No Battle for Second Place

After wasting tens of millions of dollars, Ron DeSantis dropped out the day before New Hampshire. He didn’t contest a single primary (Iowa was caucuses). Republicans have run some pretty awful campaigns. Chris Christie. Rudy Giuliani. Rick Santorum. Greg Abbott. Chris Christie. But DeSantis may be the worst.

Is that me, kicking the smug vile torturer when he’s crawling away? Nope – look here:

So sad for me. I was creating maps. Also rans. Who would be the big loser to Trump. My maps were showing who was in second. I just started last week, not anticipating DeSantis’ slimy early exit. Look here:

Oh well. That was just a time sink anyhow. Neither DeSantis nor Haley stood a chance against Trump. The Republican base has revolted, and is no longer loyal to its traditional leaders. White shoe, corporate, board of directors, golf meetings… they are still there… but they do not command the loyalty, and certainly not the votes within the GOP.

I guess DeSantis had an angle – Trump’s politics, without Trump. But the rank and file LIKE Trump. They like his obnoxiousness. They like when he’s a jerk. Someone wants to be Donald Trump without being an asshole? Why would anyone pay that person any attention? Why? Why Ron? (and just an asterisk, that “without being an asshole” is a stretch). So off he goes, just like a Burmese Python (in the sense of, sorry Florida, he’s yours.) And while he went without a whimper, he’s not running for vice president, so we (except for Floridians) won’t see him again.

Haley is left standing, but has no angle. She appeals to those corporate Republicans who have been removed from power – in other words – to no one who is going to make a difference. She’s got a chance to win New Hampshire (but Trump probably wins 60-40) and a long shot to take her home state of South Carolina, but that’s pretty much it.

There is a huge question mark left. What if one of Trump’s trials goes badly for him? So, yeah, I don’t know what happens then.

There’s a smaller question mark, too. Haley looks like she might be campaigning for vice president. Unfortunately, she is somewhat intelligent, and somewhat capable – baggage that Elise Stefanik just does not have to carry. Plus, can you imagine Haley doing this:

Nolo contendere!