Trump and DeSantis Are on the Brink of War – The New Republic

Clearly the former president isunsettled by DeSantiss effective refusal to kiss the kings ring.

Clearly the former president isunsettled by DeSantiss effective refusal to kiss the kings ring. Every pollof Republican primary voters or straw poll of activists further pits thetwo Republicans against each other. And the number of contests and measurementsbefore presidential campaign season begins is small. So for both DeSantis andTrump, when they go to CPAC, the straw polls outcome will drive the narrativeof their own friction. DeSantis will be speaking on Thursday, and Trump will gettop booking as the headline event on Saturday night (the conference goes fromThursday through Sunday). Other possible presidential contenders like MarcoRubio and Ted Cruz will be speaking throughout the conference, alongside someof the most antagonistic figures in American politics: Candace Owens, Representative Lauren Boebert, and Representative Madison Cawthorn. Former Democratic Representative Tulsi Gabbardis speaking as well, for some reason.

The CPAC straw poll is an indicatorof momentum and the temperature of some of the partys most rabid activists,but one thing it isnt is a very good predictor. Since 2009, the onlystraw poll winner to go on to win the Republicannomination was Mitt Romney, in 2012. Nearly every other winner in over adecadeRon Paul, Rand Paul, and Ted Cruz, to name threehave not won the GOPnomination.

But the winner of the poll isgenerally regarded as the leader of an energized side of the Republican Party.It provides a level of legitimacy a candidate might otherwise not have. Ithink if DeSantis wins, its a shock wave for Trump, and I think DeSantis wouldbe ahead of schedule, a former top adviser to Senator Marco Rubio told me.

For a figure like Trump, whosepolitical fortunes and own ego depend on whether hes considered the supremeleader of the Republican Party, he needs two things to happen ahead of 2024. Heneeds to illustrate that he still holds an undeniable iron grip on theRepublican Party, and he needs to show his endorsements can install aRepublican in elected office. Trump has endorsedover 100 Republican candidates running for elected office this cycle, including13 candidates in Senate races and 53 candidates in House races. He still hasntendorsed in some of the biggest Republican races of the cycle, such as Arizona,Ohio, and Missouri. Most of his endorsementshave gone to Republicans who have questioned the legitimacy of the 2020presidential election.

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Trump and DeSantis Are on the Brink of War - The New Republic