Veteran Republican strategist Ed Rollins launched a line of criticism against Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and his 2024 presidential campaign, calling him a “very flawed candidate” with minimal chances of victory.
Rollins, who last year ran the Ready for Ron PAC to support DeSantis, told Rolling Stone “I don’t think it’s the campaign’s fault at all; it’s his.”
According to Rollins, DeSantis has been a “very flawed candidate” who tends to think out loud without understanding politics. Rollins added that DeSantis’s aggressive involvement in questionable culture wars may alienate a large portion of the electorate who do not fully grasp the nuances of these issues.
“But every time he opens his mouth, he has a tendency to – shall we say – think out-loud, and he clearly doesn’t understand the game.” Rollins told Rolling Stone. He added, “When you get into these culture wars the way that he has, the vast majority of people don’t understand what they are.”
Despite previously heading a PAC aimed at electing DeSantis, Rollins told the magazine he is “not involved” in any efforts to see the Florida governor ascend to the White House.
Furthermore, Rollins made a bold prediction that unless something significant happens, former President Donald Trump will likely secure the Republican nomination for the 2024 presidential race. Not warming to Trump, however, Rollins added that “unless something happens,” Biden will win in 2024.
DeSantis’s campaign has faced scrutiny over various issues, including his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, his campaign’s aggressive social media tactics some warn have soured grassroots activists in the Republican Party base, and his staunch stance on cultural controversies.
Rollins’s comments reflect a concern that these factors may hinder DeSantis’s ability to effectively connect with a broader electorate.
It is worth noting that Rollins’s critique comes from someone with firsthand experience in presidential campaigns, having worked with notable figures such as Ronald Reagan.
Meanwhile, Rollins’ comments were published by Rolling Stone as DeSantis sees his worst nationwide polling numbers yet: The candidate is at only 17% compared to Trump’s 54%, meaning the former president is now outperforming the governor by a whopping 37 points.
