"[Now that DeSantis has withdrawn,] I think that people are going to be forced to vote for Trump. So probably what will happen is that a lot of people won't vote for him in the primary, but in the general election they probably will because it's just such a horrific choice [offered by the Democrats]." Brian Camenker (a DeSantis supporter) 
"… Every day that the Republican Party cannot get behind their frontrunner is one day more of precious resources being spent on inter-party fighting instead of using that money to do what has to be done in the election this fall." Gary Bauer (a Trump supporter) |
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis dropped out the race over the weekend, leaving just Trump and Nikki Haley on the ballot for Tuesday's New Hampshire primary. Haley has expressed confidence she'll do well in New Hampshire and predicts some level of momentum with the primary in her home state of South Carolina coming up right after.
But Josh Hammer, senior editor-at-large for Newsweek and host of The Josh Hammer show, said on American Family Radio Monday that Haley's view is not what's best for Republicans – and it's time for Republicans of all stripes to get behind Trump.
That's precisely what DeSantis did when he endorsed Trump during his Sunday announcement that his campaign would cease operations. Trump responded by saying he would "retire" the nickname of "Ron DeSanctimonious" that he has applied to DeSantis in months and months of sound bites.
The Newsweek journalist suggested voters instead should focus on Trump's record and how the 45th president can defeat President Joe Biden in a general election. Hammer, a Florida resident since the pandemic, told show host Jenna Ellis he has been a "proud supporter" of DeSantis, but the math is what the math is.
"It was very clear to me after Iowa that there was no path forward for Gov. DeSantis. I was pleased to see that the campaign ultimately agreed with me. I think it's time for Gov. DeSantis to come home and focus on what he does best, which is kick butt in Tallahassee and just pass super-conservative, super-dynamic legislation and continue to lead our great state there," Hammer said.
The DeSantis campaign struggled to gain traction from the get-go, and Iowa was a "crushing blow," Hammer wrote in Newsweek. DeSantis received only 21.3% of the vote, slightly ahead of Haley.
It was a disappointing result after DeSantis had put so much effort into a strong boots-on-the-ground Iowa campaign.
Trump supporters should welcome DeSantis' endorsement
Mending fences is not only about DeSantis supporters saying they'll back Trump. It's also about Trump backers showing class in victory with "gracious actions like normal human beings," Hammer said. This describes most of Trump's supporters – but not all.
"After DeSantis did drop out yesterday, there definitely were some individuals and some organizations that put out some pretty vile statements, rejecting the endorsement," he pointed out. "That is the exact opposite of what any political movement should want.
"My message to [Trump] supporters is extremely straightforward: Your guy crushed in Iowa. He's going to be the nominee, just act normal, and most people are going to end up coming home."
Hammer said DeSantis' rise as a presidential candidate came because he so deftly guided Florida and increased his popularity there during a time of change for the Republican Party, whose emphasis has shifted from global to domestic.
"I have benefited tremendously from the leadership and governance of America's greatest governor, someone who almost single-handedly really put this state on the trajectory that it is now on as one of the most formidable and dynamic red states in the country," he offered. "The Republican voter base looks a lot different than it used to; the Republican platform looks a lot different than it used to – and there is simply no going back, whatsoever."
According to Hammer, the GOP before Trump's term in 2016 leaned more toward "global swashbuckling back when it was the Wall Street Journal editorial board style of corporate tax cuts but not worrying about bread-and-butter economic concerns."
The current high costs of gas and groceries and high interest rates stand in stark contrast to Trump's emphasis on economic realities in 2016, he added.
Reassure faith voters; focus on economy, border
Current polling for a resumed rematch between Trump and Biden is almost too close to call. Two polls released last week had Biden slightly ahead after Trump led Biden in some polls last fall. That being the case, Hammer has some advice for the Trump campaign.
"I would encourage him to avoid going down the road of overly hot budding so-called cultural issues. Certainly, there are some issues that I think he should firm up his conservative bonafides on. He had some curious comments about Bud Light and the whole transgender phenomenon last cycle. I would encourage him to take a more conservative stance and reassure voters of faith and tradition for sure.
"You can really stick to an argument about quality-of-life issues that voters feel each and every day – the insane situation of the southern border, the migrants who are flooding in, inflation and the economy and wages and job growth and, and the increasing income gap in this country, things like that," Hammer said.
Hammer said that very focused approach "would be a very good formula for success for Trump to win back suburban swing-state voters."
