I saw an interview with Robert Cahaly, who runs the Trafalgar polling operation, the other day. (It may have been off a Power Line link.) As I recall, he said that he isn’t polling in Florida because he doesn’t think there are any serious races there.
I agree. For a time, Democrats believed, or pretended to believe, that retread party-switcher Charlie Crist could seriously challenge Ron DeSantis. In my opinion, that was delusional, and the Dems’ hopes seem to have faded. Here are two data points to support the proposition that anyone running against DeSantis in 2022 has no chance.
First, DeSantis and his family took the stage at a Lynyrd Skynyrd concert. The band members are fans, and even released a pro-DeSantis record. And the crowd is predictably friendly. But the enthusiasm of DeSantis’s welcome is notable, and the “USA” cheers reflect the crowd’s understanding of who is on America’s side, and who is not.
DeSantis surprises fans at Lynyrd Skynyrd concert after suddenly walking out on stage to ROARING “USA!” Chants
Just legendary. WATCH THIS. 🔥pic.twitter.com/FFH2ebNlnt
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) October 17, 2022
Data point number two: Ballotpedia ranks the candidates for governor in order of dollars raised. This doesn’t include third-party spending, just the candidates’ own fundraising. It is an interesting list: Gavin Newsom has raised around $15 million, Gretchen Whitmer and Tony Evers are tied for third place at $26 million, Greg Abbott is second, vastly ahead of the others, with around $70 million. Who is in first place? Ron DeSantis, with $167 million, slightly more than all of the other governors on the list combined.
DeSantis is going to cruise to victory. Democrats have also hoped that Val Demings, a far left-winger, might challenge Marco Rubio in this year’s Senate race. That, too, isn’t going to happen. In my opinion, Robert Cahaly is right: there are no serious races in Florida.
Notice: All comments are subject to moderation. Our comments are intended to be a forum for civil discourse bearing on the subject under discussion. Commenters who stray beyond the bounds of civility or employ what we deem gratuitous vulgarity in a comment — including, but not limited to, “s***,” “f***,” “a*******,” or one of their many variants — will be banned without further notice in the sole discretion of the site moderator.