Staff Reports
President Biden criticized Ron DeSantis, who is running for governor of Florida, by referred to him as "Donald Trump incarnate." This remark sheds light on a key question that the White House has regarding the president's potential matchup in 2024.
The president's barb at a Democratic fundraising event in Florida revealed how an incumbent might handle a potential matchup with DeSantis, who has risen in political stature.
Through his portrayal of Donald Trump's populism and mannerisms, DeSantis has been able to appeal to mainstream Republican voters. Polls indicate that if Trump were not run again in 2024, DeSantis would be the party's nominee.
The use of the word "incarnate" by Biden is a religious term that is commonly used to describe the devil. His reference to Trump incarnate highlights the political discourse that has become increasingly mud-slinging on both sides. Trump referred to the country on his social media platform as "evil."
Currently, Biden is focused the mid-terms but plans to soon make a final decision on his 2024 plans. Despite his optimism about defeating Trump in 2020, he has not said much about DeSantis.
Although he has not ruled out a potential presidential run in 2024, DeSantis is expected to win his re-election bid next week over Charlie Crist.
In recent months, DeSantis has been able to gain a national following due to his criticism of the policies of the Democratic Party and Biden. In September, DeSantis received criticism from Biden for allegedly using taxpayer funds to send several migrants from Venezuela to Martha's Vineyard.
If he wins another term as governor of Florida, DeSantis would have a strong base from which to launch a successful campaign for the White House. He could also challenge Trump in the Republican primary.
A July survey conducted by the New York Times and Sinen College revealed that DeSantis would be the best candidate against Trump in a potential primary in 2024. A quarter of Republican voters said they would support DeSantis, as opposed to 49 for Trump. Biden lost to Trump in Florida in the 2020 presidential election by three percentage points.
