"It’s hard to run for president and not be forced into a position where everything you do is a response to the frontrunner, especially one who commands so much loyalty from the party base that nearly one-third could follow him on an independent spoiler campaign."
The thing is that Trump isn't the frontrunner. As JVL's article today shows, DeSantis is. According to polls he leads head to head, in a 3 way, and even in a 10 way race. The voters for the rest of the field obviously are not part of Trump's die hard base, probably fear he can't win the general election, and are likely to either split or break for Ron. So Ron's strategy of just playing rope a dope, to avoid pissing off Trump's fan base is likely to work. Plus, I think it weakens Trump if DeSantis responds as he has by touting his "accomplishments" instead of striking back.
His real problem is that Trump is not likely to go gently into that good night. He may not make a third party run but it's hard to believe he won't be outside the tent shooting in if he is snubbed, and that enough of his true believers won't sit on their hands to cost Ron the general election.
"It’s hard to run for president and not be forced into a position where everything you do is a response to the frontrunner, especially one who commands so much loyalty from the party base that nearly one-third could follow him on an independent spoiler campaign."
The thing is that Trump isn't the frontrunner. As JVL's article today shows, DeSantis is. According to polls he leads head to head, in a 3 way, and even in a 10 way race. The voters for the rest of the field obviously are not part of Trump's die hard base, probably fear he can't win the general election, and are likely to either split or break for Ron. So Ron's strategy of just playing rope a dope, to avoid pissing off Trump's fan base is likely to work. Plus, I think it weakens Trump if DeSantis responds as he has by touting his "accomplishments" instead of striking back.
His real problem is that Trump is not likely to go gently into that good night. He may not make a third party run but it's hard to believe he won't be outside the tent shooting in if he is snubbed, and that enough of his true believers won't sit on their hands to cost Ron the general election.