Article authors:
Reuters
Joseph Ax and Alexandra Ulmer
This week's testimony at a parliamentary inquiry on January 6 was that angry Donald Trump threw food at the walls of the White House. Described that he expressed his support. For threatening his vice president and dismissing the news that some of his supporters were armed with rifles.
The Democratic Party wants to remind voters why this revelation did not re-election the former president in 2020. ..
Neither Trump nor DeSantis have declared the White House's 2024 run yet, the first nomination contest is more than 18 months away, and the country is still on November 8th. Midterm elections that must pass to determine parliamentary control over the next two years. Trump has proven to be extremely resistant to political damage and continues to be the most popular figure in his party.
But there are still signs that DeSantis' stars are rising.
A prominent Republican donor, Dan Everhart, said that three-quarters of the approximately 150 donors with whom he regularly interacted six months ago supported Trump. Estimated 1 to go to DeSantis. Currently, the balance is changing. About two-thirds want DeSantis as a candidate for 2024.
"The donor class is ready to do something new," said Everhart, who supports both politicians, but said he was more excited about DeSantis. increase. "And I feel DeSantis is fresher and more tuned than Trump. He's easier to defend, less likely to be confused, and has more momentum."
DeSantis Appeared as a funding giant and has a treasure chest of political warfare similar to the size of a playing card. He has raised more than $ 120 million since taking office in 2018, and according to recent financial information, his political account cash exceeded $ 110 million in mid-June and was reelected in November. A campaign is planned.
By comparison, federal government disclosure revealed that his main political commissar, Trump's Save America group, had over $ 100 million in cash at the end of May.
If DeSantis runs for president, federal election rules prohibit the transfer of the remaining governor's election funds to the presidential election. However, he was able to refund the donor and reclaim the money for the White House bid.
"Inch away" is easier
A hearing on January 6 provided evidence that Trump and his inner circle pushed the conspiracy theory. A fraudulent vote that they knew was false would hurt Trump's position among his supporters. Trump, who was impeached twice, repeatedly opposed his conventional knowledge in the face of his previous scandal.
In his post on the Truth Social platform on Tuesday, Trump testified about his actions on January 6 and accused a former White House aide who denied her most explosive allegations. ..
His reaction proved that he recognized how harmful the testimony was, said Republican strategist Douglas Hay.
"It's beneficial for anyone considering running in 2024," Heye said. "This makes it easier for Republicans (candidates and voters) to leave Trump."
In a poll released last week in New Hampshire, it was traditionally the first generation. It was the location of the presidential primary and showed that Trump and DeSantis were statistically tied among Republican voters.
A poll at the University of New Hampshire found that 39% favored DeSantis and 37% favored Trump. This is a dramatic change from October, when Trump gained twice the support of DeSantis.
Former Vice President Mike Pence, who weighs the 2024 campaign after breaking up with Trump following the Capitol riots, was far one-third at 9%.
There were other signals suggesting that Trump's power over Republican voters was not absolute. He has seen various results in this year's midterm elections about the hottest support in the major swing states.
Trump spokesman Taylor Glitch said Trump is in an unprecedented "strong position." "Americans are hungry for his leadership," said Glitch.
A DeSantis spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.
DeSantis, 43, partially bears his political rise to Trump, who supported him to the governor in 2018, when DeSantis was a relatively ambiguous member of the House of Representatives. Trump's support helped DeSantis drive a turbulent victory in the Republican primary, where he defeated Democratic candidate Andrew Gillam, who was hit by a scandal that November.
After the coronavirus pandemic began in 2020, DeSantis was aggressively skeptical of containment policies, relaxing restrictions on businesses and schools and obliging masks, contrary to federal guidelines. Overturned local officials who tried to protect.
He is also numerous with the help of Republican-controlled legislatures, including election "police" dedicated to investigating fraudulent elections, new voting restrictions, and bans. Enacted a conservative bill. Teachers discussing gender identity with young children – critics have accused them of being “not homosexual”.
In an unprecedented move, he effectively took over the constituency change process from Republicans, rejected the map of Congress, added four seats to the Republicans, and eliminated the two majority black districts. Replaced with his own suggestion to do.
"He is engaged in all cultural warfare battles that can show the base that he is a fighter," Hay said. (Additional report by Jason Lange of Washington, edited by Scott Malone and Rosalva O'Brien)