Fast forward to October. The GOP debates have begun. True to form, Trump has been unloading unmercifully on DeSantis, calling him, among other things, an ingrate, a RINO, an establishment figure, and an opportunist. Also true to form, and in deference to the beloved reactionary base, DeSantis has been attempting to rise above the attacks. He occasionally gets in a passive-aggressive jab or two, but mostly he takes the punishment and focuses on Biden and the Democrats.
Does this approach work? Does the reactionaries give DeSantis credit for laying off Trump, or do they just consider him a wimp?
I’m guessing the latter.