Why does Florida Governor Ron DeSantis not have a shot against former President Donald Trump in the 2024 GOP primary? According to Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, it’s because Governor DeSantis just isn’t in the same political league as Trump, with Trump doing even better now than in 2016 and also having needed the former president’s help in getting elected.
Speaker McCarthy said as much during a recent appearance on Fox News Channel’s “Sunday Morning Futures.” During the broadcast, Speaker McCarthy predicted that President Donald Trump will be the 2024 Republican presidential nominee and explained why DeSantis doesn’t have what it takes to win.
Speaker McCarthy’s comments on the matter came when Anchor Maria Bartiromo asked, “All of that, the policies that you mentioned of the Biden administration, is one reason that Donald Trump is leading in the polls right now. What’s your take on this, that as we see more indictments of Donald Trump, he seems to be gaining in terms of popularity with the public? Will he be the nominee?”
In response, Speaker McCarthy said that Trump is in a better place now than in 2020 or even 2016 because of how well his policies did compared to Biden’s, particularly in the realm of economic policies that impact the everyman and in foreign policy.
Making that point, he said, “I think he will be the nominee. President Trump is stronger today than he was in 2016 or 2020, and there’s a reason why. They saw the policies of what he was able to do with America, putting America first making our economy stronger. We didn’t have inflation. We didn’t have these battles around the world. We didn’t look weak around the world.”
Bartiromo then noted that Gov. DeSantis is working with some of the GOP hardliners in the House to push for a showdown battle with the Democrats, saying, “Well, it looks like Ron DeSantis is now trying to work with your colleagues who are pushing for a shutdown.” Speaker McCarthy hand waved that away, saying that a shutdown right now would be counterproductive and put the ball in Biden’s court. In his words, “Yeah, but I don’t think that would work anywhere. A shutdown would only give strength to the Democrats. It would give the power to Biden.”
He then returned to the Trump and DeSantis issue, telling Bartiromo, “President Trump is beating Biden right now in the polls. He’s stronger than he has ever been in this process. And, look, I served with Ron DeSantis. He’s not at the same level as President Trump by any shape or form. He would not is are gotten elected without President Trump’s endorsement.”
Speaker McCarthy’s comments on the matter, at least as far as they relate to Trump and DeSantis, are largely in line with polling on the primary. The latest straw poll shows that Trump is more than 35 points ahead of DeSantis, with Trump holding 63.9% and DeSantis having just 27.3%. DeSantis is still by far the runner-up, but is leagues behind Trump in terms of popular support.
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