Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Faces Critical Test in First Republican Debate against Trump
The first Republican debate of the 2024 U.S. presidential campaign is looming as a crucial moment for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. As he challenges former President Donald Trump for the party’s nomination, DeSantis is in desperate need of momentum. However, his task is made more challenging by Trump, who currently leads the race and has shown no interest in engaging with DeSantis.
Trump has declared that he will skip the debate in Milwaukee on August 23. If this happens, DeSantis is likely to become the main target of attacks from other candidates vying to surpass him and position themselves as the voters’ primary alternative to Trump. Rival campaigns, Republican political advisers, and a former presidential candidate all indicate that the field is expected to approach Trump cautiously while focusing their fire on DeSantis, who is slated to take the center spot on the debate stage.
DeSantis finds himself vulnerable as he faces scrutiny over his campaign spending and readiness for the national stage. In a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll, Trump garnered 47% of the Republican vote nationally, while DeSantis dropped 6 percentage points from July, polling at just 13%. None of the other candidates slated to attend the debate have managed to break into double digits.
Hotel entrepreneur Robert Bigelow, the primary donor supporting DeSantis’ presidential bid, expressed his reluctance to donate further unless the Florida governor attracts significant new donors and adopts a more moderate stance.
Former U.S. senator and Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum warned DeSantis to prepare for an onslaught of attacks during the debate. Santorum himself experienced the challenges of defending his record in Congress while briefly leading the 2012 election race.
Despite these obstacles, DeSantis has refrained from commenting on his debate preparations, leaving his campaign’s strategy unclear. However, Justin Sayfie, a former top adviser to Republican Jeb Bush, believes DeSantis, a former U.S. Navy attorney and Harvard Law School graduate, will be an effective sparring partner, able to punch back hard when necessary.
In addition to Trump and DeSantis, at least five other candidates are expected to qualify for the debate stage, including Nikki Haley, Doug Burgum, Chris Christie, Tim Scott, and Vivek Ramaswamy. Former Vice President Mike Pence, who initially struggled to meet the debate’s donor threshold, has reportedly qualified to participate.
Trump’s possible absence from the debate poses a dilemma for his lesser-known rivals. They must decide whether to attack him in his absence, with no risk of retaliation, or focus on engaging with the candidates present on stage. With the exception of Christie and Pence, most Republican candidates have stood by Trump despite his mounting legal troubles, including a recent federal indictment for alleged involvement in attempting to overturn the 2020 presidential election.
Although DeSantis has avoided delving into the specifics of the latest Trump case, he has criticized the politicized process and hinted at a potential pardon for the former president. While Trump does not feature prominently in DeSantis’ campaign speeches, the governor has subtly increased his criticism of Trump’s conduct when questioned about him on the campaign trail.
Former Senator Santorum encourages the candidates to seize the opportunity to challenge Trump, the front-runner, and try to win over some of his supporters. Aaron Kall, an expert on presidential debates at the University of Michigan, agrees that it’s a crucial moment to do so, emphasizing that it’s easier to confront Trump when he’s not present.
In conclusion, the upcoming Republican debate presents a substantial test for Ron DeSantis as he seeks to build momentum in his bid for the party’s nomination. With Trump reluctant to engage, DeSantis may find himself at the center of attacks from his rivals. The debate is an opportune moment for lesser-known candidates to introduce themselves to a national audience and potentially sway voters. As the Republican field takes the stage, only time will tell how the candidates approach the absent Trump and his leading position.
