With Ron DeSantis officially joining the 2024 Republican Primary field, it’s only a matter of time until the Florida governor begins to distinguish himself from the current favorite, former President Donald Trump.
Voters have already seen Trump attack DeSantis since the 2022 mid-terms, where Trump’s handpicked candidates in high-profile U.S. Senate races lost in key swing states, including Herschel Walker in Georgia, Tudor Dixon in Michigan, and Dr. Mehmet Oz in Pennsylvania
1: Trump’s National Deficit Growth vs. Florida’s Record surplus with DeSantis balancing one of the most populated state’s budgets
During the 2016 election, promised vowed to run the federal government like a business and eliminate waste. At the time, opponents including Sen. Marco Rubio pointed out the fact that Trump’s business record had a longer list of failures than successes. Even prior to the COVID Pandemic, the federal budget deficit was larger than it was during Trump’s two predecessors, Barack Obama and George W. Bush.
After multiple investigations into Trump’s wealth and taxes were completed, the public became aware of the fact that Trump’s wealth was not only overstated, but non-existent in certain cases where he was actually in debt.
Conversely, on a smaller scale, DeSantis has worked with Florida legislators to balance the state budget, in a state that doesn’t even have income tax. Florida has also enjoyed a record-high surplus during DeSantis’ tenure, and continues to thrive economically as more U.S. residents relocate to the Sunshine state than any other state, all despite one of the costliest hurricanes hitting the state when Hurricane Ian made landfall on the gulf coast.
2. DeSantis Offering Voters Trump’s Economic and Immigration Policies without Trump’s Legal Baggage to Worry About in the 2024 General Election
Fellow 2024 candidate Nikki Haley recently described DeSantis as a “mini Trump, without the charm”, but her intended insult may end up as an unintentional compliment, if DeSantis’ campaign successfully persuade voters that they can get all of the economic and immigration polices they love about Donald Trump, without the legal battles or other concerns inherent with Trump.
3. Trump’s Troubled Record with Military Leadership vs. DeSantis’ NAVY reord and Jground-level experience in Iraq.
– From Jim Mattis to Mark Kelly, Trump created chaos and confusion that ultimately led to frequent turnover. AS Peter Bergen shows in his powerful new book, Trump and His Generals: The Cost of Chaos, Trump’s sense of military men and women as “killing machines” was what drew Trump to populate his cabinet early on with generals like Michael Flynn, John Kelly, James Mattis, and H.R. McMaster. Yet, in some cases sooner and in some cases later, Trump soured on all of them—and they soured on Trump.than 150 former Trump administration officials now backing DeSantis for president.
DeSantis’ military background is essentially the opposite of Trump’s who has never served and once jokingly compared his sexual life to being a Vietnam solider. During the surge of US troops into Iraq in 2007, DeSantis was deployed as an advisor to the NAVY SEALS for legal counsel. From 2004 until 2010, DeSantis served on active duty in the Navy as a JAG, judge advocate general. JAG officers are attorneys with knowledge of civilian and military law, from the Uniform Code of Military Justice to international laws of war.In addition to his military experience, DeSantis can tout the fact that more than 150 former Trump administration officials now backing him for president.
Since 2004, O’Hern has worked with political campaigns in roles ranging from major projects involving nationwide digital marketing for U.S. Presidential candidates, U.S. Congressmen, state governors, and state representatives. O’Hern’s journalism background includes news reporting and editing for various organizations and news publications in Alabama and Florida since 2002. O’Hern graduated from Samford University in Birmingham, Ala with a degree in journalism and a minor in political science.