The Controversial Rise of Ron DeSantis

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis risks alienating traditional Republicans as he sides with the MAGA wing of the party, which could hurt his sky-high approval numbers. DeSantis plans to peel off some MAGA voters from Trump by questioning the former president's character and competence and positioning himself as a younger, more electable alternative. However, with Trump's lead over DeSantis growing, it's likelier that Trump's support among the MAGA base will be hard to dislodge. DeSantis risks being caricatured as too hard-edged, even for some Republicans, if he keeps pandering to the most hardline conservative voters.