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Devin Kennemore's avatar

Given the reality that Trump may well find himself behind bars or otherwise disqualified from running in the next 6-8 months, I think it is still useful to have a field of alternatives standing by at the ready. Given the trajectory of DeSantis’s campaign vs the trajectory of Ramaswamy’s, if Trump goes down, we may well be faced with voting for him in the 2024 general election. It’s not an inconceivable path to the nomination. His 12% might get up over 50% in such a scenario. Hard to say. Are the Trump base so incorrigible that they would stay home and hand it to Biden rather than vote for anyone who opposed Trump in the primaries? That would mean their mortal enemy took out their man, so they handed said enemy the election as a reward. That’s insane, but is also not inconceivable! What a completely crazy-assed world we are living in. Stop the merry-go-round! I want to get off!

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Check Valve's avatar

Trump is many things but a coward is not one of them. Vivek also went to Miami when Trump had to go to court saying he would pardon Trump if elected; that statement inferred guilt on Trump’s part targeting him. That’s two strikes against Vivek for me.

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David Blackmon's avatar

Yeah, I mean, the thing is if Trump did debate, he would decimate the field. Ramaswamy is smart, but so it Ted Cruz, and Ted never won a single debate with Trump. But why should Trump give any of these people any more air than they've earned on their own?

Obviously, he shouldn't.

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Check Valve's avatar

Exactly

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Sharon Campbell's avatar

Vivek doesn’t support Israel either. That position did it for my even giving him any consideration.

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SmithFS's avatar

It didn't help DeSantis that he sold Floridians down the sewer with his buddies in NextEra, the Scam Solar Energy Grifters.

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David Blackmon's avatar

If memory serves, NextEra and other solar energy grifters benefit from a state renewable portfolio standard that went into effect long before Ron DeSantis became governor. I'm pretty sure we have Jeb! Bush to blame for that one.

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SmithFS's avatar

Well he hasn't done anything to stop the insanity.

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David Blackmon's avatar

If my memory about this is correct (and I'm only about 95% sure on the policy), then any state-level RPS is enacted via legislation. For DeSantis to do anything to stop the insanity would require a legislative fix, which to my knowledge neither he nor anyone in the Florida legislature pursued. So, I suppose we could blame the Governor in part, but I would imagine repealing or modifying an RPS would be a pretty low priority on the Florida GOP's to-do list right now.

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SmithFS's avatar

Dave Walsh seems to think DeSantis is in on the scam:

"DSantis energy message at odds with what his PSC appointed team doing to Florida. All about dependance on China supplied costly, very part time, intermittent gear replacing American nat. Gas. "

https://gettr.com/post/p2nl5fs1f5b

FLORIDA PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION:

https://www.psc.state.fl.us/about

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Brandon Stover's avatar

I feel like Trump would lose ground debating. Sounds akin to running from the basement if you ask me. If you think you'll decimate your opponents, then go. End their campaigns after the first debate. Absorb their voters. That's how it SHOULD go...

Side note. Another issue with desantis is the Trump loyalists who all rooted for ron and celebrated him as the guy in 2028, never once thought hed be perfect for 24 as he should be. The loyalists are so threatened by him they won't even vote his way in 2028. They're acting like he's Jeb or something. .. Honestly makes me think we lose 2024 AND 2028 now.

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