DeSantis DODGES Trump’s Indictment – Weak or Strategic?

(DailyVantage.com) – Florida Governor and GOP presidential candidate Ron DeSantis is facing backlash from online audiences for his reaction to the latest indictment against former President Donald Trump. Many Trump supporters criticize DeSantis’s reaction to the indictment, calling DeSantis’s response “weak,” as he doesn’t mention Trump or the specific charges in his released statement.

DeSantis’s statement instead claims that DeSantis will end the weaponization of the political system, a campaign promise that DeSantis has repeated numerous times since announcing his campaign in May. DeSantis initially defended Trump during the first indictment against him, but he’s now remaining silent as the criminal cases against Trump continue to grow. DeSantis consistently polls as the second-most popular GOP candidate and will likely grow in popularity following Trump’s latest legal issues. While Trump’s ongoing criminal cases will be at the forefront of next year’s Republican primaries, Trump still maintains a lead over DeSantis despite facing local and federal charges in numerous cases.

DeSantis’s popularity may jump in the coming weeks, especially since the Florida Governor will be debating the controversial Democratic Governor of California, Gavin Newsom, on Fox News. Newsom challenged DeSantis to a debate months ago, and DeSantis initially declined the invitation to focus on his presidential campaign. But DeSantis recently accepted the debate invitation and will face off against Newsom to discuss topics like gun control, LGTBQ rights, and abortion access.

Newsom and DeSantis have been outwardly hostile to each other’s policies, a dynamic that will likely be clear in the debate. Newsom regularly uses his public appearances to criticize DeSantis and other conservative officials, despite the decline in his state during his time in office. While DeSantis is the second-most popular Republican running in next year’s election, his discourse with Newsom could elevate him to a new level of popularity if he does well.

Currently, there isn’t an official date for the DeSantis-Newsom Debate, but it will likely air around November 8th or November 10th, depending on factors like availability or public appearances for the two officials.