Are people here worried that DeSantis could beat Biden?

[Kaleva]

There are very few threads about OAN and NewsMax. Probably because folks think those two networks are inconsequential. There are many threads about Fox though and it's because people believe that network has a great deal of influence over a sizeable portion of the population .

The only reason anyone here should be worried about DeSantis is if one thinks he could defeat Biden in 2024. We know TFG and his Magahats are worried about DeSantis winning the Republican
nomination because of their attacks on him.

DeSantis would get about as much attention as Haley and Pence if people thought he had little to no chance of beating TFG.

[Elessar Zappa]

1. Anything's possible

but I’m not really worried about DeSantis beating Biden. He has the charisma of a turnip. He could beat Trump but I don’t think he will.

[Cosmocat]

70. The country is THAT stupid to make any R POTUS

I posted and told people that repeatedly after 45 came down the escalator, he was no joke because he was what the R party had become, and if he won the nomination the country was absolutely stupid enough to make him POTUS, cause the media would game the election as close as possible and the Rs would throw was much $hit at the wall as possible to see if it would stick.

Same process applies for any R, they just gaslight the country to believe anything like they did with Gore and Kerry and Hill.

I do agree, I would put a lot of $ on 45 over either Desantis or the field - again, he is the craven, immoral and full on fascist that speaks to the spirit of the cons - Desantis is doing it by action but end of the day as much as some Rs want a more low key person doing it, there just are more Rs who will go with the biggest strongman cause that is how they really want to roll.

[Mike Nelson]

2. Of course...

... remember the Electoral College? Voter suppression? The Republicans have been busy - they want it to be easier next time.

[hamsterjill]

12. +1

Thank you. I don’t think enough attention gets paid to this. Repukes don’t believe in rules; they believe it’s cunning to learn how to bend rules.

[Mad_Machine76]

43. Speaking of which

Did that federal electoral reform bill get passed and signed into law? I honestly lost track of it. Not the voting rights one but the ECA.

[former9thward]

92. Yes. Late December, 2022

Biden Signs Electoral Count Reform Act Into Law


https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/biden-signs-electoral-count-reform-act-into-law/

[Mad_Machine76]

95. Thanks.

I guess I just missed it in all of the MAGA madness.

[bucolic_frolic]

3. Anything can happen in an election

Anything. All things being normal, I'm not worried. An economy can go sour, the media can catch a gaffe obsession, an illness can tilt a campaign. Personally I don't think Biden should debate DeSantis. There is no point to it.

DeSantis is basically Reagan, but with malice toward all.

Prepare for anything.

[DFW]

5. I think DeSantis is more Joe McCarthy with a better PR team

In any sane country, he should do as well as Colonel Sanders should do in a chicken coop, but we are being optimistic when comparing our electorate and our electoral system to that of a sane country.

[betsuni]

4. No.

But, Americans are stupid.

[Mister Ed]

6. DeSantis is cause for great concern, even if he doesn't run for the presidency at all.

He has been rapidly turning Florida into his own personal fascist fiefdom. That alone should worry people everywhere.

DeSantis supporters have been adopting the slogan, "Make America Florida". It would be unwise to laugh them off and say "It can't happen here." Many Americans said that in 2016; many Germans said it in 1933.

Instead of "It can't happen here", our mindset needs to be that we'll work to make damn sure it doesn't happen here.

[allegorical oracle]

28. ++++

[Hotler]

32. I agree. If he or the orange ones take the presidency democracry will die

within 24-hours of taking oath of office.

[PortTack]

7. Not really....here's why I don't think so

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100217724425

Especially the woman standing in line saying why she would never vote for desatan..it’s wide spread!

[pnwmom]

8. If a third party-er runs, especially the one with the family name who is now putting out feelers,

that could help someone like Desantis or Trump win.

Even if the person runs in the D primary, it would still hurt a Biden re-election.

And that is probably his goal because he's compared the Biden administration and the Covid vaccine to Hitler.

[Demsrule86]

23. I disagree completely.Biden is the only candidate who can carry the states we need to win.

And Biden will win. I just think you don't like Biden which is of course fine. And I have no idea what unknown candidate you refer to. Is there a reason you can't name this person?

[pnwmom]

61. I think Biden has done a great job, but history has shown us that 3rd party runs

can be very harmful. So can challengers in primaries against incumbents.

We're not supposed to bash Democrats, right? This person hasn't said which part he'll be running in, but his family members are Dems.

[Demsrule86]

25. Any Democrat who runs against a sitting president is finished in the party.

[LakeArenal]

36. Yes. And no one of consequence is going to primary Biden.

Biden will run and win.

[pnwmom]

63. This so-called progressive person would only have to draw a few percent of the vote

to hurt Biden in a three way race with the R.

And this person has already announced an exploratory candidacy, so that rules out anyone who ran last time.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

67. Yep! Ted Kennedy - never to be heard from again!

[Demsrule86]

75. He never ran for president again now did he...and many resented him too. I went to church with

with a woman who worked with him towards the end of his career...he said running against Carter and blocking Health Care were some of his worst mistakes. Carter was not popular with Democrats when he was in office...they treated him as an outsider. Kennedy became a Senator due to his family name and he was a good one.

[Mad_Machine76]

42. Are you referring

to Robert Kennedy Jr.?

[pnwmom]

62. We're not supposed to bash Democrats, so I haven't been naming the person.

But that is a logical conclusion.

[Demsrule86]

78. One of the Kennedy's right...sorry and ant-vaxer who sides with the GOP much of the time?

No one cares about the Kennedys anymore. And that guy has baggage. IMHO, he would run to try to throw the election to the fascists GOP...someone else gave his name...looks like his Dad I think but doesn't sound like him. I doubt he could win even Massachusetts.

[pnwmom]

81. The problem is, as we've already seen, a 3rd party person drawing just a few percentage points

can take away enough progressive votes to throw the election to the R's.

Ask Hillary Clinton. If Jill Stein hadn't run, Hillary would have carried enough states to win.

[Demsrule86]

86. Yes indeed.

[Groundhawg]

9. Desantis isn't running. That's why no story.

[womanofthehills]

100. Agree - with so many people in the GOP running

Trump will take the nomination. If it was just Desantis vs Trump, I think Desantis would win.

[JT45242]

10. Disagree...worry because DeSantis is blueprint for other states...

Iowa's legislature took up versions of don't say gay, repeal gay marriage, anti-trans and several other fascist style laws that were essentially cut and paste of the Florida versions. Pretty sure other states with total legislature majority and rethug governor's will do the same. Also will gut voting like desayin an effort to set up apartheid system of minority control.

Overly focusing on federal elections in 2010 especially is why we have gerrymandered rethug state legislatures with overwhelming majority. We need to be diligent against these fascists at all levels and all branches of government.

[Omnipresent]

11. Worried?

He’s only appealing to the far right, here in Florida. The rest of the nation, won’t put up with his fascist mindset.

[Sky Jewels]

74. Except he won re-election easily in FL,

so that wasn't only the far right voting for him.

[Omnipresent]

90. Florida is a red state now..

Desantis can’t carry Pennsylvania and many of the other blue states to get to 270 electoral votes.
They won’t buy into his shit.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

13. Of course!!! Know people don't believe in polls but

Last one I saw had little d beating the President.

[Phoenix61]

15. Not this one.

https://www.newsweek.com/trump-desantis-neck-neck-biden-matchup-poll-1787827?amp=1

[Laura PourMeADrink]

17. Great turn around from February! Hope other new polls

Do the same. Thanks

[Polybius]

47. 1 point lead is way too close

He should be up by 20.

[Phoenix61]

49. He should but as my much missed father would say, "We are surrounded by idiots."nt

[Polybius]

50. I really hope (and think) Biden runs again

I think we lose if he doesn't.

[Phoenix61]

51. I have no doubt he will.

He wouldn’t have approved Willow if he wasn’t going to run. It was one of those decisions a politician makes because they have to, not because they want to.

[Kaleva]

19. Which poll is that?

[Laura PourMeADrink]

55. Marquette A/B jan 26. Know saw more but doesn't look

Like 538 lists past polls like they used to.

[Kaleva]

57. This Feb 3 Marquette poll is good news for DeSantis

"His threat to Trump is that he’s popular inside Trump’s house."




https://law.marquette.edu/facultyblog/2023/02/polling-of-trump-and-desantis-and-2024/

[Laura PourMeADrink]

60. The three seem pretty neck and neck. Should be interesting

if/when trump gets indicted. But hope desantis and TFG tear each other down.

[Kaleva]

71. I agree.

Hoping that DeSantis and TFG create a big rift in the Republican Party.

[Butterflylady]

14. Absolutely not!

Neither rump nor desatanl will defeat Biden.

[Phoenix61]

16. No. He has little appeal to any except RWNJ. nt

[Kaleva]

18. Isn't that Trump's appeal?

[Demsrule86]

21. No he is completely different than Trump.

[Kaleva]

22. Trump's appeal is to moderates?

[Demsrule86]

33. Trump was an unknown...DeSantis has a record which means he won't win a general.

There is no way he can move to the center. And let's face it Trump did not win, We Democrats dropped the ball in that so many did not support Hillary in the General.

[Demsrule86]

20. He won't win a General. He has destroyed himself.

[dembotoz]

24. ummmm we had similar confidence about hrc

and how did that work out for us?

[Irish_Dem]

27. +1

[Kaleva]

29. Many here felt that there was no way TFG could win in 2016

[Demsrule86]

79. He didn't win...some on our side refused to help Hillary win by not voting for her in the

General. I don't know how they sleep at night honestly.

[Kaleva]

82. That's like saying a football team didn't win because...

a number of players on the other team didn't put in much of an effort.

But I do agree that Hillary could have won had people who stayed home because they didn't like her for whatever reason saw the big picture and went out to vote for her.

[Demsrule86]

84. Our side dropped the ball and I still remember some sneering about the courts...

Like courts don't matter? Some on our side supposedly (Greens) helped defeat hillary. Fuck them. I despise them

[Demsrule86]

102. You know what happened in 16 come on...the Green lived in the states that Trump one by a

few votes...I hope none of them have a peaceful night.

[Kaleva]

104. And TFG was declared the winner

One can give a number of reasons why Hillary lost and Trump won but in the end, Trump was declared the winner

[Ace Rothstein]

80. Biden also barely won in 2020.

I can't believe people here still think there is no way X candidate can win. Have people completely ignored the last decade?

[Demsrule86]

85. That is not true.

[Ace Rothstein]

88. It absolutely is true.

You flip around 30k votes in three states and Biden loses. Doesn't matter how big he won the national vote by. People writing off anyone electorally are off their rocker.

[Demsrule86]

87. Hillary would have won had people voted for her and not helped Trump -Greens particularly.

Everyone should have learned their lesson in the 16 General.

[Irish_Dem]

26. The GOP cheats and Putin helps them. Anything is possible.

[we can do it]

30. No

[Tom Rinaldo]

31. ALWAYS worry. Reagan and Trump became President

At this point in those presidential election cycles almost no one thought that possible.

[Torchlight]

34. Not sure what this afternoon will bring,

so I'm certainly clueless as to what the 2024 election will bring. I find a particular liberation in telling myself, "I simply don't know, and would look foolish pretending to."

[newdayneeded]

35. I feel he would have a better chance than

trump to win the presidency, but there's no way he gets the nomination over trump. the cult is too strong for donny.

[Poiuyt]

37. Yes, I'm worried

If DeSantis gets the Republican nomination, there's a good chance he would become president. Most people vote for their party's nomination, regardless of whom he or she is. Republicans won't care how evil DeSantis is, they'll vote for him in a general election.

My fear is that Biden is not a strong candidate because people will hold his age against him. Biden has had many accomplishments as president, but he hasn't done a good job promoting himself. He needs to find some good PR people who can spin his age into a positive in addition to touting his many accomplishments.

[Johonny]

38. It is not clear yet that he can even beat Trump

But the assumption is Biden beat Trump because Trump has zero broad appeal left, a lot of people were/are tired of him and his act.

It's unclear if Biden could beat a non-Trump GOP candidate. Although incumbents tend to run stronger than expected.

[Silent3]

39. ANY Republican can beat Biden, and I say that as no reflection on Biden

Our electorate is not a bright bunch, or Trump never could have won.

People don’t need to love DeSantis (or any other eventual Republican nominee), they just need to hate him less than Biden, and Republicans sure know how to gin up hatred and blame.

The current banking problems, obviously to due to Republican deregulation – not so clear to our average American voter. For them the logic is “during Biden admin, therefore Biden’s fault”.

People worry about DeSantis because if he were to win, a possibility you really do need to understand is realistic, we know he’d take his Florida fascism nationwide.

[maxrandb]

40. I am more concerned that there are a lot of "sane" American voters

that would say; "meh, how bad could he be"?; "both parties are just the same"; or, "how much damage could he possibly do, it's only 4 years"?

I also worry that folks will decide; " well, I am going to message vote for 'X', because Biden didn't solve all of America's problems in two years".

[Mad_Machine76]

41. I'm not complacent about it

if that's what you mean. That being said, I feel like it would take some health crisis, huge blunder or misstep or (real) scandal to seriously threaten Biden for re-election in 2024 by any Republican. As things look right now, I think that he will probably get re-elected. The 2022 midterms were hardly a disaster for us and we actually increased our majority in the Senate by 1. But we have to make sure to hold the team together, get young voters out to the polls, and attempt to counter voting/election shenanigans by Republicans in some states. Thankfully, we have a strong progressive majority in Michigan, we have Democratic officials in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin (even if Tony Evers is the only one holding back the right-wing tide) and Arizona. Hard to know if we will hold Georgia next year, but we didn't need it to win in 2020. Georgia and Arizona were just the cherries on the top of victory.

[Chakaconcarne]

44. nope

[DemocratSinceBirth]

45. "Donald Trump would rather see Joe Biden be president for a thousand years..."

"Donald Trump would rather see Joe Biden be president for a thousand years than see Ron DeSantis be president for ten minutes." -Rick Wilson

[Polybius]

46. I wouldn't worry much if it was DeSantis vs. Biden

I'd deeply worry if it was DeSantis vs. anyone else.

[ananda]

48. No. It's the house and the senate that matter most now.

Biden will win handily.

[In It to Win It]

52. I'm not worried, but if he wins the nomination, it's certainly possible

[W_HAMILTON]

53. You don't think we should be worried about him turning Florida into his own fascist utopia?

Even if he never amounts to anything on the national stage like other prominent Florida politicians -- *cough cough* Rubio, Jeb, etc. -- he's still destroying what was quite recently a pivotal swing state, not some red state hell hole that he's fashioning it into now. And people should be rightfully upset about that.

[Kaleva]

54. Do you think he'll be reelected as governor?

That the people of Florida would like him to continue what he is doing ?

[Zorro]

56. He was just reelected last year

It's his second term.

[Kaleva]

58. And he won in a landslide

Which should tell us that he's popular in Florida

[W_HAMILTON]

65. I think that if he continues his fascist ways, which he certainly will continue to do...

...it won't matter what the people of Florida want, because he will continue to use his power to consolidate and protect his and his fellow Republicans' power, and he's already done several times already.

Who is going to stop him? The Florida legislature which he gerrymandered in such a way to entrench his fellow Republican fascists into power? The Supreme Court of Florida whose majority has been appointed by him? The United States Supreme Court whose majority was hijacked by another fascist Republican?

[JCMach1]

59. Trump will burn him and the whole Republican party down first

Should his nomination be 'stolen', he will go third party... Even from jail.

[maxsolomon]

64. A systemic banking collapse and ensuing recession

could put any Repuke in the White House. Americans love to blame Democrats for not fixing everything perfectly all at once.

[Midnight Writer]

66. Marvelous Marvin Hagler, the dominant middle-weight boxing champ, summed it up in my mind.

He respects anyone who gets into the ring with him. He figures that if they can earn a match against him, then they must have the ability to be a threat.

I laughed at Trump. I won't make a mistake like that again.

[UTUSN]

68. kr

[DFW]

69. I am not worried that DeSantis could beat Biden in a fair election.

I AM worried that he could take office, though.

Is that a sad testimony on the integrity of our elections, or what?

[Kennah]

72. If Trump can "win" ...

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

73. There's no way DeSantis could beat Biden. Just as ...

... there was no way Trump could beat Clinton.

First, though, DeSantis has to beat Trump. That might be a tough job.

[Sky Jewels]

76. I despise Tiny D for many reasons, but

the one that is very, very galling is that he's forcing me to sort of root for the Tiny Mushroom Dicked Former Guy, that he stay influential and eligible for office long enough to utterly destroy Ronito Mussolini's White House dreams.

[sarcasmo]

77. DeSantis won't beat Trump, indicted Trump or imprisoned Trump, for the GOP nomination.

[Vinca]

83. Yes, but only because despite being every bit as dangerous and nuts as Trump, he's

managed to craft a veneer of being somewhat normal and will snooker Trump-hating Republicans who might have either voted for Joe or stayed home rather than vote.

[Xandric]

89. Trump will make Desantis unelectable

If Ron beats Trump in the primary, the latter will be so hur that he will instruct his followers to abstain in the general, or run as an independent even.

[Happy Hoosier]

91. With so many MAGAts...

... and so many "independents" apparently complete idiots, I am worried. But I have some hope that the GQP is in the process of destroying itself.

[Raine]

93. I think he could become president if he gets the nomination. nt

[area51]

94. I don't think DeSantis can beat Biden;

I don't think he can even beat #DementiaDonnie for the nazi party nomination.

[Hekate]

96. DeSantis has a fan club here in California, so there's that

Anything can happen in this day and age, sadly.

[mvd]

97. It's healthy to keep some worry

I never thought TFG would get in the WH. Got to be on the lookout for bad tactics from the Repuke nominee. They are basically the authoritarian/fascist party. That said, I don’t think he would beat President Biden. Chances are he would have a hard time getting by TFG, too.

[B.See]

98. The thing that makes DeSantis more dangerous than Trump...

... is that he has been more clever than Trump, at disguising endorsement and support for outright fascist and supremacist ideologies via soft target, rabble rousing, hot button issues, as well as getting those hate based initiatives, cleverly and deliberately worded in vague legalese, passed with seemingly little opposition stateside.

In his state at least, he's so far, successfully couched anti-diversity, anti-inclusion, anti-education, anti-minority, anti-medicine and and anti-voter rights rhetoric and initiatives under the guise of "freedom" - specifically the "freedom" to erase those and that with which his far right ideology disagrees, including journalists and protesters,

and "freedom" to impose his own will upon the populace.

He's Trump with a modicum of intelligence. A dangerous combination. Especially considering the mentalities of the MAGA voter, in which the more radically crazy, morally bereft, and reprehensible the candidate, the BETTER. A race to out low the lowest.

Which is why something like this is occurring:

NEW POLL: Pennsylvania Republican Voters Are Once Again Backing Mastriano Despite 15-Point Loss in 2022 Midterms


Meaning, MAGA Republicans are doubling down on CRAZY. The only UPSIDE possibly being that a more dangerously contemptible version of Trump might ALSO alienate many fence-sitter voters who've yet to realize the threat to DEMOCRACY either candidate, Trump or DeSantis, brings.

'Obnoxious and nasty' DeSantis isn't winning voters outside GOP base: MSNBC's Donny Deutsch

[LudwigPastorius]

99. Of course I'm worried.

It's early, but Biden and DeSantis are tied in general election polling.

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2024/president/us/general_election_desantis_vs_biden-7967.html

[iemanja]

101. Yes

[BannonsLiver]

103. Complacency is a bad way to go.