{"id":2084903,"date":"2023-10-31T03:13:01","date_gmt":"2023-10-31T07:13:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/covid-19-and-fauci-fail-to-energize-voters-for-desantis-people-are-ready-to-move-on\/"},"modified":"2023-10-31T03:14:08","modified_gmt":"2023-10-31T07:14:08","slug":"covid-19-and-fauci-fail-to-energize-voters-for-desantis-people-are-ready-to-move-on","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/covid-19-and-fauci-fail-to-energize-voters-for-desantis-people-are-ready-to-move-on\/","title":{"rendered":"COVID-19 and Fauci&#8217;s efforts fail to engage voters for DeSantis: Public wants to move forward."},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">30<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fcovid-19-and-fauci-fail-to-energize-voters-for-desantis-people-are-ready-to-move-on%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2084903&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>Gov. Ron DeSantis&#8217;s Attempt\u2064 to Make COVID-19 a Campaign Issue Falls Flat<\/h2>\n<p>Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL)\u200b has tried to\u200c turn former President Donald Trump&#8217;s handling of the\u200d COVID-19 pandemic \u2062into a\u200b focal point for the 2024 presidential campaign. However, despite Florida&#8217;s strong economic recovery from the pandemic, this strategy has not \u2063translated \u2062into success in the primary\u200c race.<\/p>\n<h3>COVID-19\u200c Fades from Public Consciousness<\/h3>\n<p>DeSantis diverged from federal recommendations by keeping Florida open and mask-free, as well \u200bas ensuring in-person learning in\u200c schools. These decisions boosted his approval rating and \u200dsolidified his position as a significant challenger to Trump in the Republican primary.<\/p>\n<p>However, Republican strategists believe that COVID-19 \u200cis no \u2062longer a pressing issue for Americans in 2023. The pandemic and\u2063 its \u200cassociated restrictions have become distant memories, and people are eager to move on. Voters want to forget about COVID-19 \u200dand the lockdowns, according to GOP strategists.<\/p>\n<p>DeSantis&#8217;s emphasis on his anti-lockdown and anti-mandate stance has not given him \u2062an advantage in the primary race. In fact, his polls have declined, with former Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley \u2062gaining ground. Nationally, DeSantis remains second only to Trump, but Haley is the only other candidate showing upward momentum.<\/p>\n<h3>COVID-19 Loses Priority \u2062in Voters&#8217; Minds<\/h3>\n<p>Surveys leading\u200b up to the 2024 election reveal that COVID-19 is of little \u2062importance to voters. Only 26% believe addressing\u200b the virus&#8217;s spread should be a priority for the president and Congress. The possibility of a resurgence of masks or lockdowns is not \u200ca significant concern\u200b in any of\u2063 the polls tracking the election.<\/p>\n<p>Voters are more\u200c focused \u200don topics that directly affect them, such as the economy and crime. \u200bThey want to put the painful \u200dpast of COVID-19 behind them and look towards the future.<\/p>\n<h3>DeSantis&#8217;s Strategy Backfires<\/h3>\n<p>DeSantis&#8217;s attempt \u200dto rally GOP voters by targeting COVID-19 and Dr. \u200bFauci has fallen flat. The issue resonates primarily with Trump supporters who prioritize loyalty to the former president over any criticism related to COVID-19. DeSantis&#8217;s decision to capitalize \u2064on distrust of institutions \u2063has not made him stand out among other Republican candidates.<\/p>\n<p>Despite DeSantis&#8217;s shock at the lack of receptiveness to criticisms of Trump on COVID-19, voters are simply unwilling to blame Trump for the pandemic. This strategy has backfired on the Florida\u2062 governor.<\/p>\n<p>Overall, DeSantis&#8217;s campaign&#8217;s focus on COVID-19 as a campaign issue has not gained traction. The topic is no longer a priority for voters, and DeSantis&#8217;s attempts\u200d to link it \u200dto broader \u200cagendas have not resonated.  <\/p>\n<h2> \u2062Why\u200c is it important for candidates to offer forward-looking policies that address the current challenges facing the nation, rather than focusing on \u200cthe past<\/h2>\n<p><span>  R a \u2064pressing issue in \u2062the minds of voters. As\u2062 vaccines became widely available and case numbers declined, public attention has \u200dshifted towards other concerns such as\u2063 the economy, immigration, and \u200dnational security. The pandemic, once an\u2062 all-encompassing crisis, now seems like a distant memory to many Americans. Therefore, DeSantis&#8217;s attempt to\u200b make COVID-19 a central campaign issue has failed to resonate\u200b with voters, who have moved on\u2064 to prioritize other issues of national\u200b importance.<\/p>\n<h3>Challenges in Aligning with Trump<\/h3>\n<p>Another challenge DeSantis has \u200dfaced is aligning \u200dhimself too closely with former President Trump. While DeSantis has been vocal about his support \u200bfor Trump&#8217;s policies and has touted their similarities in handling the \u200dpandemic, this\u200d strategy has not gained him much traction in\u200d the primary race. Many Republican \u200cvoters are eager for a fresh face and a new direction for \u200dthe party. Aligning himself too closely with Trump\u2062 risks pigeonholing DeSantis as a continuation of the previous administration, rather than a leader with innovative ideas for the future. As the Republican Party seeks to redefine itself \u2063in the post-Trump era,\u2062 DeSantis&#8217;s attempt to bring back COVID-19 as a\u2062 campaign \u2064issue may be seen as an attempt to revive the past rather than shape the future of the party.<\/p>\n<h3>Lack of National Support<\/h3>\n<p>Moreover, DeSantis&#8217;s attempt to make COVID-19 a campaign issue has not garnered much support from influential party figures at the national level. Unlike the leading Republican contenders for the\u2063 2024 presidential race, such as former\u200b Vice\u200b President Mike Pence and Senator Ted Cruz, DeSantis has not received the endorsement of prominent party leaders. It appears that his strategy of\u2062 capitalizing on the \u2064success \u200bof \u2062Florida&#8217;s response\u2064 to the pandemic has \u2064not translated into widespread\u2064 national recognition or support within the \u200dparty. Without the backing of influential\u200b figures, DeSantis may struggle\u200b to\u2064 gain momentum and establish himself as a formidable candidate \u2063in the Republican primary.<\/p>\n<h3>The Importance of Forward-Looking Policies<\/h3>\n<p>While it is important to acknowledge the achievements and successes in handling \u200dthe COVID-19 pandemic, it is \u2063equally important\u200d for candidates to offer forward-looking policies that address\u2063 the current challenges facing the nation. The focus\u2063 on the past, as exemplified by DeSantis&#8217;s attempt to \u200dmake COVID-19 a campaign issue, risks\u2064 overshadowing the need for fresh and innovative solutions to\u200c the pressing issues of our time. Voters\u2064 are looking for \u2064leaders who can \u2063offer tangible\u200d plans\u2063 to address economic recovery,\u200b social inequality,\u2064 healthcare, and \u2063climate change, among other issues.\u200c DeSantis&#8217;s emphasis on COVID-19 may be seen as a distraction from these\u2063 critical concerns.<\/p>\n<h3>The Road Ahead<\/h3>\n<p>As the 2024 presidential campaign gets underway, Gov. Ron DeSantis&#8217;s attempt to make COVID-19 a campaign issue has fallen flat. The pandemic, while once a defining issue, has faded from public consciousness as the nation moves towards recovery. DeSantis&#8217;s alignment\u200b with former President Trump and his focus on the past\u2064 rather than the future \u200dhave limited his success in the primary\u200b race. Without the support of influential \u2062party figures and \u200ca \u200bbroader, forward-looking policy platform, DeSantis\u200b may struggle to \u2063gain momentum and establish himself as a strong\u200b contender for the Republican nomination. As the election season progresses, it will be essential for candidates to prioritize the concerns\u2063 of the American people and \u200coffer innovative solutions to the challenges of our\u2064 time.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) aims to highlight Trump&#8217;s COVID-19 response, including his support for Dr. Fauci, in the 2024 campaign. Despite Florida&#8217;s strong economic recovery, this focus hasn&#8217;t yet translated into political triumph.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2084905,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2084903","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2084903","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2084903"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2084903\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2084905"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2084903"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2084903"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2084903"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}