Before the Iowa caucus comes around in mid-January, the Florida governor needs to find a way to make a connection. It's what DeSantis is lacking right now, David Brody said on American Family Radio last week. Brody is chief political analyst for CBN News.
"He needs to develop some sort of camaraderie, some sort of relationship – some sort of personality, quite frankly. We know he's smart, we know he fights the Left. How many times do we have to hear from Ron DeSantis, 'In Florida we did this …'? That's great. Highlight some of it, but don't give me seven paragraphs of Mr. Wonky," Brody told show guest host Jenna Ellis.
Voters typically want to like who they're voting for. For example: The soccer moms may not have liked Donald Trump in 2020, but his connection with working-class, blue-collar voters propelled him past a Hillary Clinton who appeared entitled in 2016.
"It's what Donald Trump has. He is the guy who people relate to. He's been a champion for kind of that blue collar, lost, forgotten voter; the aggrieved voter in America," Brody said. "Donald Trump channeled that he 'felt their pain,' as Bill Clinton might say back in the day. Clinton related. George W. Bush related at the time. Ronald Reagan certainly related. Barack Obama related."
According to Brody, however, DeSantis in these early stages of the campaign has been too quick to advance the discussion – and because voters want some degree of small talk to help them relate, he says they want someone they "wouldn't mind sitting down and having a milkshake or beer with."
Right now, though, Brody contends they're not seeing that from DeSantis, who wants to get quickly to discussion of core policy matters.
Would Newsom 'out-personality' DeSantis?
The charisma that Brody says DeSantis may be lacking isn't necessarily a strongpoint for Joe Biden, the commander-in-chief seeking a second term. However, if Biden is not at the top of the ticket for Democrats, there could be charisma in his place with California Governor Gavin Newsom (pictured below). (Many believe a White House run announcement for Newsom is a matter of when, not if.)
Newsom's personality overwhelmed his last gubernatorial challenger when he and Brian Dahle met in a debate last October. That could be a hurdle in DeSantis' path, says Brody, who contends the Florida governor's inclination is to "just get down to brass tacks."
"I get that argument," said the journalist, "but I'm telling you, there is this feeling out there that people need to feel like that person is in their corner and really fighting for them. Trump had it; all those other presidents had it – DeSantis needs to get it."
DeSantis' first big chance to score personality points came Friday when Tucker Carlson moderated one-on-one meetings with GOP candidates in Iowa. Trump skipped the program – which was co-sponsored by Blaze TV and The Family Leader – and that was a strategical mistake, Brody said.
Christian evangelicals were solidly behind Trump in 2016, and he delivered with conservative judges. Now the baggage of name-calling, finger-pointing and lawsuits may cause some evangelicals to reconsider their support, Brody said.
"I just don't think you cede the ground, especially with Donald Trump, where he is a bit wobbly with evangelicals … a little bit. Now, once again, to be clear, he's a solid favorite with evangelicals, but look, if you're going to start to talk about the margins, there are going to be a few percentage points that he's going to need in Iowa."
Trump's giant lead in the polls has him thinking he can skip debates where he can't have complete control of the environment. The polling, though, has created a situation where DeSantis doesn't have to win in Iowa but could spark his campaign with a strong second-place showing, while Trump could create doubters if the race is close.
Trump carried the state with 53.2% of the vote in 2020 when he was running as an incumbent president, but he didn't win the Iowa caucus in 2016. Ted Cruz won the caucus that year with 27.6%.
"Every percentage point counts, especially in Iowa," Brody added. "The last thing Trump wants is a loss in Iowa. The point simply is it's a little too nonchalant for Trump, and I think he has to be careful. Remember, he's got to do some damage control on the abortion issue as it relates to some of his past comments."
Could Tim Scott be the GOP sleeper?
While Trump can seem like a "billionaire talking like a cab driver," his absence from the Carlson event on Friday has an elitist look about it, according to Brody. "And this guy was the non-elitist railing against the elite," he noted.
If DeSantis can't begin to connect more with voters – and move the polling needle – Brody suggests South Carolina Senator Tim Scott (pictured below) could step into the void as Trump's primary GOP challenger.
"Along comes a smiling, Bible-quoting Tim Scott, who not only has the resume, but the donors are taking a second look now," said the CBN analyst. "We know we have the policy fights still [ahead] and all that, but clearly that's not enough because the numbers aren't moving right now – so Tim Scott sits around and suddenly Iowa comes into play."
"Let's just say he's second in Iowa," Brody continued. "Well, look what's around the corner: not New Hampshire, but South Carolina, his home state. Then all of a sudden Tim Scott has a second-place finish in Iowa, the donor class behind him, and South Carolina, his home state, is coming up."
The latest RealClearPolitics average shows Trump with a 34-point lead on DeSantis (53.8%-19.7%); all other announced candidates are in the single digits. Among those with single-digit polling numbers, Senator Scott trails three others: former Vice President Mike Pence, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, and former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley.
Editor's note: David Brody's appearance on American Family Radio occurred before The Family Leader GOP event in Iowa on Friday, July 14.
