Ron DeSantis, Florida Governor — Since his election as Florida's governor in 2018, DeSantis has positioned himself as a national figure by championing far-right causes — and successfully turned the nation's largest swing state a distinct shade of red.

✅ WINNING PATH

DeSantis doesn’t want to be the anti-Trump, but rather a more effective (and less scandalous) continuation of the former president’s political movement. By the numbers, it could be a winning primary coalition to combine Trump fans with loyal Republicans who are skeptical about a third straight Trump nomination. But it requires DeSantis to go at Trump directly — without alienating too many of his supporters — and position himself as a more electable alternative.

❌ LOSING PATH

His pre-launch struggles have exposed some of his liabilities: There’s the perception that he’s an awkward campaigner, and his efforts to sell Trump Lite to voters who want the full-calorie version have fizzled so far. Trump has attacked him from the left on abortion and entitlements, a strategy meant to undermine DeSantis’ electability arguments.

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