NEWS WEEK
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former President Donald Trump took to social media on Sunday to express admiration for Mother’s Day in two starkly different ways.
“Happy Mother’s Day to ALL, in particular the Mothers, Wives and Lovers of the Radical Left Fascists, Marxists, and Communists who are doing everything within their power to destroy and obliterate our once great Country. Please make these complete Lunatics and Maniacs Kinder, Gentler, Softer and, most importantly, Smarter, so that we can, quickly, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!” Trump wroteon his social media platform, Truth Social.
In comparison, DeSantis took to Twitterand wrote, “Madison, Mason and Mamie are lucky to have the best mother in the world – @CaseyDeSantis. Thank you for all that you do for our family, we love you very much!”
DeSantis is widely believed to be weighing a possible 2024 presidential bid, with polling indicating he is the second most popular choice with Republican votersafter Trump. Meanwhile, Trump supporters and DeSantis supporters have been at odds after the former president announced his 2024 campaign this past November and began attacking DeSantis amid speculation that the governor was planning to run against him in the Republican primaries.
Newsweek has reached out to DeSantis’s press office via email for comment.
While speaking to Newsweek on Sunday, political analyst and Dillard University professor Robert Collins said, “Trump’s sarcastic message on Truth Social directed toward the mothers of who he considers the radical left is just standard rhetoric for him, and everybody is used to it by now. It won’t lose him any votes, because everyone is desensitized to him by now, and most minds are made up, but it will not win him any additional votes either.”
Meanwhile, recent polls show the former president enjoys a substantial lead over DeSantis among potential Republican primary voters even though the Florida governor hasn’t officially become a candidate yet.
A YouGov/Yahoo News poll conducted among 451 registered voters from May 5 to 8 showed Trump leading DeSantis with 50 percent support to the governor’s 36 percent in a head-to-head match-up.
Trump also took to Truth Social on Sundayto comment on recent polling numbers, “Rob DeSanctimonious and his poll numbers are dropping like a rock – I would almost be inclined to say, these are record ‘falls.’ The question: Is ‘Rob’ just young, inexperienced and naive or, more troubling, is he a fool who has no idea what he is doing. We already have one of those in office, we don’t need another one. MAGA!”
Collins also noted that Trump’s Mother’s Day message won’t cost him any of his position in the Republican primary polling anytime soon.
“That might only happen if the other Republican candidates in the race start attacking him and bringing down his numbers. So far no Republican has wanted to attack him,” he added. “The real problem for Trump, in the last general election, and now, is that he does not appeal to independent voters. His sarcastic comments are just going to continue to turn off independent voters and make it less likely for him to get their support in the general election.”
