DeSantis

Florida Governor Ron De Santis has not yet formally declared his candidacy for Republican presidential contender. Despite trailing front runner Donald Trump in the polls by a wide margin, he is expected to announce his candidacy this week.

Throughout his term in office, DeSantis has focused on fighting the culture wars that so appeal to the extreme right base of the Republican Party rather than concentrating on improving the lives of his constituents. 

Florida under DeSantis’s watch has remained among the lowest in teachers’ wages in the country, has kept the minimum wage at $8.65 per hour, and has starved programs aiming to improve the lives of average citizens. 

To be sure, taxes are among the lowest in the country, but its public-school spending ranks 48th in the country. 

In his bid to outdo Trump, he has waged constant culture wars aimed at decimating the former president’s base and capitalize on his legal woes.

He has taken on Disney because that company, the largest employer in the state, dared to criticize his government’s anti LGBTQ language and policies after much pressure from its employees. He sought to eliminate how sexual equality and rights are taught in Florida schools with his “don’t say gay” campaign. His capriciousness in attacking Disney has led the company to cancel plans to make a $1 billion investment in the state that would have created 2000 jobs at an average salary of $120,000 per year. He has banned a long list of books that are classics from public libraries, discussing such issues as race relations, African American history, and the treatment of indigenous peoples.

His personality leaves much to be desired. He is an aggressive bully incapable of tolerating views that differ from his. He is vindictive and will go after perceived enemies with all of the power that his political position enjoys. Indeed, his decision to go against Disney despite the negative impact it could have on employment and tourism to Florida underscores his lack of maturity and competence for a presidency that will require consensus building and working across the aisle.

There are two fundamental questions one may ask: is he right and do his actions make political sense?

The answer to the first question is a resounding no. His policies on gay rights, African Americans, and undocumented immigrants are wrong. He has sent hundreds of undocumented migrants north to New York and is being accused of illegally transporting individuals across state lines. He has eliminated all funding for universities to host diversity programs, leaving black history in the dust.  His focus on cultural wars rather than on good governance and providing Floridians with better education and health coverage is wrong as Floridians are in a highly competitive investment and technological market in the U.S. and in the long run, an unhealthy and uneducated population will compete poorly with other states. 

Do his actions make political sense?

Indeed, they do. His main competitor for the Republican nomination is Donald Trump, and we know what his base stands for.

By focusing on the cultural wars, DeSantis has captured a majority of Latino voters in the state. These voters, most of whom have fled some form of leftist governments in Latin America or have immigrated from repressive, conservative Asian or Arab states, have little use for any policies that resemble social engineering in any form. Their social, sexual, and cultural values are conservative, and DeSantis’s policies resonate well with their value system.

Indeed, this affinity for DeSantis’s social posture led to his overwhelming victory over his Democrat challenger in the last gubernatorial election. 

Can DeSantis translate this into a winning Republican campaign.

I doubt it.

Outside of Florida, Trump’s base remains strong, and his history in the White House resonates well with these voters. Indeed, they long ago forgave Trump his sins and continue to see him as a strong leader capable of taking the country in the direction that they seek.

I also do not see DeSantis beating President Biden in a presidential contest.

Should he actually win the Republican nomination, his focus on cultural wars will not win him many independent voters or Democrats who are not especially enamored with President Biden. Nationwide, I do not see how his divide and conquer policies, his desire to return the country back to the early twentieth century, his mendacity and his bullying manner could appeal to centrist and progressive voters.

Although he might win a few poorer states mainly in the South, I believe that voters in wealthier and better educated states would reject his brand of politics and policies, voting for Biden’s more conciliatory and uniting rhetoric and progressive policies.

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Edition: Estefanía Cardeña