This was not the Churchillian way, this was surrender
He'll fight them on the seas and oceans, he'll fight them on the beaches… Ron DeSantis won't fight them in New Hampshire.
The Florida governor is fond of quoting Winston Churchill in his constant speeches, and he did so again in his social media speech announcing his campaign suspension.
Two days before the New Hampshire primary, this was not Churchill, this was surrender.
However, there was a time when he was the hot ticket for the Republican Party, and the biggest threat to Donald Trump. Like others before and around him, DeSantis couldn't live with the big party monster. There is room in the Trump wing of the party just for the man himself.
The hard-right culture wars strategy did not resonate with the broader public, nor even the anti-woke warrior himself. Politics in the United States is partly a performance art, and Ron DeSantis is no artist.
For a seasoned political player and successful Florida governor, it's strange that he wasn't well-cooked at the bigger table. America's most promising politician has become one of the most awkward politicians when the cameras are on – and he also doesn't “deal” with people. DeSantis' meet-and-greet always seemed more welcoming than a meet-and-greet.
He spoke of the foolishness of asking for donations without a “clear path” to success. Likewise, donors would have realized the folly of supporting the losing party. Tens of millions of dollars were spent on his campaign before the Iowa caucus, a first test of voters' opinion and DeSantis' numbers did not represent a good investment.
For all that, he'll be back. In stepping down, he has come too late by endorsing Trump and his policies, and building bridges with the man and his base, certainly with 2028 in mind.
The more pressing question is how DeSantis' vote will feed into the primary process he leaves behind. This should work in two ways: It occupies space on the Republican right, so Trump will feel some benefit, whether it's an endorsement or not.
Nikki Haley needs numbers more than most. A CNN poll conducted two days before the New Hampshire primary had her 11 percentage points behind Donald Trump. This contest has always been designed as a one-on-one contest and now benefits from being the only contender to vote for the “Trump alternative.” In Iowa, Donald Trump enjoyed a double victory: the victory itself and the fact that the 49% of voters who did not support him were fighting for him among his rivals. no more.
Upcoming contests will provide an accurate measure of who will win. For this race to continue, Haley must be in New Hampshire. In the Granite State, there is a common consensus that the momentum test must be passed. Realistically, it means victory, otherwise you'll be left thinking of a less obvious path.
Ron DeSantis knows the feeling.
