Analysis: The simple reason why Ron DeSantis should run for president in 2024
TALLAHASSEE — When Ron DeSantis became governor of Florida four years ago, he surprised many people. His agenda was ambitious, and his style was less conventional. Instead of trying to get a law passed through legislative means, he was going to start by suing his predecessor for his own alleged law-breaking. He talked more about his ambitions than the issues of the day, and his campaign team made it a priority to avoid the type of messaging that has become routine in presidential campaigns.
The result was that at first glance, DeSantis seemed a candidate for any office, from governor to U.S. senator, and as his approval ratings went through the roof, people began to ask: Why not run for president?
If he did, DeSantis would have a wide array of advantages and disadvantages that would likely make him a tough challenge for any candidate with the same profile. But he has two major drawbacks too. To be sure, he has never run for anything before, and that means he will likely have to overcome some of the unique challenges that have made many candidates, such as Hillary Clinton and Ben Carson, such formidable candidates for the presidency in recent years: a lack of an economic message, a large number of donors and a reputation for governing the way you want to.
Still, the biggest disadvantage DeSantis faces will be that for the first time ever, there is no one ahead of him. The two major candidates, Florida Sen. Bill Nelson and former U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis, are the two most viable candidates in Florida. A third candidate, Tallahassee businessman Andrew Gillum, has strong support in some polls, but that’s not enough to make a difference.
That leaves the rest of the crowded field — including DeSantis’s main Republican rivals, U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis and former state Attorney General Pam Keith — with one of the few advantages: Name recognition.
And none of the main candidates have the economic credentials that make DeSantis such a compelling candidate.
The argument that DeSantis has a real shot is that he has a clear economic message to deliver
