Is the Ron DeSantis hype real or just a meme?

[Jerseyrules]

I think there are a ton of Republicans who know his name nationwide – just anecdotally, I know Republicans on both coasts who routinely mention him as their top choice if Trump doesn't run again. Obviously it's still 3.5 years out, he has to win reelection in 2022, etc., but I think it's hard to see other nationally viable Republicans right now who would be a more logical and/or popular choice. Obviously the Trump 2024 memes are memes for a reason, but I think he could play a decisive role as kingmaker. I think anyone who lost the 2016 primaries to Trump would also be a non-starter, because a lot of them have either done a complete about-face on many of their positions since then, like Rubio and possibly Cruz, or the sheer magnitude of their defeats (again, Rubio). I'm not saying it's impossible to bounce back from that, but it's definitely difficult. And I think there's an appetite for someone who's a relative newcomer, so people from the class of 2010 / 2012 may be a tough sell. And while some have mentioned the similarity of DeSantis's polling numbers to Christie's around this time in 2013, I think the main difference is that DeSantis is governor of one of the largest states in the country.