Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has the elite credentials of a prototypical US presidential candidate, from graduating with honours from Yale and Harvard Law School to earning a bronze star for meritorious service in the military. The man seen as a possible 2024 Republican nominee – and a political successor to Donald Trump – appears on track for re-election on November 8. But he may find that Trump casts a long shadow.
Ron DeSantis has a Trump problem. The man touted as a likely contender for the 2024 Republican nomination needs to keep the former president on side, given that Trump still wields some influence as a kingmaker. But he must also maintain enough distance to appeal to conservative voters who have turned their backs on Trump.
