Here’s what happened…
Former Maryland GOP Governor Larry Hogan expressed his skepticism about Ron DeSantis’ presidential aspirations, criticizing the Florida governor’s campaign as one of the “worst” he has witnessed and predicting its swift demise.
According to Newsweek, during an interview with CBS News’ Major Garrett, Hogan shared his thoughts on DeSantis’ performance thus far and his ability to handle the pressure of challenging former President Donald Trump, who is currently the Republican front-runner.
Hogan opined that DeSantis has underperformed and has experienced a significant decline in popularity within the Republican leadership race.
Even before DeSantis officially launched his campaign in May, Trump had been consistently taking jabs at the Florida governor. In response, DeSantis has retaliated against Trump, but he has also faced setbacks in his confrontations with Disney and suffered a decline in public support.
In an apparent act of retribution against Disney’s opposition to a bill limiting discussions of sexual orientation and gender identity in certain grades at Florida schools, DeSantis targeted the location of Disney World in Orlando. However, his attempt to strip the company of social privileges and tax breaks proved unsuccessful.
Hogan remarked, “I believe DeSantis has fallen short. Initially, he garnered substantial attention, much like we have seen in other races. He received extensive coverage on Fox News, being one of the few contenders besides Trump to attract significant attention and raise a considerable amount of money.”
Hogan continued, “As a successful governor of a large state who was reelected, he began making numerous mistakes. In my opinion, his campaign is one of the worst I have witnessed, and he has plummeted in popularity.”
The former governor further highlighted that some Republican voters had contemplated shifting their support from Trump to DeSantis but were ultimately dissuaded by the Florida governor’s actions.
According to online polling company Civiqs’ dynamic approval rating graph, DeSantis experienced a significant drop in his approval rating in early June. The data indicated a negative net approval rating of 19 points, with 55 percent of respondents expressing disapproval compared to 36 percent favorability towards the Republican governor.
Reflecting on DeSantis’ chances moving forward, Hogan stated, “I believe it is nearing the end for DeSantis. While comebacks have been witnessed before, such as with John McCain and Bill Clinton, at this juncture, DeSantis is heading in the wrong direction.”
Regarding the mistakes made during DeSantis’ campaign, Hogan pointed to the ongoing clash with Disney, his perceived inability to connect with people, and his lackluster debating skills. Despite acknowledging DeSantis as an intelligent individual, Hogan noted that he failed to effectively convey his capabilities during the campaign, leading people to no longer view him as the prominent Republican contender.