The Story of 2023: Trump vs. DeSantis

January 31, 2023

President Trump did events in South Carolina and New Hampshire over the weekend where he took shots at the governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, saying it would be “disloyal” of him to challenge for the Republican nomination in 2024. This is a preview of what Clay sees as the big story this year: Two 800-pound gorillas throwing haymakers.

Former President Donald Trump said Florida governor Ron DeSantis is trying to rewrite history about the pandemic response and would be ‘disloyal’ if he ran for president https://t.co/jaATfU1sxm pic.twitter.com/zN36k8RcaN

— CNN (@CNN) January 29, 2023

Buck gives 10-to-1 odds that DeSantis runs — Clay would be stunned if he doesn’t — but this is not the kind of loyalty a president can realistically expect to demand. What’s noteworthy is that the governor is firing back.

DESANTIS RESPONDS TO TRUMP ATTACKS: “I roll out of bed, I have people attacking me from all angles […] In my case, not only did we win re-election, we won with the highest percentage of the vote than any Republican governor candidate in the history of the state of Florida.” pic.twitter.com/FLEXeVPlRn

— Florida’s Voice (@FLVoiceNews) January 31, 2023