By EDUARDO PAZ-MARTINEZ
McALLEN, Texas |...Out at first. That's the day's headline for Ron DeSantis, the Republican governor from Florida who dropped out of his party's 2024 presidential race on Sunday. One primary - Iowa - is all it took to send this Trump-Lite dude back to the Sunshine State a loser.
So long, Ron, so long.
Tomorrow's primary in New Hampshire is left with Donald Trump and ex-South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley. Trump is the favorite, and the one Democrats want to compete against in the November General Election. Trump, they say, they can beat.
We'll see.
DeSantis left with a parting gift for Trump - a generous endorsement - and goodbye kiss-off for Haley - she isn't and never was qualified. Okay. But she's still in the hunt and he's not.
It says here that DeSantis never found a persona to campaign. He was always the stodgy one, silliness invading his effort every now and then - like his use of elevated cowboy boots to look taller. But, really, the criticism he is now getting goes to his inability - or refusal - to take on Trump like a man - Mano-a-Mano against the Mar-a-Lago Marvel.
DeSantis would not climb into that ring. They're saying he's legitimate 2028 presidential timber, only that just his defeated tank looking for a silver lining. 2028 is political light years ahead. Let him have his departing confidence. DeSantis is suddenly totally irrelevant.
This from axios.com: [ Haley told CNN on Sunday that she is "absolutely" going to stay in the race through South Carolina's primary on Feb. 24. As part of a "First-in-the-South Swing," her campaign announced a rally in Charleston, S.C., for Wednesday night, 24 hours after New Hampshire polls close.
New Hampshire - which allows independents to participate in the primary and includes healthy percentages of moderate and college-educated voters - is an ideal state for Haley to give Trump her best shot.
"Ron DeSantis has been a good governor, and I wish him well," Haley said in a statement. "So far, only one state has voted. Half of its votes went to Donald Trump, and half did not. We're not a country of coronations."
Trump said he would "retire" his "Ron DeSanctimonious" nickname for DeSantis and complimented the Florida governor on his run. ]
So much for a presidential run. This one, to me, smacks very much of the ill-fated run of another Florida Republican in the 2016 race - Jeb Bush, who arrived against Trump carrying his family's name as the favorite and lost early.
Oh, well, as they say in the West Texas oil bidness...
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Good riddance. Sorry for Florida but at least he is now just limiting his damage to one state.
ReplyDeleteYou said it.
DeleteHate is not something to run on, especially when it’s over half your constituency you are hating. Having a hard core just does not matter when the numbers will never work. Desantis should keep his in Florida.
ReplyDeleteDo any of you honestly think an Indian woman will get support from his racist Republican followers?
ReplyDeleteNo.
DeleteDe Santis simply did not have a base outside of Florida. The big donors to the GOP concluded that they liked Haley better as their candidate. De Santis seemed to believe that if he fought the culture wars hard that would gain him support. But the core support of Trump is on economic issues, not on the culture wars.
ReplyDeleteCongrats to Australian Rupert Murdoch, owner of FOX News. You have done a brilliant job of dumbing done America and showing a whole raft of right wing fantasticists how easy that is, Plus you made a billion bucks in the process. What a country. An immigrant can really make it in the USA.
ReplyDeleteDeSadness never had it.
ReplyDeleteEcho that.
DeleteDo they know that Donald Trump's been a compulsive liar his whole life. He even lied and paid his way to stay out of the military. You people not only need to get a life but get the true facts. You ignorant fools. He even said If you tell a lie long enough people will believe you. He lies so much I actually think he believes his own lies. He's nothing but a lying disgraceful cowardly traitor. Case closed.
ReplyDeleteThey are ignorant fools. Most need dental work!
DeleteIt is said we Americans get it right after we've tried everything else, well now we have and I am confident that the American voter is ready to reaffirm our Constitutional Republic.
ReplyDeleteIf this country is a nation of laws, Trump would been in jail already and disqualified for 2024 and all the Maga insurrectionists and election deniers in Congress and SCOTUS banned and expelled. But the constitution and oath of office are not being fully defended along with the states failures to act with the exception of Colorado and Maine which banned Trump from the ballot. I overall feel very disappointed so far with the criminal justice system. So far unfortunately Trump has been above the laws of the United States and acting like a king and dictator. It is a national embarrassment and shameful result that Trump is supported by half the country and he is allowed to run for president despite all the crimes he committed against the United States and the Republic.
ReplyDeleteHear, hear.
DeleteGood for former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson for not following the crowd by endorsing Trump. I don't like Haley either, but at least Hutchinson didn't drop out of the race and fall in line with every other Republican running for the presidency.
ReplyDeleteWhen Trump said "we love the uneducated" and the uneducated applauded - that's all you need to know about MAGA.
ReplyDeleteWatching the Republican primary has been like reading one of those classic Russian novels where no one is happy, no one really finds love, everyone knows everyone else, and the whole thing just goes on and on and on. Are there Cliff Notes out there somewhere to save our sanity?
ReplyDeleteMy opinion: I feel so sorry for these people are so sucked in by the Trump crime family and the Republican lying 🤥 party. Vote 💙🗽⚖️🇺🇸
ReplyDeleteGawd, I'm sooo-oh sick of Trump...VOTE BLUE if you love America 🇺🇸 💙
DeleteFYI: The DC bar is investigating 3 Trump lawyers. It's about time his lawyers lose their license!!!
ReplyDeleteWell, good luck Seniors under Donald Trump. Glad my parents, uncles and aunts are in heaven.
ReplyDeleteInteresting to note here that there seems to be no movement on either side of Donald Trump's yes-or-no. He'll have the same votes he has today in November, losing none, but also gaining none. If that stays true, he will lose to Democrat Joe Biden...
ReplyDeleteBecause CNN only chose to poll the Republicans for the primary, I do not find the poll valid. The independents and cross over democrats will decide this race. They were not polled. If Niki wins NH Biden is toast by all known polls. This morning CNN showed him getting off the plane and he looked totally lost. The first debate will decide the winner, assuming Trump agrees to debate. If Biden looks bad, and confused he will lose. I have no use for Trump, but people love to hate on the Democrats. It is all one big mess. But I am glad as to how many Texas Republicans are blaming Trump for the border deal falling through.
DeleteThanks for that added perspective. I've written often about the uselessness of polls (they sample too small an amount of voters). As for Biden looking bad getting off a plane, well, what exactly does that say? It's one scene. He's 80, and that is to be considered. More confused of late has been Trump (insisting Nikki Haley was Nancy Pelosi on Jan. 6th). It could go on. The thing is to look at the cumulativeness of a candidacy and not specific missteps. But you're right - perhaps in the long run, if the bad optics continue (for both eventual candidates, I mean)...We seem to go "style" on all things societal, rather than on substance...
DeleteRepublican Marjorie Trailer Greene says Confederacy traitor Robert E. Lee was one of the founding fathers of this country. LOL!!!!
ReplyDeleteWHAT'S THIS!!!: Nikki Haley, a former governor of South Carolina, has frequently told voters that it’s not just the southern border that needs stepped-up enforcement — “it’s the northern border, too.”
ReplyDeleteTrump: "Canada will pay for it."
If a man rapes a woman and molests others...do you approve? If a man engages in an insurrection…do you approve? If a man conspires to steal votes...do you approve? If a man keeps secret sensitive files in unsecured ways....do you approve? If a man cooks the books and steals from the people...do you approve? These are just 5 undisputed question is this the type of person you will support at the sake of losing your own respect. Trump also is promising "aid and comfort" to those found guilty of crimes on Jan. 6th by saying he will pardon them in his next term, isn't that part of 14.3 amendment.
ReplyDeleteWhen Congress began the new year, Rep. Andy Biggs gave a television interview and made a startling confession: House Republicans have done nothing they can run on.
ReplyDelete“We have nothing. In my opinion, we have nothing to go out there and campaign on,” the Arizona Republican said on the conservative network Newsmax. “It’s embarrassing.”
God is a liberal.
ReplyDeleteWe have confirmed the fact that right-wing radio talk nut Rush Limbaugh now resides in Hell.
DeleteSupreme Court allows federal agents to cut razor wire Texas installed on US-Mexico border. (POOR Texas Gov. GREG ABBOTT. Keeps losing in court.)
ReplyDeleteHa ha ha ha ha.
DeleteDoesn't matter what Texas does... this is inherently true:
Delete"federal immigration law trumps Texas’ own efforts to stem the flow of migrants into the country."
Texas does not have the authority to control an international border.
El Paso Times - "Demonizing migrants and rolling out razor wire won't solve our border crisis."
DeleteThe political machine makes money off this issue coming and going, please wake up to that simple fact. To clean it up, money needs to be taken out of the equation. That is the red and the blue guys, both of them have very unclean hands in this debacle.
DeleteDeSantis endorsing Trump was the last sorry-ass act of a wimpy loser. You fought and criticized Trump for months, bozo!
ReplyDeleteMr. Editor, a blog in Brownsville is all over Mayra Flores again. Maybe it's time for The McAllen Sun to get it right.
ReplyDeleteI'll check it out. My time here on the national election of late has kept me away from the Brownsville blogs, although they actually bore me with the same stuff/presentation they've been doing for years. Mayra Flores is a legit candidate, and that particular blog is operated by a pro-Mexicans blogger, so the angle is always there. By the way, that also is a "For-Hire" blog, so that may be the motivation there. A "For-Hire" blog is always suspect. He's doing it 'cause someone is paying him? So much for journalism. That's advocacy, which is far off the journalism we know and practice. Sort of like a Pachuco working with the cops and not telling his compadres. Check back here...
DeletePachuco working with the cops. Love it! So 1960s!!! Ha ha ha
DeleteStephen A. Smith says "Dak Prescott can't handle the pressure of playing for the Cowboys." Really?
ReplyDeletedata proves the economy is robust. The stock market just hit another new record the other day, unemployment is low around 3.7%, GDP at the end of the third quarter of 2023 was 4.9%. And this is despite some inflation and higher interest rates. When people have jobs, they spend.
ReplyDeleteBiden is doing the job!
Clash between Feds and Texas coming soon.
Delete