Good Thursday evening. This is Daniel Allott with The Hill's Top Opinions.
According to some pundits, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is already on a glide path to the Republication nomination for president, if not to the presidency itself. Last month, the popular swing state governor easily won his reelection bid and emerged as the safe alternative to Donald Trump in 2024.
But we've been here before, writes political consultant DOUGLAS E. SCHOEN. You may remember that at this point in the 2016 election cycle, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker was the frontrunner for the GOP nomination. And if you don't remember it's probably because Walker quickly flamed out once the primaries actually got underway.
Walker "embodies a political cautionary tale about the perils of peaking too early," Schoen writes.
According to Schoen, among other liabilities, Gov. DeSantis "has presided over a worsening affordability crisis, driven by the state's deteriorating property insurance market and increased energy costs, and has come under fire for prioritizing the interests of big business over the welfare of Floridians."
Schoen also lists DeSantis's rightwing positions on abortion, immigration and transgender issues, as well as his lack of personal charisma, as significant liabilities.
At this point, and while keeping Walker's 2016 flameout in mind, Schoen writes, "it is an open question whether Ron DeSantis will be able to sustain the lead he currently holds over Donald Trump, as well as the modest advantage he maintains over President Biden, once the campaign gets underway."
Read Schoen's op-ed here.
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