| Saturday, November 23, 2024
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| [SEAN RAYFORD | Associated Press]
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| DeSantis’ campaign could’ve felt different. A family video shows how.
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| Happy Tuesday! I’m Jay Cridlin, and I cover Gov. Ron DeSantis’ presidential campaign.
Or, at least, I DID cover DeSantis’ presidential campaign. And then, uh, well …
Yes, like a lot of political reporters, I assumed I’d be neck-deep in DeSantisland through at least the South Carolina primary. But since DeSantis suspended his campaign Jan. 21, I’ve spent the past week-plus staring at an empty February datebook and wondering: What happened?
I wasn’t alone. I spoke to several DeSantis supporters around Tampa Bay left dejected and confused by the governor’s decision. One was an Iraq War veteran who felt jilted after losing his chance to vote for a fellow military man. Another switched her party affiliation from Democrat to Republican just so she could vote for DeSantis in the Florida primary — and still planned to do so even after he dropped out.
My colleague Emily L. Mahoney recently did a great job breaking down several possible reasons why DeSantis’ campaign fizzled out after Iowa. So did fellow colleague Kirby Wilson, who pointed out the relatively obstacle-free path to power most Republicans have in Florida, and asked: Was DeSantis always overrated?
A recurring theme of the criticism surrounding DeSantis’ campaign was that he just wasn’t likable enough, wasn’t personable enough, wasn’t relatable enough. So it was fascinating that less than 48 hours after exiting the race, he posted to social media a sweet selfie video in which his 5-year-old son Mason made his picks for this past weekend’s AFC and NFC championship games. Mason went with a Chiefs-49ers Super Bowl rematch.
“That happened in Florida, a couple of years ago at the Super Bowl,” DeSantis said. “So who’s the Chiefs’ quarterback?”
“Mahomes, and he can beat the Ravens with Lamar Jackson,” Mason said. “He can throw to Pacheco, he can throw to Travis Kelce, anybody.”
“Wow. Well, we’ll see what happens, but you’ve been pretty good on your predictions, so maybe people will place some bets accordingly,” DeSantis told his son.
A more adorable endorsement of DeSantis’ $2.5 billion sports gaming compact with the Seminole Tribe of Florida, one cannot imagine. And lo and behold, the Chiefs and Niners both won! Get that kid to the Hard Rock!
Now, it’s not as if DeSantis has stopped thinking like a presidential candidate. On Monday, for example, he called for a handful of amendments to the U.S. Constitution, including a balanced budget, term limits for members of Congress and a presidential veto.
Still, you have to wonder: Where was this guy on the trail? Why didn’t DeSantis post more friendly videos, more family selfies, more editions of Mason’s Ultimate Pigskin Lock of the Week Presented by DraftKings? If DeSantis the candidate seemed overmanaged, why didn’t they encourage DeSantis the dad to open up like this a little more?
“Mason picked both conference championship games correctly!” DeSantis posted proudly Sunday night.
That’s true. Then again, post-Iowa, maybe winning isn’t everything after all.
One more thing: Catch Times senior political reporter Emily L. Mahoney in conversation with Matt Dixon, NBC News senior national politics reporter and author of “Swamp Monsters: Trump Vs. DeSantis—the Greatest Show on Earth (or at Least in Florida)” at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Tombolo Books, 2153 First St. S in St. Petersburg. Admission is free, but space is limited. RSVP here.
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