Imagine a steel cage match between these two titans of wannabe autocracy. Who is better for the left? Let’s break it down:
- ELECTION MADNESS: Any election with Trump is a guaranteed constitutional crisis. While the base could easily get out of control with DeSantis as the nominee, it is not a sure thing. ADVANTAGE: DESANTIS.
- FOREIGN POLICY: An unchained Trump would probably pull out of NATO and change sides in the Ukraine war. The GOP leadership would complain, but do nothing to stop him. DeSantis would be more in the GOP mainstream; he would content himself with a war with Iran. ADVANTAGE: DESANTIS.
- ORBANIZATION: Trump would be so busy shooting RINOs that he would have little time and energy to take away our liberties. DeSantis would be more focused on the Orbanization project. ADVANTAGE: TRUMP.
- OWNING THE LIBS: Trump taught the right that it was OK to tell blue people every day that they aren’t real Americans, and that the right hates them. DeSantis has taken that lesson to heart. ADVANTAGE: EVEN.
- CLIMATE CHANGE: Trump will continue to tell us we need to bring back the economy of the 1950s, and that climate change is a Chinese hoax. DeSantis will avoid saying anything in public, but will make some minimal efforts to deal with climate change behind the scenes. ADVANTAGE: DESANTIS.
- TAXING AND SPENDING: Trump is an orthodox tax cut and deregulation Republican, with a weird side dish of protectionism and managed trade. DeSantis, so far, has been more of a pure populist on economic issues, but his ideas are a bit obscure at this point. Would the GOP establishment flip him? Probably. ADVANTAGE: TBD.
On balance, you would have to give the edge to DeSantis, who would also be less corrupt. Does that make him an attractive candidate to the left? Hardly.