Dem
51
GOP
49
Back in the 1960s, the Avis rent-a-car company ran an ad campaign saying: "We are #2, so we try harder." It was brilliant and got a lot of attention. Politicians, on the other hand, rarely say: "I'm #2, so I try harder." They all say they are ahead and the best and blah blah blah, no matter what the facts are. So it was somewhat surprising when the spokesman for Gov. Ron DeSantis' (R-FL) super PAC "Never Back Down," Steve Cortes, declared: "Right now, in national polling, we are way behind. I'll be the first to admit that. I believe in being really blunt and really honest. It's an uphill battle."
All of that is true, of course, but it is very rare for any campaign to say that in public. Will that make potential donors more likely to throw money down the rathole? We suspect not, which is why campaigns are always so upbeat in public. Did DeSantis, who makes ads with himself in the middle of a bunch of bodybuilders, approve a comment that posits him as a beta (or maybe gamma or delta) male? We don't know but we suspect Cortes got an earful as soon as DeSantis got word of the comment.
The latest CNN poll has Trump at 47% and DeSantis at 26%. However, in some of the early states it is somewhat closer. If DeSantis were to do surprisingly well in Iowa or New Hampshire, that could change everything. Also, if Trump is indicted in Georgia or again by the feds, that could cost him at least some votes. Also, DeSantis really isn't that well known outside Florida. If he does spectactularly well in the debates, that could really help.
Cortes also said: "If we do not prevail, we will make President Trump better for having this kind of primary." What kind of defeatist talk is that? It's almost like a concession speech. Candidates and their spokespersons never talk about what happens if they lose because they always say they are not going to lose so they haven't even considered what might happen if they lose. DeSantis really needs to have a talk with this guy. (V)