Former President Donald Trump relishes his reputation as a fighter. In his telling, though, he doesn’t go looking for fights — they come to him. “I’m a counterpuncher,” he told Fox News during the 2016 election. “I’m responding.” It’s less a strategy than an involuntary reflex for Trump at this point in his life, but it’s sure to be the backbone of his 2024 presidential campaign. That’s especially the case in the looming contest against Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, seen as the former president’s biggest challenger.
But here’s the thing: DeSantis isn’t punching. He isn’t even running — yet. DeSantis’ reluctance to formally enter the race has left Trump on the back foot. It has meant his “counterpunches” are either missing their marks or falling flat. That may change when DeSantis officially tosses his hat into the ring and can’t avoid confronting Trump. It’s no surprise, then, that Trump seems more eager for DeSantis to start running than DeSantis is himself.
Which isn’t to say DeSantis is avoiding obvious moves ahead of formally declaring his candidacy. He has a new book out. He has traveled to Iowa and will soon head to New Hampshire. He’s holding events for donors and speaking to police groups around the country, check. And even in the face of a social media broadside from Trump that insinuated he once groomed teenage girls, DeSantis has stayed on message.
“I spend my time delivering results for the people of Florida and fighting against Joe Biden — that’s how I spend my time,” DeSantis said in response to Trump’s post last month. “I don’t spend my time trying to smear other Republicans.”
DeSantis’ biding his time is a major problem for Trump on multiple levels. Usually, a presumptive front-runner would be seeking to clear the field of competitors — think Hillary Clinton in 2016. But Trump knows he managed to snag the 2016 GOP nomination in part precisely because of how crowded the field was; at…
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