Unlike Trump, Ron DeSantis is a pure reactionary. He doesn’t cut taxes for business; he fights culture wars 24/7. It’s working, at least for him. He’s the most likely GOP nominee if Trump decides not to run.
Since Florida’s economy is doing reasonably well, and DeSantis can’t plausibly be held responsible for inflation, his Democratic opponents in the gubernatorial race have no choice but to deal head on with the culture war issues. This is a strategy that most left-leaning politicians have avoided in the past. How can it be done successfully?
I will be addressing specific issues in future posts. Here are some general observations:
- Be aggressive, not defensive. Always be on the attack.
- Find a simple narrative and stick to it.
- Make sure you define the question in a way that is consistent with your interests. Don’t fight on the other side’s battlefield.
If you think this sounds like a GOP playbook, you’re right. It invariably works for them–why not the left?