DeSantis v. Abbott: Texas Republicans Warmly Support Florida Gov.

When Dallas County Republicans head to the swanky Omni Hotel for a fundraiser in early March, they’ll gather to hear a well-known conservative governor speak, but not who you might think.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is set to take the stage as a special guest at a Reagan Day dinner hosted by the county’s Republican Party on March 4. The starting price of individual tickets is $500.

The local GOP also reportedly invited Lone Star Gov. Greg Abbott to speak. If he accepts their offer, the event will feature two of the country’s most prominent conservative governors, both of whom are believed to be considering running for the White House in 2024.

But even though many Texas Republicans like Abbott, his popularity here may be eclipsed by that of his Sunshine State counterpart.

Two years ago, Abbott led what some called the “most conservative session” of the Legislature in state history. However, the Republican Party of Texas has taken notice of DeSantis in recent months. State party chairman Matt Rinaldi praised the Floridian on Twitter after he crushed his Democratic rival in November’s midterm elections. (Abbott also won re-election easily.)

“There has been a wave of elections in Florida. Texas had a very good night. Results elsewhere have been mixed,” Rinaldi wrote at the time. “Ron DeSantis and his upbeat brand of bold and uncompromising conservatism is a winning brand and the GOP should take note.”

DeSantis would likely do well if he ran for president both in and out of Texas.

Many conservatives still see former President Donald Trump as the de facto leader of the party, but DeSantis has begun sneaking up on him in some polls.

One recent poll by business intelligence firm Morning Consult suggests Trump will have an 18-point lead over DeSantis in the 2024 GOP primary. Yet a straw vote held during last month’s pro-life summit indicates that anti-abortion voters will far prefer Florida Gov. Trump.

What about the Texas Republican Party?

In November, a nationwide poll commissioned by the Republican Party of Texas showed that 43% of likely GOP voters would elect DeSantis and 32% would support the former president. The poll did not even mention prominent Texas politicians such as Abbott and US Senator Ted Cruz.

“[Abbott is] probably sitting in the governor’s mansion and thinking, “Dude, I’m sorry I didn’t think of that first.” – Dr. Reid Welch, West Texas A&M University.

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DeSantis appears to be “the hottest new toy for Republicans,” said Reed Welch, a West Texas A&M University professor with a Ph.D. in political science. Some conservatives see the Florida governor as a viable alternative to Trump who could indeed win in 2024.

According to him, DeSantis manages a large staff and has succeeded in attracting the attention of the media, including Fox News. Meanwhile, Abbott may not be a serious candidate. Take, for example, the aforementioned Morning Consult poll: just 1% of potential GOP voters say they would vote for the governor of Texas.

Welch noted that Abbott and DeSantis are “sort of jockeys back and forth” when it comes to culture war-inspired laws, but Florida usually beats Texas in a punch.

“[Abbott is] probably sitting there in the governor’s mansion and thinking, “Dude, I wish I had thought of this first,” he said.

Lone Star lawmakers are now trying to push through bills that will tighten control over books in public school libraries and criminalize gender-affirming care for transgender children. Texas Monthly. The Sunshine State was already there, passing those.

Plus, the Florida governor seems to be a little unnerving for Trump. Abbott? Not so much.

“Another feature of DeSantis is that he clearly poses a threat to Trump,” Welch added. “Because Trump is reaching out to him and attacking him over things. He’s not attacking Gov. Abbott or many other Republicans who might be running.”

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texasstandard.news contributed to this report.

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