Does anyone seriously think DeSantis can win?

[emailking]

Unfortunately yes I do.

[BG-NY]

No clue, but I wouldn't vote for him. Anecdotally, the majority of the Obama-Trump voters I know aren't high on him either.

[PoliticsWatcher1]

If he makes it past the GOP primary, he can for sure win in the general.

[David Hume]

I don’t.

DeSantis has all the charisma and likability of a wet sock. He’s humorless, dour, as much of a charisma vacuum as Jeb Bush.

Say what you will about Trump, but you’ve gotta give him credit at least for being persuasive, funny, charismatic. He may not be a good man, or even that effective politically, but he’s got an infectious and charismatic persona.

Obama, similarly, was commanding, charismatic, a true leader just by the power of his oratory

DeSantis is even less appealing than Biden in terms of his personality. He’s got a whiny nasal voice, he’s dis likable; he’s seen as the “Don’t Say Gay” guy. His only support is from die hard Republicans; Trump had the support of anti establishment independents and people who would’ve been say Perot voters back in the 90s.

How can DeSantis win, even against a weakened Biden?

I agree with all of this. Every time I see DeSantis I'm left wondering how on earth this guy is seen as the heir apparent of the GQP.

If he really wins the presidency in 2024 he would be the least charismatic since GHWB and he's pretty unlikable as well. Joe Biden is often criticized for being uncharismatic, but he is very likable and someone America generally feels at ease with since he's been around forever and was Obamas VP for 8 years.

Joe Biden: Uncharismatic but likable.
Donald Trump: Highly charismatic, not likable.
Barack Obama: Highly charismatic, quite likable.
George W. Bush: Somewhat charismatic and very likable.
Bill Clinton: Highly charismatic and very likable.
George H.W.Bush: Neither charismatic or particularly likable. Mostly benefitted from being seen as competent and had a solid reputation as RR's VP.
Ronald Reagan: Highly charismatic and likable.
Jimmy Carter: Not charismatic but very likable.
Gerald Ford: Not charismatic. Probably neutral on likability.
Richard Nixon: Neither charismatic nor likable, but seen as highly competent.
Lyndon Johnson: Neither charismatic nor likable, but seen as highly competent.
John F. Kennedy: Highly charismatic and likable.

Going back further is probably pointless.

DeSantis is easily seen as highly competent.

[Senator Incitatus]

He would have a good chance. Politicians generally are weaker people than they used to be, even 20 years ago. It’s a natural consequence of politics becoming less important as power shifts to the corporate sphere. Biden and Trump, his key rivals, are emblematic of this.

[Agonized-Statism]

He would win if things are still bad or worse by then, but he's definitely overhyped. He's just another one of those pre-Trump Tea Party types who throws red meat to the base and doesn't excite the white working class or the far-right while turning off moderates and POC. Think Rick Perry. Trump was and could still reinvent himself as something different, and that will always present more opportunity on the electoral map. My hot take is that between him and Trump, only Trump could pull off a win in Nevada.

[TodayJunior]

Yes, and Dems are wise to start taking him on now.

[Burke Bro]

I think what's more important is the contrast between DeSantis and his opponents. He's 43, attractive, reasonably articulate, and has a young family. Trump is 76 and terminally online complaining about an election he lost. Biden is 79 and slips up in nearly every speech he gives. Trump and Biden are among the most unpopular politicians in the country and it's clear voters on both sides think they're too incompetent to decisively lead the country through the series of crises that its facing in the 2020s (COVID with Trump, Inflation/The Economy with Biden). I'll concede that DeSantis isn't the most charismatic or likable politician in the country, and that could pose a challenge for him when it comes to making connections in Washington that are critical to the success of his candidacy/possible presidential administration, but you'd be hard pressed to argue that the star's aren't aligning perfectly for him or another young, ambitious presidential contender.