On the surface, former President Donald Trump and California Gov. Gavin Newsom would seem to be political foes, but they appear to share the same goal: taking down Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
In recent weeks, both Trump and Newsom have launched relentless attacks against DeSantis, using similar arguments and talking points not only to target the Florida governor’s record but also seemingly to push him out of the 2024 presidential race before he ever enters it.
Meanwhile, Trump and Newsom have refrained from targeting each other harshly, even when given the opportunity to do so, creating a curious political situation in which the nation’s most prominent Republican and one of its most prominent Democrats are seemingly allied in directing their political ire toward DeSantis.
Newsom, a Democrat, has been regularly attacking DeSantis for the several months, calling the Florida Republican a “bully,” airing a TV ad slamming his governorship, and even challenging him to a debate.
GAVIN NEWSOM’S OFFICE FAILS TO PROVIDE PROOF OF FLORIDA COLLEGE BOOK BAN CLAIMED BY CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR
Trump, however, only starting attacking DeSantis over the last couple of months as he wages his 2024 Republican presidential campaign. DeSantis, who hasn’t announced a White House bid, is nonetheless widely considered Trump’s chief rival in the GOP primary.
“Ron DeSantis is a young man who is not doing well against me in the polls, to put it mildly,” Trump wrote this week on Truth Social. “I believe that if he decides to run for president, which will only hurt and somewhat divide the Republican Party, he will lose the cherished and massive MAGA vote, and never be able to successfully run for office again.”
In a press release sent out hours later, Trump’s campaign questioned whether DeSantis would support a change to Florida law that requires state lawmakers to resign if they’re running for federal office. The campaign also referenced how, in 2018, DeSantis resigned from Congress while running for…
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