🎙️ Voice is AI-generated. Inconsistencies may occur.
Ron DeSantis has suggested that former President Donald Trump's "juvenile" attacks against him may help the Florida Governor in his 2024 GOP presidential candidacy campaign.
During a campaign stop in New Hampshire on Sunday, DeSantis told reporters that he is not concerned about the wave of insults and mockery that the former president continues to launch at him.
Trump, who is the overwhelming favorite to clinch the GOP presidential candidacy in 2024, began insulting the man considered to be his biggest rival in the Republican primary several months before DeSantis confirmed his White House bid. The former president's attacks against his former close ally arrived after there were numerous calls, including from within the GOP, for the Florida Governor to lead the party at the next election.
"First of all, I mean, I think a lot of this stuff when he hits me with it, with juvenile insults, I think that helps me," DeSantis told reporters. "I don't think voters like that. I think they look at it and they realize, you know what, that's not effective. And so I don't think it's effective.
"So I actually don't mind that at all," DeSantis added. "I think it's just a reminder, why there's so many millions of voters who will never vote for him going forward."
Trump's office has been contacted for comment via email.
Just like in the 2016 GOP primary, Trump has launched attack after attack on his fellow Republican rivals, with DeSantis taking the most hits as he is considered the former president's biggest challenger.
Trump has constantly mocked "Ron DeSanctimonious" over his GOP primary polling numbers, DeSantis' struggling campaign bid, and other issues ranging from claims that the Florida governor has an unlikable personality to his policies and handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Michael Binder, a professor of political science at the University of North Florida, previously suggested that DeSantis would struggle to go "toe-to-toe" with Trump on the campaign knowing that the former president will launch attack after attack against him.
"I don't know that DeSantis can stand that over the course of six or eight months or a year," Binder told Newsweek.
DeSantis, who confirmed he is running for president in May, had previously decided against retaliating against Trump's barrage of insults.
However, the Florida governor has since changed gears and has started to attack Trump and his time in the White House in interviews and while speaking publicly.
However, DeSantis has yet to really go after the former president's biggest Achilles' heel, the legal issues and criminal investigations which are circling Trump.
Instead, DeSantis has used the probes to attack the so-called "weaponization" of federal law enforcement under the Biden administration.
Despite DeSantis' suggestion that insults from Trump may damage the former president's own campaign, there is no indication that this is happening yet.
According to FiveThirtyEight's national poll tracker, Trump currently leads the 2024 GOP primary with 52.4 percent, with DeSantis a distant second on 15.5 percent.
A recent University of New Hampshire poll shows Trump leading the field in the key early caucus state with 37 percent, with DeSantis second on 23 percent.
About the writer
Ewan Palmer is a Newsweek News Reporter based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on US politics, and Florida ... Read more