comment: >
  
  Desantis is a much less charismatic but much more calculated/less reckless version of Trump.
context: Whoever can find a way to the use the word “woke” the most times, wins. >
  
  If you ask a Republican what woke means to them and you read between the lines, they will mean one of two things:
  
  People of color are an abomination
  
  or
  
  Being kind to those less fortunate is a waste of time
  
  What does that tell you about conservative values? >
  
  "Woke" simply means all the fellow humans that we shit in and oppress asking the way >
  
  I think the most obvious difference is that whenever desantis opens his mouth it sounds like he sprung a leak. The guy is hard to listen to. Trump is hard to listen to as well, but only because I disagree with what he says. His style is a little over the top for my tastes, but he has that over the top WWE style that Republicans seem to love. No matter how hard desantis might try, he simply won't be able to pull that off, and he'll end up seeming weak and boring when compared to trump. He's just not an entertainer. The dude is as dull as a rock. Put the two of them on a debate stage, and watch as trump beats desantis' political aspirations to death just by being the louder and more obnoxious of the two. >
  
  I'm not sure you even need Trump to beat his political aspirations on a debate stage. Charlie Crist pressed him to say he would serve for 4 years if elected Governor and he stood there frozen like a deer in the headlights for about a minute straight. I almost felt bad for him. 
  Charlie Crist did a decent job taking him to task and Charlie Crist is wet cardboard. If you get anyone seasoned and capable against him in a debate he'll wilt. >
  
  He's the definition of of a "hold me back" guy. He makes a big show but when actually pressed he backs down. It happened when Biden came to Florida for the building collapse and the recent hurricane.
  Not that I wanted DeSantis picking a fight at those crucial times, but if the right has their hopes up, he's never going to seek out a fight like Donald. >
  
  I’d love to know more about Ye was saying about DeSantis paying Ben Shapiro for favorable coverage. Also when Trump said he helped DeSantis win his first gubernatorial election. >
  
  I got you on the first part
  But I wanna hear more about that last part too… 👀 >
  
  Deathsantis only appears to be trump without the baggage because trump carries an extreme amount of baggage.  But Deathsantis has plenty.  From the way he treats Covid as a personal freedom of choice vice a deadly virus to the way he uses culture wars against Disney to force FL tax payers into paying millions more in taxes (that Disney would have previously paid).
  Make no mistake, Deathsantis is first and foremost a culture warrior that cares little for American Democracy.  Most of y'all haven't seen enough of him yet.  But you will.  And you'll be the worse for it. >
  
  His press secretary has ties to the Kremlin and he sent armed thugs to Rebekah Jones house. 
  He makes inflammatory policies. He is inflammation. 
  I'd also like to point out that like 99% of the culture war bullshit legislation he passes gets quietly shot down in the courts a few weeks later. He's a lot more ineffectual than he would have you believe. >
  
  
  I'd also like to point out that like 99% of the culture war bullshit legislation he passes gets quietly shot down in the courts a few weeks later. He's a lot more ineffectual than he would have you believe.
  
  I saw an interview with Newt Gingrich (can't find it on YouTube) where he was claiming that crime in the US was dramatically higher. The CNN host called him out using FBI statistics. He tried switching his claim by cherry picking cities ("look at Chicago") but the host kept pressing the facts until finally Newt said something like "People feel like crime is higher. When it comes to the election, you can have your facts. People vote with their feelings."
  While it's good that the courts have done their job, I think the test of DeSantis' success with a lot of voters isn't whether he's effectual in implementing his culture war policies as much as he's able to maintain an existential threat narrative and appear as a bulwark against it.
  In that capacity, I think he's been really successful in Florida. I don't know how that will translate to the national level, but for whatever weaknesses he has, he'll likely have the entirety of the conservative media shaping people's perceptions of him, which unfortunately has proven really effective. >
  
  Totally fair and I agree completely. I moved to Florida from the Northeast about a year and a half ago for work. Florida really is a strange place. My area is hyper conservative, I was telling my friend last night I feel like I'm a closeted moderate. 
  Having lived in two very different parts of the country, I don't think Desantis bullshit works as well in the NE as it does in the South. I've heard he's courting the MAGA crowd currently to win the primary and he'll likely change gears to be more palatable on a national level after that. Seems like it would be hard to turn that ship once it's sailed though. Outside of hardcore conservatives, I think trying to dissolve Disney and sue vaccine makers isn't a very popular platform. 
  Really hoping Desantis stumbles and falls over himself with this bullshit. I really can't stand him. >
  
  
  I've heard he's courting the MAGA crowd currently to win the primary and he'll likely change gears to be more palatable on a national level after that. 
  
  This seems like the best strategy for the Republican party. I don't know enough about DeSantis as a person, but it will be interesting to see whether he'll defer to the party's transition strategies and fall in line, or try to go his own way.
  If he appears a strong enough candidate, he can maybe get away with doing what he wants, knowing that the Republican party will reluctantly support him. But after Trump, I expect they'd be wary of letting their figurehead get out of control.
  I'd hoped for the scenario where Trump and DeSantis poison each other's chances on a national level, but it seems like the Republican party would allow Trump to be knocked out (conspiratorially blaming "woke" DOJ or whatever) so they only have to manage one of them. 
  In a way, invoking the 14th amendment to prevent Trump from running might be a great thing for Republicans - they don't have to worry about him sinking their chances by running as an independent, and as always, they can find a way blame Democrats. >
  
  Any current Republican obviously doesn’t have the wherewithal to leave the stinky mess of a party and shares the disgrace of their party head. >
  
  "We liked them better in the closet."
  Is not going to win a general election, sorry DeSantis. >
  
  It'll still get 48% of the vote though. That's an ongoing problem no matter who's in the White House.