Florida Governor Ron DeSantis faces an uphill battle in his quest for the Republican presidential nomination, trailing significantly behind former President Donald Trump and former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley in recent polls.
In a surprising turn of events, several Florida state legislators have shifted their support from DeSantis to Trump, who maintains a considerable lead in both national and state polls, with margins ranging from 25% to 35%. Among those switching their endorsements are Senator Debbie Mayfield, Representatives Jessica Baker, Webster Barnaby, Alina Garcia, Kevin Steele, and Randy Fine, one of DeSantis’ staunchest allies in the state legislature.
“This race is over, and people are basically trying to decide whether they want to join the winning team,” commented Florida State Senator Joe Gruters, a Trump supporter. Despite this shift, DeSantis still retains 93 endorsements from Florida legislators.
Notably, even Steve Avila, president of the Palm Beach County chapter of the Log Cabin Republicans, an anti-trans, gay conservative group, voiced his support for Trump, despite Trump’s track record as the most anti-LGBTQ+ president in history. Avila called for DeSantis to drop out of the presidential race, stating, “He’s not going to win.”
Recent polling in key battleground states shows DeSantis losing ground to Nikki Haley, particularly in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Michigan. Additionally, DeSantis faces challenges in the first three states hosting GOP primary elections: Iowa, New Hampshire, and Nevada.
The focus of public discourse, rather than DeSantis’ policy positions, has strangely shifted towards the so-called “Heelgate” controversy, where rumors circulated about him wearing high-heeled lifts in his boots. Even former President Trump joined in by sharing photos with the caption, “Tell me he’s not wearing hidden heels.” DeSantis responded with a challenge to Trump, further diverting the conversation from substantial issues.
With the next Republican TV debate scheduled in Miami, Trump’s absence from these events, similar to the previous ones, remains conspicuous. DeSantis recently pledged his support for Trump should the former president secure the nomination. As we approach the first Republican state primary elections, Trump’s victory appears increasingly inevitable.