One consistent line of criticism of Ron DeSantis, even from some nervous supporters, is that he is simply too introverted to be a successful presidential candidate and president. We’ve seen some version of this line over and over again. Whether in published stories or talking to people who have been on the Hill, we have all heard enough on-the-record quotes from people who have worked with DeSantis personally to be confident that this is not an entirely made-up narrative.
The consistent theme of those who make this argument is that DeSantis is not a natural people person. He is, by temperament, a loner, a guy who’d rather hang out at home with his family and who keeps himself inside a tight inner circle as a politician. It’s not that he can’t or won’t do retail politics: It’s easy to find video of him working a room of ordinary voters with grace and good humor. But he is not naturally charming, and schmoozing voters, donors, legislators, and the like often appears to be a chore for him. It takes something out of him, and he periodically needs to unplug and shut out the world, sometimes leaving him gruff and detached when dealing with his staff, and sometimes resulting in his blowing off donors who would normally be accustomed to the obsequious attentions of politicians. If I had to summarize his public demeanor in a word, it would be “prosecutorial.”
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