DeSantis Campaign Was Too Online

Trump was probably unbeatable. The campaign was too chaotic. Voters no longer care about Covid. These are just some of the reasons offered, including at National Review, for the failure of Florida governor Ron DeSantis’s presidential run.

But one defect of DeSantis’s campaign may not get enough attention: its catering to the right-wing Twittersphere. Before the campaign even began, DeSantis was making personnel moves that made sense only if one believed that the highly niche and weird right-wing ecosystem that had developed online was not just important, but perhaps paramount. As early as 2022, DeSantis was cultivating relations with some of that world’s most prominent figures. As he geared up for the campaign itself last year, he hired some of them; many of his initial efforts took on a decidedly online flavor.

About the Author

Jack Butler

Jack Butler is a former submissions editor at National Review.

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Trump was probably unbeatable. The campaign was too chaotic. Voters no longer care about Covid. These are just some of the reasons offered, including at National Review, for the failure of Florida governor Ron DeSantis’s presidential run.

But one defect of DeSantis’s campaign may not get enough attention: its catering to the right-wing Twittersphere. Before the campaign even began, DeSantis was making personnel moves that made sense only if one believed that the highly niche and weird right-wing ecosystem that had developed online was not just important, but perhaps paramount. As early as 2022, DeSantis was cultivating relations with some of that world’s most prominent figures. As he geared up for the campaign itself last year, he hired some of them; many of his initial efforts took on a decidedly online flavor.