Major Florida Republican Donor Francis Rooney Admitted DeSantis Was “A Little Reserved And Dry.” According to Politico, “‘Donors are used to a lot of care and feeding,’ deadpanned Francis Rooney, a Florida man who knows of what he speaks. Rooney was himself a major Republican contributor — George W. Bush rewarded him by making him Ambassador to the Vatican — before winning a congressional seat anchored around Naples. […] Yet Rooney was candid about DeSantis’s persona. ‘Ron is a little reserved and dry compared to George W. Bush and Bill Clinton,’ Rooney told me. ‘He is what he is. So what he needs to do is organize his campaign to minimize that characteristic.’” [Politico, 1/17/23]
Vanity Fair: “People Describe DeSantis’ Personality As A Mix Of Extreme Arrogance And Painful Awkwardness.” According to Vanity Fair, “While reporting this profile, more than a dozen GOP donors, elected officials, and former DeSantis staffers predicted that DeSantis’s combative temperament would be a serious liability if exposed to the white-hot glare of a presidential campaign. People describe DeSantis’s personality as a mix of extreme arrogance and painful awkwardness.” [Vanity Fair, 9/27/22]
Former DeSantis Gubernatorial Aide Said He Had The “Personality Of A Piece Of Paper.” According to Vanity Fair, “DeSantis’s offices have earned a reputation as very unhappy places to work. ‘When you work for Ron, he makes you feel like you’re just lucky to be there,’ a former gubernatorial aide said. ‘I once had to drive him to the airport. We got stuck in traffic for an hour, and he didn’t say a word,’ a former congressional staffer told me. ‘I describe him as having the personality of a piece of paper.’” [Vanity Fair, 9/27/22]
Republican Miami Mayor Francis Suarez Said DeSantis “Seems To Struggle With Relationships, Generally,” Noted Rocky Relationship With Former Gov. Scott. According to Florida Politics, “Miami Mayor Francis Suarez is ripping Ron DeSantis for a lack of people skills, in the latest sign he may also run for President in 2024. ‘He seems to struggle with relationships, generally,’ Suarez said on Thursday morning’s Fox & Friends. ‘I mean, I look at people in the eye when I shake their hands. You had mentioned earlier in the program that he doesn’t get along with the (former) Governor,’ Suarez said.” [Florida Politics, 4/20/23]
Republican Source Said DeSantis Was “Missing The Sociability Gene.” According to Vanity Fair, “People describe DeSantis’s personality as a mix of extreme arrogance and painful awkwardness. ‘He’s missing the sociability gene,’ a prominent Republican said, relaying an oft-stated critique. ‘He doesn’t do the warm and fuzzies well. I was at a fundraiser in DC where he was like two hours late. Everyone was like, What the fuck?’ recalled a GOP strategist.” [Vanity Fair, 9/27/22]
Former Tallahassee Lobbyist Said He Would “Rather Have Teeth Pulled Without Anesthetic Than Be On A Boat With Ron DeSantis.” According to the Atlantic, “DeSantis, they say, is no thoroughbred political athlete. He can be awkward and plodding. […] ‘I’d rather have teeth pulled without anesthetic than be on a boat with Ron DeSantis,’ says Mac Stipanovich, a Tallahassee lobbyist who set sail from the GOP over his revulsion for Trump and his knockoffs. To sum up: DeSantis is not a fun and convivial dude. He prefers to keep his earbuds in. His ‘Step away from the vehicle’ vibes are strong.” [The Atlantic, 11/30/22]
Former Tallahassee Lobbyist Said DeSantis Would “Launch Any Charm Offensive Unarmed.” According to the Atlantic, “‘On a debate stage, all of Trump’s strengths go straight to DeSantis’s weaknesses,’ Stipanovich told me. Trump has energy and presence; DeSantis ‘is dour and doesn’t improvise particularly well.’ People who are appropriately sycophantic to Trump swear he possesses a certain charm and charisma. Even those who are eager to vouch for DeSantis don’t say this about him. He would launch any charm offensive unarmed. ‘My sense is that Trump would gut DeSantis with a dull deer antler,’ said Stipanovich, who has a taste for violent animal metaphors. He also predicted that ‘Trump would club DeSantis like a baby seal.’” [The Atlantic, 11/30/22]
DeSantis Reportedly Had A Tendency To Devour Food During Meetings, With A Source Describing Him As “Like A Starving Animal Who Has Never Eaten Before.” According to the Daily Beast, “The chatter over DeSantis’ public engagement has also surfaced past unflattering stories about his social skills—particularly, his propensity to devour food during meetings. ‘He would sit in meetings and eat in front of people,’ a former DeSantis staffer told The Daily Beast, ‘always like a starving animal who has never eaten before… getting shit everywhere.’” [Daily Beast, 3/16/23]
DeSantis Reportedly Enjoyed A Chocolate Pudding Dessert By Eating It With Three Of His Fingers. According to the Daily Beast, “The chatter over DeSantis’ public engagement has also surfaced past unflattering stories about his social skills—particularly, his propensity to devour food during meetings. […] Enshrined in DeSantis lore is an episode from four years ago: During a private plane trip from Tallahassee to Washington, D.C., in March of 2019, DeSantis enjoyed a chocolate pudding dessert—by eating it with three of his fingers, according to two sources familiar with the incident. A representative for DeSantis’ political team did not return a request for comment on it.” [Daily Beast, 3/16/23]
Romney Criticized DeSantis’ Retail Political Skills, Saying, “There’s Just No Warmth At All.” According to Florida Politics, “A former Republican presidential nominee is offering an uncharitable assessment of Ron DeSantis’ performance thus far as a 2024 candidate. As first reported in POLITICO Playbook, U.S. Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah savaged the Florida Governor, suggesting the Governor is a bad retail politician with a penchant for authoritarianism reminiscent of that displayed by former President Donald Trump. All the quotes come from McKay Coppins’ upcoming biography of the Senator, entitled ‘Romney: a Reckoning.’ ‘There’s just no warmth at all,’ went Romney’s initial read of the Governor.” [Florida Politics, 10/19/23]
Romney On DeSantis: “He Looks Like He’s Got A Toothache.” According to Florida Politics, “DeSantis is betting a lot of chips on Iowa, having moved a third of his staff to the state. But according to Romney, there’s a good reason the Florida Governor hasn’t gotten as much traction as some might have expected, given that he’s doing the “Full Grassley” and visiting every county in the state. ‘He looks like he’s got a toothache,’ Romney said, describing the Governor’s ‘selfies’ with Hawkeye State voters.” [Florida Politics, 10/19/23]
Romney Said DeSantis Had A Penchant For Authoritarianism, Comparing Him To Former President Trump. According to Florida Politics, “A former Republican presidential nominee is offering an uncharitable assessment of Ron DeSantis’ performance thus far as a 2024 candidate. As first reported in POLITICO Playbook, U.S. Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah savaged the Florida Governor, suggesting the Governor is a bad retail politician with a penchant for authoritarianism reminiscent of that displayed by former President Donald Trump. All the quotes come from McKay Coppins’ upcoming biography of the Senator, entitled ‘Romney: a Reckoning.’ ‘There’s just no warmth at all,’ went Romney’s initial read of the Governor.” [Florida Politics, 10/19/23]
NBC News HEADLINE: “House Republicans Say DeSantis Had No Friends In Congress. Now, Many Want Him To Run For President.” [NBC News, 3/15/23]
House Republicans In Congress He Came Off As Standoffish And Aloof. According to NBC News, “In interviews with more than a dozen House Republicans, not one said they thought DeSantis, 44, was someone who would have been at the center of the presidential conversation back when they served with him on Capitol Hill from 2013 to 2018. They said DeSantis was quiet and mostly kept to himself; he came off to many as standoffish and aloof.” [NBC News, 3/15/23]
Republican Colleague Said DeSantis Was A “Bit Of A Loner.” According to NBC News, “In interviews with more than a dozen House Republicans, not one said they thought DeSantis, 44, was someone who would have been at the center of the presidential conversation back when they served with him on Capitol Hill from 2013 to 2018. […] ‘He was a bit of a loner,’ another said.” [NBC News, 3/15/23]
Former Rep. Comstock (R-VA) Described DeSantis As “Standoffish In General.” According to The Atlantic, “The question is whether DeSantis’s presidential hopes will perish as he starts getting out more on the Iowa–New Hampshire dating apps. People who know him better and have watched him longer are skeptical of his ability to take on the former president. DeSantis, they say, is no thoroughbred political athlete. He can be awkward and plodding. And Trump tends to eviscerate guys like that. ‘He was standoffish in general,’ the Virginia Republican Barbara Comstock, a former House colleague of DeSantis’s, told me.” [The Atlantic, 11/30/22]
Rep. DesJarlais (R-TN) Said He Was Just Short Of Using The Term “Unapproachable” To Describe DeSantis. According to NBC News, “Rarely engaging with reporters in the Capitol, he seemed to relish the sparring with the media in Tallahassee and around the state (although his avoidance of national media has returned as he considers a presidential run). ‘He was quieter when he was in Congress, at least in my opinion. He wasn’t as outgoing as he seems as governor. I can’t explain it. He just seems so much different as governor than he did here,’ said Rep. Scott DesJarlais, R-Tenn., who served with DeSantis in the Freedom Caucus and on the Oversight Committee. ‘I wouldn’t use the word ‘unapproachable,’ but it was like he always seemed busy, so I didn’t have a lot of idle chitchat with him.’ DesJarlais added, ‘I think he’s done a great job as governor of Florida, and if he runs for president, gets our nomination, I’ll gladly support him.’” [NBC News, 3/15/23]
Former Rep. Curbelo (R-FL) Said DeSantis Had A “Robotic Quality.” According to the Atlantic, “‘I think he is going to run into some challenges,’ Carlos Curbelo, a former Republican congressman from Florida who served with DeSantis in the House, told me. ‘It’s that question that often comes up in politics—the question of ‘Would you want to have a beer with him?’’’ This is a big-time cliché, of course, but it does feel pertinent. Will he grow on voters like a catchy song, or like mold? DeSantis ‘has this robotic quality that he has to shed,’ Curbelo said.” [The Atlantic, 11/30/22]
Former Rep. Trott (R-MI) Called DeSantis “Very Arrogant” And “An Asshole.” According to Politico, “But equally apparent to Trott was what DeSantis was missing. ‘If you’re going to go into politics, kind of a fundamental skill that you should have is likability. I don’t think [he] has that,’ Trott said. ‘He never developed any relationships with other members that I know of. You’d never see him talking on the floor with other people or palling around. He’s just a very arrogant guy, very focused on Ron DeSantis.’ […] In short, said Trott, ‘I think he’s an asshole. I don’t think he cares about people.’” [Politico, 4/21/23]
Former Rep. Curbelo Said DeSantis Lacked The “Have A Beer With” Quality. According to the Atlantic, “‘I think he is going to run into some challenges,’ Carlos Curbelo, a former Republican congressman from Florida who served with DeSantis in the House, told me. ‘It’s that question that often comes up in politics—the question of ‘Would you want to have a beer with him?’’ This is a big-time cliché, of course, but it does feel pertinent. Will he grow on voters like a catchy song, or like mold? DeSantis ‘has this robotic quality that he has to shed,’ Curbelo said.” [The Atlantic, 11/30/22]
Republican Congressman Said DeSantis Was Not The Type Of Person To Get A Beer With. According to NBC News, “In interviews with more than a dozen House Republicans, not one said they thought DeSantis, 44, was someone who would have been at the center of the presidential conversation back when they served with him on Capitol Hill from 2013 to 2018. […] Another GOP lawmaker was even more critical: ‘Who’s somebody you'd want to have a cup of coffee or a glass of wine or a beer? His wife. Never Ron. He is not very collegial. Let me just say he is in the right branch of government, which is the executive.’” [NBC News, 3/15/23]
House Republicans Said DeSantis Did Not Work Collaboratively On Legislation, Despite Nature Of Congress. According to NBC News, “They said DeSantis was quiet and mostly kept to himself; he came off to many as standoffish and aloof. He didn’t ask about colleagues’ families or try to work with them on legislation. And he didn’t seem to enjoy the social nature of the often rambunctious House, where lawmakers need to nurture relationships and build coalitions and support to get things done.” [NBC News, 3/15/23]
DeSantis Was “Personal-Agenda Driven Guy,” According To Former House Colleague. According to NBC News, “In interviews with more than a dozen House Republicans, not one said they thought DeSantis, 44, was someone who would have been at the center of the presidential conversation back when they served with him on Capitol Hill from 2013 to 2018. […] That lawmaker said he would see DeSantis working out in the House gym every morning. But DeSantis was often on his cellphone and barely acknowledged his colleague’s presence. ‘He wasn’t a friendly guy. He was a personal-agenda-driven guy,’ the lawmaker said. ‘I was with him in the gym every morning and could hardly get him to say hello. He didn’t seem like he liked being here.’” [NBC News, 3/15/23]
Republican Lawmaker Said DeSantis Did Not Seem Like He Enjoyed Being In The House As He “Couldn’t Control It And He Was Just One.” According to NBC News, “The Republican lawmaker who saw DeSantis in the gym said he couldn’t have imagined DeSantis’ running for president four years ago. Today, it’s a much different story. ‘He didn’t seem like he liked being here [in the House]. I think it’s proven that when he got to a place where he had levers of power, he loves what he’s doing now. And he’s amazed all of us,’ the lawmaker said just off the House floor. ‘Everything about this place really didn’t excite him, because he couldn’t control it and he was just one.’” [NBC News, 3/15/23]
House GOP Chairman On DeSantis: “He Was Not A Very Effective Member Of Congress.” According to NBC News, “In interviews with more than a dozen House Republicans, not one said they thought DeSantis, 44, was someone who would have been at the center of the presidential conversation back when they served with him on Capitol Hill from 2013 to 2018. […] ‘He was not a very effective member of Congress,’ a House GOP committee chairman asked.” [NBC News, 3/15/23]
House Colleague Of DeSantis Said He “Was A Backbencher.” According to NBC News, “That stroke of luck and good timing has defined DeSantis’ surprising meteoric rise in politics — from unremarkable House backbencher to popular Florida governor and national conservative hero. And, Republican allies say, it will guide his decision as he inches toward a presidential run in 2024. […] ‘He had no friends. He was a backbencher. He was not a backslapping politician,’ said a House colleague who spent time with DeSantis at a recent speech. But the lawmaker added: ‘Timing in politics is huge. I’m not saying the timing is gonna be right for him, but it could be.’” [NBC News, 3/15/23]
Former Rep. Trott (R-MI) Said He “Sat Right Next To DeSantis For Two Years On The Foreign Affairs Committee, And He Never Said A Single Word To Me.” According to Politico, “This week, we’ve brought you stories about DeSantis’s off-putting social skills and lack of personal relationships with fellow Republican elected officials (including those from Florida). Yesterday, we got a surprising email from a reader who had his own DeSantis story to share. We at Playbook get all types of scoops, tips and announcements but for obvious reasons, this one caught our eye. ‘I sat right next to DeSantis for two years on the Foreign Affairs Committee, and he never said a single word to me,’ it read. ‘I was new to Congress, and he didn’t introduce himself or even say hello.’ It was from former Rep. DAVID TROTT (R-Mich.).” [Politico, 4/21/23]
In Congress, DeSantis Was Reportedly Dismissive Of His Republican Colleagues, Including Reps. Kevin McCarthy Mark Meadows. According to Vanity Fair, “But DeSantis was dismissive of his peers. ‘Ron didn’t respect Mark Meadows. I could see it in the way they interacted,’ a former staffer said. ‘Ron hated Kevin McCarthy. Same with Boehner. He thought he was smarter than them,’ a former staffer said. DeSantis was particularly turned off by social conservatives like then Utah congressman Jason Chaffetz. He also ‘thought the Freedom Caucus guys were all nuts,’ a former staffer recalled. ‘Ron had a Do Not Disturb sign and he’d put it on his door anytime Chaffetz was coming by the office,’ another staffer said. A onetime staffer told me the sign, when hung, applied to all staff and visitors, save for Casey.” [Vanity Fair, 9/27/22]
DeSantis Developed A Reputation As Being A Difficult Boss To Work For. According to Vanity Fair, “DeSantis’s offices have earned a reputation as very unhappy places to work. ‘When you work for Ron, he makes you feel like you’re just lucky to be there,’ a former gubernatorial aide said. ‘I once had to drive him to the airport. We got stuck in traffic for an hour, and he didn’t say a word,’ a former congressional staffer told me. ‘I describe him as having the personality of a piece of paper.’” [Vanity Fair, 9/27/22]
Former DeSantis Advisor Called Him A “Terrible Bully.” According to Vanity Fair, “Last year, Politico reported ex-DeSantis staffers had formed a ‘support group’ to commiserate over their bruising experiences. ‘He’s a terrible bully,’ a past adviser said.” [Vanity Fair, 9/27/22]
Former DeSantis Staffers Formed Support Group To Exchange Stories About The Difficulties Of Their Time Working With Him. According to Politico, “A ‘support group’ of former DeSantis staffers meets regularly to trade war stories about their hardship working for the governor.” [Politico, 5/7/21]
DeSantis Blamed Staffers Following His Own Mistakes. According to Politico, “DeSantis often blames his staff for his own blunders, we’re told.” [Politico, 5/7/21]
DeSantis Blamed Staffers Following Controversy Over Racially-Charged Comments DeSantis Made On Fox News. According to Vanity Fair, “DeSantis’s campaign went sideways out of the gate when he told a Fox News interviewer, ‘The last thing we need to do is to monkey this up’ by electing Gillum, who would have become Florida’s first Black governor. DeSantis insisted the apparent racist dog whistle was unintentional and privately blamed his staff for failing to clean up the controversy. ‘He has a hard time taking responsibility for anything that goes wrong,’ a member of the campaign said.” [Vanity Fair, 9/27/22]
Former DeSantis Staffers Said He Treated Employees Like Expendable Widgets. According to Politico, “RON DESANTIS is looking ahead to reelection next year and quite possibly a 2024 bid for president — but he’s left behind a trail of former disgruntled staffers and has no long-standing political machine to mount a national campaign, DeSantis vets say. We talked to a dozen or so onetime aides and consultants to the Florida governor, and they all said the same thing: DeSantis treats staff like expendable widgets. He largely relies on a brain trust of two: himself and his wife, CASEY DESANTIS, a former local TV journalist. Beyond that there are few, if any, ‘DeSantis people,’ as far as political pros are concerned.” [Politico, 5/7/21]
Former Staffer On DeSantis: “It’s Him And Casey. But Everyone Else Is Like A Disposable Piece Of Garbage. According to Politico, “But many former DeSantis aides we spoke with told a different story. They did not want to be quoted by name because of potential professional repercussions. ‘Loyalty and trust, that is not a currency he deals in,’ one said. ‘It’s him and Casey. But everyone else is like a disposable piece of garbage.’” [Politico, 5/7/21]
DeSantis Reportedly Had To Be Lured To Staff Meetings With Cupcakes To Secure His Attendance. According to Politico, “Aides would lure DeSantis to staff meetings with cupcakes, saying that it was a colleague’s birthday to get him to attend.” [Politico, 5/7/21]
DeSantis Directed The Florida Republican Party To Fire A Party Official On His First Week Back From Cancer Surgery. According to Politico, “Another story relayed to us by five former staffers: At the beginning of his administration, DeSantis directed the Florida Republican Party leader to fire a party official who had cancer — on that person’s first week back from surgery.” [Politico, 5/7/21]
DeSantis Regularly Ranked In The 70th Percentile For Turnover In The House During His Time In Congress. According to Politico, “We talked to a dozen or so onetime aides and consultants to the Florida governor, and they all said the same thing: DeSantis treats staff like expendable widgets. […] The turnover in his office and among his campaign advisers is well known among Republicans: In three of his five full years in Congress, he ranked in at least the 70th percentile in terms of highest turnover in a House office, according to data compiled by Legistorm.” [Politico, 5/7/21]
May 2021: Only Two DeSantis Gubernatorial Staffers In May 2021 Had Started With When He Was A Junior Member Of Congress. According to Politico, “We talked to a dozen or so onetime aides and consultants to the Florida governor, and they all said the same thing: DeSantis treats staff like expendable widgets. […] In the governor’s office, he has only two staffers who started with him when he was a junior member of Congress.” [Politico, 5/7/21]
Former Staffers For DeSantis Noted His Appearances Are Highly Scripted, Making Him Difficult To Manage Ahead Of Events. According to the Daily Beast, “Several former staffers for the governor told The Daily Beast almost everything he does is scripted, which, coupled with an aversion to small talk, general pleasantries, and any unplanned interactions with the public, make him difficult to manage ahead of events. ‘It’s very prescribed,’ one former DeSantis staffer told The Daily Beast, while adding there are limited ‘off-the-cuff’ interactions while on the trail with DeSantis.” [Daily Beast, 3/16/23]
New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu, A Republican, Questioned Whether DeSantis Had Ever Sat Down With A Reporter For Coffee. According to the Associated Press, “The hard-charging Florida governor has emerged as a potent force in national politics while eschewing the personal connections, intimate moments and unscripted questions that have long fueled successful White House bids in the states that sit atop the presidential primary calendar. […] ‘No one’s gotten to know him the way they need to get to know him. I don’t know if they ever will,’ New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, himself a potential candidate, said of DeSantis during a recent interview. ‘Do you think Ron DeSantis has ever sat down for a cup of coffee with a reporter? No. It’s like physically not in him. He can’t do it. He doesn’t have that social connection with folks.’” [Associated Press, 3/17/23]
DeSantis’ Aversions To Interactions With The Public Have Led State Operatives To Work And DeSantis-Proof Their Events From Unexpected Occurrences. According to the Daily Beast, “The governor’s aversion to pressing the flesh, and his concern over the risk of unexpected interactions with the public, is already so well-known that early primary state players are working to DeSantis-proof their events in order to attract the flinty would-be candidate and his tight-knit team.” [Daily Beast, 3/16/23]
DeSantis’ First Trip To Iowa Did Not Include Answering Questions From Voters, Engaging Local Press, Or Going To Diners And Local Shops. According to the Associated Press, “In his first trip to Iowa this year, Ron DeSantis did not take any questions from voters. He largely ignored the local press. He avoided the diners, pizza parlors and ice cream shops that have helped presidential contenders in the leadoff voting state showcase their personal appeal and charisma for decades. For DeSantis, a leading Republican presidential prospect, it was simply business as usual.” [Associated Press, 3/17/23]
In Iowa, DeSantis Utilized Bike Racks To Create Space Between Himself And His Crowd. According to the Daily Beast, “During his Iowa swing, DeSantis’ apparent use of bike racks to create space between himself and a crowd didn’t go unnoticed elsewhere. ‘If they want 50 bike racks, we’ll give them 50 bike racks,’ a New Hampshire GOP lawmaker quipped to The Daily Beast.” [Daily Beast, 3/16/23]
DeSantis Used 10 Metal Bike Racks To Separate Himself From The Crowd. According to the New York Times, “She smiled widely and pointed to her hoodie as she told the governor that her son attended college in his home state. Mr. DeSantis — dressed in a dark blue suit with a light blue, open-collar shirt and black boots — stood on the opposite side of 10 metal bike racks separating him from the crowd.” [New York Times, 3/10/23]
DeSantis’ Team Was Reportedly Difficult To Work With To Accommodate The Governor’s Events. According to the Daily Beast, “The governor’s aversion to pressing the flesh, and his concern over the risk of unexpected interactions with the public, is already so well-known that early primary state players are working to DeSantis-proof their events in order to attract the flinty would-be candidate and his tight-knit team. […] ‘He’s been tighter in his requests than other candidates,’ a top New Hampshire Republican told The Daily Beast, adding that only former House Speaker Newt Gingrich came to mind as a bigger ‘nightmare’ to deal with.” [Daily Beast, 3/16/23]
Daily Mail: DeSantis Staffers Said They Were Concerned About His Personality And Temper On The Campaign Trail. According to the Daily Mail, “Ron DeSantis’s campaign wants him to meet and take more questions from ordinary voters to overcome fears about his temperament, DailyMail.com has learned. The 44-year-old has so far shied away from Q&A sessions on the road, despite being a standard feature of U.S. politics. […] He recently exploded at one reporter in New Hampshire who door-stepped him and asked why he failed to take unscripted questions from the audience, raising doubts about his temperament. And during a campaign event in Iowa last month, footage of DeSantis laughing manically about the cost of running a vintage Porsche triggered online jokes. Now, three DeSantis staffers have said they have concerns about the Navy veteran’s presentational style after being overshadowed by his wife Casey at rallies.” [Daily Mail, 6/11/23]
DeSantis Staffers Worried DeSantis Was Being “Overshadowed” By His Wife Casey. According to the Daily Mail, “Ron DeSantis’s campaign wants him to meet and take more questions from ordinary voters to overcome fears about his temperament, DailyMail.com has learned. The 44-year-old has so far shied away from Q&A sessions on the road, despite being a standard feature of U.S. politics. […] He recently exploded at one reporter in New Hampshire who door-stepped him and asked why he failed to take unscripted questions from the audience, raising doubts about his temperament. And during a campaign event in Iowa last month, footage of DeSantis laughing manically about the cost of running a vintage Porsche triggered online jokes. Now, three DeSantis staffers have said they have concerns about the Navy veteran’s presentational style after being overshadowed by his wife Casey at rallies.” [Daily Mail, 6/11/23]
A DeSantis Senior Staffer Worried DeSantis’ Personality Could Not Be Changed, Saying, “If His Wife Is A Former TV Reporter And She Can’t Teach Him, Who Can?” According to the Daily Mail, “Another senior member of Team DeSantis fumed: ‘If his wife is a former TV reporter and she can’t teach him, who can?’” [Daily Mail, 6/11/23]
One DeSantis Source Said The Governor Needed To “Chill Out A Bit And Be Less Stiff.” According to the Daily Mail, “They are now figuring out ways to overcome his rigid appearance as he makes trips to more diners and meets with smaller groups of voters in his bid to nail down the Republican nomination. ‘He just needs to chill out a bit and be less stiff,’ one source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said. ‘He always looks awkward and needs to get out and meet more people.’” [Daily Mail, 6/11/23]
A Source Close To DeSantis Said The Team Had To Coach DeSantis For “When To Smile” To Interact With Voters. According to the Daily Mail, “A third source said that they even had to coach the Florida governor on ‘when to smile’ when trying to interact with ordinary Americans.” [Daily Mail, 6/11/23]
April 22, 2023: Trump Had Earned Majority Of Presidential Endorsements Over DeSantis From Florida’s Congressional Delegation, Receiving 11 Out Of 20. According to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, “When Congressman Carlos Gimenez endorsed former President Donald Trump this week for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, it gave him the support of 11 of Florida’s 20 Republican representatives. Gov. Ron DeSantis, who hasn’t yet officially announced his candidacy, has the support of one.” [South Florida Sun-Sentinel, 4/22/23]
DeSantis’ Political Team Reached Out To Members Of Florida’s Congressional Delegation In An Effort To Thwart Further Endorsements Of Trump For 2024. According to NBC News, “Gov. Ron DeSantis’ political operation has started calling Republican members of the Florida congressional delegation to consolidate support after four members publicly backed Donald Trump in his 2024 presidential bid. Sources with four of the six members contacted by DeSantis' team shared the outreach with NBC News; each requested anonymity to confirm the calls. As Trump continues to lead in the polls for the GOP presidential nomination, DeSantis is trying to stop defections in his own backyard ahead of his expected run. DeSantis has no endorsements from the state delegation.” [NBC News, 4/12/23]
April 12, 2023: DeSantis’ Team Reached Out To Six Members Of Florida’s House Delegation Including Aaron Bean, Vern Buchanan, Kat Cammack, Mario Diaz-Balart, Laurel Lee, And Greg Steube. According to NBC News, “Since Donalds came out for Trump, DeSantis' team has called at least six members of Florida’s congressional delegation, asking that they hold off on making any endorsements in the near future. They are: Reps. Aaron Bean, Vern Buchanan, Kat Cammack, Mario Diaz-Balart, Laurel Lee and Greg Steube.” [NBC News, 4/12/23]
April 19, 2023: Florida Congressional Delegation Chair Rep. Buchanan Endorsed Donald Trump. According to ABC7, “Congressman Vern Buchanan is voicing his endorsement of former President Donald Trump ahead of the 2024 primaries. ‘If we want to get our economy back on track, Donald Trump is just the guy to get it done. From lowering taxes to protecting our borders to promoting America-first trade deals, President Trump has done it before and will do it again,’ Buchanan said in a statement. […] Rep. Buchanan is chair of the Florida Congressional Delegation.” [ABC7, 4/19/23]
Republican Miami Mayor Francis Suarez Said DeSantis Did Not Make Personal Calls To People To Secure Endorsements, Leaving It Fundraisers And Pollsters. According to Florida Politics, “Miami Mayor Francis Suarez is ripping Ron DeSantis for a lack of people skills, in the latest sign he may also run for President in 2024. […] Suarez noted that DeSantis doesn’t even bother to buttonhole endorsers. ‘He wasn’t even calling people personally,’ Suarez said. ‘His fundraiser or pollster was the one that was calling congressional leaders for support.’” [Florida Politics, 4/20/23]
January 2022: After Rep. Anna Paulina Luna’s Father Was Killed In A Car Crash, She Received A Letter From Casey DeSantis And Not From Ron DeSantis. According to the New York Times, “When Anna Paulina Luna’s father was killed in a car crash in January 2022, she received notes from two prominent Florida Republicans. One was from former President Donald J. Trump, a condolence letter that he signed, ‘Donald.’ The second letter came not from Gov. Ron DeSantis, but from his wife, Casey.” [New York Times, 4/20/23]
Rep. Greg Steube Said DeSantis Failed To Reach Out To Him After He Fell 25 Feet Off A Ladder And Had Ignored Multiple Requests To Connect. According to the New York Times, “Representative Greg Steube of Florida, who was hospitalized for four days after falling 25 feet off a ladder at home this year, told Politico this week that Mr. DeSantis’s office had never reached out to him and also ignored multiple requests to connect. Mr. Trump was the first person to reach out to Mr. Steube while he was in the I.C.U., he said.” [New York Times, 4/20/23]
Politico: DeSantis Had A History Of Not Wanting To Interact With Donors At Major Events. According to Politico, “With the Republican hunger for an alternative to Donald Trump intensifying, and way-too-early polling suggesting DeSantis is the beneficiary of this ravenousness, anecdotes about the governor’s aversion to schmoozing are piling up like, well, so many order tickets at Carbone during Friday dinner rush. There was the retreat DeSantis held for his own contributors in Miami last month, during which his face time was far less than expected. In November, it was the Republican Jewish Coalition’s conference in Las Vegas, where he flew in to speak and left, spurning offers of a meet-and-greet. And at the end of 2021, in Palm Beach, there was the ‘fireside chat’ session he did for Republican Governor’s Association donors with Charles Schwab, during which DeSantis all but delivered his stump speech and the famed investor cracked that the governor didn’t get to do both the question and answer part of the conversation.” [Politico, 1/17/23]
DeSantis Reportedly Had A Tendency To Not Thank Donors At Major Events. According to Vanity Fair, “‘The biggest complaint you hear about DeSantis is that he never says thank you,’ a veteran GOP strategist said. ‘People host events where donors give him enormous sums of money, and he never says thank you.’” [Vanity Fair, 9/27/23]
DeSantis Reportedly Annoyed Book Signing Attendees, Who Had Paid Extra For An Extra Interaction Before A Larger Speech, When He Only Spent A Few Minutes In The Room. According to the New York Times, “At a stop in Houston last week to promote his book and help raise money for the Harris County Republican Party, Mr. DeSantis was scheduled to speak to several hundred people who had paid extra money to hear him ahead of a speech to a larger crowd. But Mr. DeSantis spent only a few minutes in the smaller room and never took the stage, irritating some in attendance.” [New York Times, 3/10/23]