Inside the collapse of Ron DeSantis’ presidential campaign

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Another Republican operative said it was hurting him along with supporters and donors.

He is good at governing, but he is a bad politician, said the operative. He doesn’t pat on the back and shake hands. He could not remember who the donors were.

They added: I’ve been with him at events where he didn’t shake hands, pose for a photo.

The lack of subtlety scares off donors

The lack of finesse when it comes to traditional retail politics is believed to have scared off some donors.

Strategists in Mr DeSantis’ orbit questioned the delay in announcing his presidential bid, which hampered his ability to build campaign infrastructure in critical early states.

Mr DeSantis has also caused frustration, with clumsy attempts to navigate the centrist and right-wing factions of his party, referring to the war in Ukraine as a territorial dispute, for example. He later took back the comments.

He also caused alarm, by signing a six-week ban on abortion – a time limit that many Americans consider extreme.

The self-proclaimed king of anti-woke politics, Mr DeSantis’ national profile owes much to his willingness to engage in the nation’s culture wars.

But his ongoing feud with Disney, the state’s largest employer, has troubled some Republicans.

It showed a fundamental misunderstanding of the Republican primary process, Mr Ayres said.

DeSantis’ job is to bring together people who voted for Trump twice, but are looking for an alternative, and you don’t do that by imitating Trump.

In a further blow to Mr DeSantis, Mr Trump had a 13-point lead over his nearest rival in a Wall Street Journal poll released on Friday, leading 51 per cent to 38 per cent.

It marked a 27-point swing since December, when Mr DeSantis enjoyed a 14-point lead among likely Republican primary voters.

Too early to write him off?

Some supporters cautioned against counting Mr DeSantis out too soon, pointing to Mr Trump’s ongoing legal liability.

He’s very smart, he’s very calculating – he’s got a good story to tell, said Mr Ayres, who cautioned against dismissing the 44-year-old prematurely.

You don’t do what he did in Florida without a lot of political talent.

The Florida governor also holds a significant cash advantage over many likely rivals.

Never Back Down, a super PAC supporting Mr DeSantis, has raised $30 million, while the governor is estimated to have more than $80 million to give.

Mr DeSantis has attracted some supporters in Congress, with House representatives Chip Roy and Thomas Massie publicly backing him.

Mr Massie dismissed recent criticism of Mr DeSantis, saying his constituents don’t pay attention to the class of political chatter.

They see a champion in Governor DeSantis, who can get this country back on its feet with conservative principles, he said.

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