Newsweek: Ron DeSantis' Campaign Is Imploding

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Having previously been touted as the GOP's next presidential hopeful, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis' White House bid has been floundering over the past few months, with even Republican figures casting doubt on the future of his campaign.

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Just 35.9 percent of Americans hold a favorable view of DeSantis, compared to 45.2 percent who say they view him unfavorably as of June 29, according to FiveThirtyEight's national average tracker, although experts point out the campaign is still in its early stages.

DeSantis's unfavorable rating among potential voters has been steadily rising since late March, when he recorded a split 39.3 percent favorable rating. This includes the time after he confirmed his 2024 bid in late May in an error-strewn Twitter Space online announcement.

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DeSantis' favorability rating also arrives at a time when the Florida governor, who has signed several anti-LGBTQ laws during his tenure, was criticized by a Republican group for a presidential campaign advert as being "homophobic."

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Log Cabin Republicans, the largest GOP organization representing LGBTQ+ individuals, accused the advert in a series of tweets of being "divisive and desperate," which will alienate "swing-state and younger voters."

"Conservatives understand that we need to protect our kids, preserve women's sports, safeguard women's spaces and strengthen parental rights, but Ron DeSantis' extreme rhetoric goes has just ventured into homophobic territory," the group tweeted.

"DeSantis' rhetoric will lose hard-fought gains in critical races across the nation. This old playbook has been tried in the past and has failed—repeatedly.

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Christina Pushaw is the rapid response director for the 2024 presidential campaign of DeSantis. She tweeted on Friday night: "Opposing the federal recognition of 'Pride Month' isn't 'homophobic.' We wouldn't support a month to celebrate straight people for sexual orientation, either... It's unnecessary, divisive, pandering."

Caitlyn Jenner, formerly known as Bruce Jenner, the Olympic gold medal-winning decathlete, transitioned to her new identity in 2015. She also features in the anti-LGBTQ+ advert. In a tweet, Jenner wrote DeSantis has "hit a new low" with the campaign.

"But he's so desperate he'll do anything to get ahead—that's been the theme of his campaign. You can't win a general, let alone 2028 by going after people that are integral parts of the conservative movement," Jenner tweeted.

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Speaking to CBS in late June, former Maryland Republican Governor Larry Hogan said DeSantis' campaign is "one of the worst I've seen so far, and he's dropped like a rock." "I think it's getting close to being over," Hogan told weekly podcast The Takeout.

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Also in late June Jeff Timmer, a senior adviser at the Lincoln Project, a Republican PAC consisting of Donald Trump critics, said that "Ron DeSantis is the worst candidate I've ever seen."

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