable influence as Governor, having enacted long-sought conservative policies and shifted the traditionally battleground state further rightward. Yet, with the Republican primary’s early contests approaching, DeSantis trails significantly in the 2024 race, confronting a Trump campaign that is relentless not only in securing the nomination but in delivering a political blow to DeSantis both statewide and on the national stage.

“Targeting Governor DeSantis’s influence in Florida is a calculated move by the Trump campaign,” remarked Alex Conant, a seasoned Republican strategist noted for his role in Senator Marco Rubio’s 2016 presidential bid. “DeSantis stakes his claim on his success as governor. When other prominent Florida Republicans favor Trump, it substantially undermines DeSantis’s narrative.”

Both Trump and DeSantis are slated to address the audience at the forthcoming Florida Freedom Summit, organized by the Republican Party in a convention center near Orlando. Rick Scott, Randy Fine, and four Trump-endorsing House members are also expected to participate.

Four days subsequent to this event, DeSantis is set to appear among contenders at the third Republican debate in Miami, while Trump opts out, planning a concurrent rally in the Hialeah suburb complete with a separate “spin room” to coincide with the media’s post-debate analysis.

Once perceived as a primary challenger to Trump after a decisive re-election victory last year, DeSantis has seen his campaign struggle to gain momentum since its inception in May, placing him at a far second in the presidential race. According to a recent Des Moines Register poll, DeSantis is neck and neck with Nikki Haley in Iowa, each accumulating 16% compared to Trump’s commanding lead.

The Trump campaign has castigated DeSantis for perceived disloyalty and has not shied away from belittling his demeanor and voter interactions. In retort, DeSantis has highlighted Trump’s missteps and alluded to a diminishment in Trump’s once-stellar dynamism.

Their exchanges have recently devolved into crassness, with Trump’s camp circulating insinuations regarding DeSantis’s appearance and DeSantis countering with pointed barbs on a Newsmax interview, challenging Trump’s courage regarding debate participation.

The super PAC supporting DeSantis launched merchandise sporting a bold claim on golf balls, to which Trump’s spokesperson Steven Cheung sharply responded, mocking DeSantis’s fundraising efforts.

This bout of below-the-belt political jabs recalls Senator Rubio’s 2016 clash with Trump, characterized by Rubio’s taunts about Trump’s “small hands,” a campaign that culminated in Rubio’s withdrawal post-Florida primary defeat.

In a strategic party move last September, Florida’s GOP members rejected a motion that would have compelled primary candidates to endorse the final nominee, a pledge Trump himself has refrained from making regarding national GOP debates.

Former state party chairman Joe Gruters, a Trump advocate, anticipates further endorsements from Florida officials. However, he warns of the potential political peril for those opposing DeSantis, who retains the governorship for three more years. Gruters labeled DeSantis as “vindictive” towards those not in his camp, contributing to a hesitant atmosphere among party members to publicly declare their stance.

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This report comes from Barrow in Atlanta, with additional reporting by Jill Colvin in New York for Big Big News.

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