On paper, former President Donald Trump and Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) are incredibly similar. On the campaign trail, the two could not be more different.
As the 2024 primary cycle begins to heat up, Republicans are ramping up efforts to distinguish themselves from what is expected to be a crowded field of candidates and make headway with GOP voters. In doing so, Trump and DeSantis, who are largely considered to be the two front-runners in the Republican primary, have taken on vastly different strategies.
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The second-term governor has used a more formal strategy as he courts a presidential bid, making visits to key primary states but largely avoiding personal interactions with supporters or the press. During a trip to Iowa last week, DeSantis avoided making impromptu visits to local businesses or taking questions from voters.
Instead, he’s sticking to the strategy that helped launch him to a historic win in the midterm elections in which he was reelected by 19 points. The go-it-alone approach has prompted some criticism from other Republicans, who say it’s not enough for a national election.
“No one’s gotten to know him the way they need to get to know him. I don’t know if they ever will,” Gov. Chris Sununu (R-NH) told the Associated Press. “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.”
Trump, on the other hand, is leaning into his personality and headline-grabbing demeanor as he makes his way across the campaign trail.
Since announcing his campaign in November, Trump has maximized his presence on the campaign trail, traveling to several key primary states to meet with voters. Aside from hosting rallies and campaign events, Trump has also made a point to visit local restaurants and ice cream shops to take photos with supporters and sign autographs.
The visits mark a slight shift in strategy from Trump’s previous presidential campaigns, with his advisers noting it’s a way for voters to see him “in a different light.”
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“Usually, they see him on camera or at a rally or in an interview. They don’t necessarily get to see him up close,” campaign spokesman Steven Cheung told the outlet. “And this is one way to bridge that gap. And it’s also one way to make this campaign more distinct.”
DeSantis’s team has pushed back on the assertion that the governor is taking on an isolationist approach, noting he is not a presidential candidate. Should he launch a White House bid, DeSantis is likely to revive his midterm strategy that saw the governor travel to all of Florida’s 67 counties and meet with several voters.