It’s still a while before the US elections. In the Republican camp, however, the signs are already pointing to renewal. One man in particular stands out from the junior guard and could become a challenge for Trump: Ron DeSantis.
Anyone wishing to delve into the future of the United States must be able to see through Joe Biden and Donald Trump. The two are the antagonists of a declining epoch.
We see two old men biting each other. We see more impertinence than future. Political energy begins to drain from both.
It would be difficult to establish an alternative in the Democrat camp. As of this morning, Biden wants to compete again. It is almost impossible to remove an incumbent president against his will. The president’s chief medical officer has more influence on this issue than the Democratic party base.
In the Republican camp, the chances of a renewal are better. Donald Trump is likely to be challenged in the primaries, if he enters this battle at all. One man in particular stands out from the Republican Junior Guard with the stature of an opponent.
His name: Ron DeSantis. His occupation: Governor of Florida. His trademark is a right-wing populist harshness that can compete with Trump in ruthlessness, but surpasses him in political sophistication.
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Here are the top three differences between Trump and DeSantis:
1. While Trump has always remained the New York upstart, born into a wealthy but uneducated real estate family, DeSantis has a middle-class education that is beyond reproach: He studied history at Yale University and law at Harvard, where he earned his Graduated with the distinction cum laude. Unlike Trump, DeSantis served in the military with the US Navy and was stationed in Iraq for a year. The newspaper “The Hill” describes him as “Trump without the gold toilet”.
2. While the narcissist Trump has struggled to garner enduring financial and political support from the US establishment, DeSantis is a popular and successful fundraiser in middle-class circles. He has already received more than $100 million in slips – a record for a single Florida election cycle. People like Home Depot founder Bernard Marcus ($500,000) or former fund manager William Buckley ($1 million), both former Trump loyalists, opened their coffers.
3. While Trump conveys a fundamental lack of seriousness with his smug personality, DeSantis has a strong work ethic and a thorough understanding of politics. They call him “Trump with brains”. The New York Times describes his political style as “competent Trumpism”.
But the similarities between the two men should not be overlooked. There are three main characteristics to be mentioned here.
1. His corona policy was no less adventurous (and deadly) than Trump’s. After DeSantis initially ordered a lockdown for Florida, in line with Dr. Anthony Fauci, he finally lifted all restrictions on schools, public buildings, restaurants and the mask requirement. As the death toll skyrocketed, a nasty moniker started doing the rounds: “DeathSantis.”
2. The governor likes to polemic against the acceptance of gays and lesbians in American society, which goes down well with the core of the core of the Republican electorate. Its Parental Rights in Education bill – dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” law by critics – prohibits Florida schools from teaching students under the third grade about sexual orientation and gender identity. The Democrats, the DeSantis camp thinks, are manipulating and sexualizing America’s youth in the direction of their “woke” ideology.
3. Ron DeSantis plays the same channels that Donald Trump once dominated. He’s a well-known face on Fox News. Conservative columnist Anne Coulter is already raving about “Trumpism without Trump.”
Trump and DeSantis are aware of their resemblance and therefore avoid a direct confrontation. For now, the governor’s camp seems to think it might be worth running against Trump. A University of New Hampshire poll found that 39 percent of 300 Republicans polled support the nomination of DeSantis as the next presidential nomination. Donald Trump only got 37 percent.
Conclusion: Joe Biden and Donald Trump are still the dominant figures in the domestic political debate. But at least in the Republican camp, a Brutus has made its way.
DeSantis, who, like the Roman model, once enjoyed the favor of Caesar, today attaches great importance to refraining from a public recommendation from Trump. He wants to be a ruler himself, not a minion. At the very least, unlike the Roman Caesar, Trump shouldn’t be surprised at the Grande Finale.
The words of the dying Caesar to his murderer Brutus – “You too, my son?” – should not slip from his lips. It is not difficult to recognize the dagger in the robe even today.
Gabor Steingart is one of the best-known journalists in the country. He publishes the newsletter The Pioneer Briefing. The podcast of the same name is Germany’s leading daily podcast for politics and business. Since May 2020, Steingart has been working with his editorial staff on the ship “The Pioneer One”. Before founding Media Pioneer, Steingart was, among other things, CEO of the Handelsblatt Media Group. You can subscribe to his free newsletter here.
