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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is opening the market for alternatives to Donald Trump, who has underperformed in his bid for the Republican presidential nomination.
Business leaders are voting for a candidate wedded to particularly conservative policies but without the culture war or Trump’s theatrics and contingencies seen in DeSantis in recent months.
Among the names being discussed by Republican operatives are governors Glenn Youngkin of Virginia and Brian Kemp of Georgia — both of whom have hosted recent meetings for high-level donors.
Brian Darling said: “A Reagan-esque candidate who doesn’t try to outdo Maga Trump on economic issues, who talks about free market policies and praises — not demonization — of big business would be welcome in the race.” Former aide to Senator Rand Paul and executive director at the conservative Heritage Foundation.
Youngkin previously said he would not run “this year.” Asked about his plans on Wednesday, he said: “The expectation that I can do this is very modest. . . But I will continue to focus on Virginia.
Still, the growing clamor to impeach him is prompting Republican operatives to parse his words. “Youngkin is connecting with business types who are open to the message. . . Basically, he’s not crazy,” said a top New York donor consultant.
A source close to the Virginia governor’s political campaign acknowledged that donors have been encouraging him to “keep his future options open.”
Others are cheering for Kemp, who defeated two-time progressive Stacey Abrams in the governor’s race and Trump’s efforts to overturn the results of Georgia’s 2020 presidential election. “Brian Kemp is beloved by conservatives,” said Daniel Faraci, a Republican strategist who promoted conservative groups in Washington when DeSantis first ran for Congress.
Two other Republican candidates who are close to the business community are New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie. Sununu, in particular, has repeatedly criticized Dessantis Design and other corporations for attacking so-called “vigilant” policies – a practice he dismisses as contrary to the party’s traditional principles.
“I think the best foundation of the Republican Party is limited government, local control. Appreciating private businesses and the free market is what makes this country great,” Sununu said in a recent interview with Fox News at a conference in DeSantis’ home state of Florida.
Christie, who described himself as a tough but pragmatic conservative in his 2016 bid for the party’s nomination, is being encouraged by donors to consider another run and is expected to make a decision within weeks.
“It was a moment and [DeSantis] He lost it, and that made people look for a third option,” said Mike Duhaime, a New Jersey Republican consultant who is close to Christie.
Still, some Republican analysts are convinced the race is Trump’s to lose, and challenging him is a big risk. When they do, a candidate is set for a months-long outcry that can lead not only to defeat, but also to their political downfall. Paradoxically, the more people enter the race, the more likely Trump is to win in a divided field.
Others who jumped into the race failed to gain traction. According to a new Realclearpolitics.com polling average, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley has the support of 4.6 percent of Republican primary voters, while former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson has just 0.8 percent. South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, who announced his White House bid last week, garnered 1.9 percent of voters.
DeSantis’ campaign got off to a tumultuous start last week when he sided with Elon Musk on Twitter. The Florida governor’s move began late last year, when Trump was vulnerable and many pundits speculated that the populist spell he had cast over the party had finally broken.
The former president, who was endorsed in the midterm elections, fared poorly in key contests in Pennsylvania, Georgia and Arizona. Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp media empire has turned on Trump, labeling him a “loser” in the pages of the New York Post as he paints DeSantis as the future of the party. Several criminal investigations appear to threaten Trump’s candidacy.
“I think there was an opportunity for somebody to challenge Trump after the midterms, but nobody stepped up except for DeSantis,” Darling said.
Florida’s governor developed an early enthusiasm and built a formidable war chest. But since then he has struggled. One challenge for DeSantis is how to take on Trump without alienating the former president’s loyal fans. Recent polls show him following Trump at more than 30 percent — though it’s still early days. DeSantis hopes to gain momentum this week with appearances in Iowa and New Hampshire.
For many business leaders, it has been a relentless focus on hot-button social issues like restricting abortion and restricting school curricula. There are also doubts about his compassionate approach.
Interactive Brokers founder Thomas Peterffy recently transferred $1mn to Yongkin’s political operation after he said he had stopped donating to DeSantis. Other big GOP donors, including Blackstone CEO Stephen Schwarzman, have met with DeSantis but have yet to give to him.
Despite DeSantis’ setbacks, Trump’s campaign has been dogged by legal problems, including a $5 million civil lawsuit over sexual assault allegations, but he notes the durability of his relationship with supporters. His failed re-election campaign is showing an insurgent energy that some advisers believe has been lacking.
“This is not Trump 2020,” Farassi said. “This is Trump 2016.”
In contrast, Farassi signed the “Don’t Say Gay” law last year, criticizing DeSantis’ ongoing feud with Disney, which restricts discussion of gender identity in elementary schools.
The Florida governor believes he should have used Bob Iger’s recent return as media company CEO as an opportunity to make peace. Instead, he continues to battle the state’s largest private employer.
“He can’t let him go,” he said.
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