WASHINGTON — Ron DeSantis on Wednesday shot back at the latest barrage of criticisms from Donald Trump, arguing that he was focused on delivering results for Florida and not trying to “smear other Republicans.”
The remarks might be the start of a delicate balancing act for the Republican governor amid an escalation of Trump’s attacks on him — one that could help determine the outcome of next year’s GOP presidential primary.
Of the many challenges DeSantis would face in a hypothetical presidential bid, few are thornier than figuring out how to best respond to Trump’s often personal and baseless attacks, criticisms that in the past have famously defined political opponents and helped the former president control the terms of the debate.
