Is the Ron DeSantis hype real or just a meme?

[DaleCooper]

I think for now he's the only potential candidate (aside from Trump) that has any real shot, but it's a long way off still.

[DaleCooper]

There are a variety of reasons why Democrats shouldn't underestimate DeSantis. The biggest one being that he can unite the GOP in a way few others can. He's the only big name as far as I can tell that remained a public ally of Trump without being a spineless, groveling buffoon like Ted Cruz or Lindsay Graham did. He's also distant enough from Trump to be completely separated from things like the Capitol Riot and the attempts to steal the election. The boil it down, he's the "Trumpism without Trump" that people have been speculating about. He can appeal to Trump's base without the disgusting persona or the blatant criminality and overt disdain for democracy that turns off the suburbs.

He also is apparently a skilled campaigner that doesn't give up when the expert consensus is that his defeat is almost inevitable. A lot of people have tried to rewrite history on this, but don't forget that Gillum's loss was one of the biggest upsets of 2018 outside of a couple House elections.