How the GOP Lost Jacksonville

(Rogan O’Handley) – A Democrat won the Jacksonville Mayor’s race this week in a major upset.

Republicans had controlled the Mayor’s office for the past 8 years and even won a supermajority on the city council so this came down to another factor. Here’s what happened…

A brutal GOP primary left Republican voters unmotivated to vote and many even defected to vote for the Democrat. It certainly didn’t help that (Florida Gov. Ron) DeSantis was on a world tour instead of campaigning on the ground in his state.

Some believe a brutal GOP primary for the Presidency is a good thing. They are naive fools.

A brutal, drawn out primary drains financial resources that could otherwise be used for the general election against Biden and it makes a large chunk of GOP Voters sour towards the winner.

Recent polls have grown increasingly clear – DeSantis has *no* chance in 2024 and is only going to tear the GOP apart, drain financial resources that could be used to stop Biden in the General, and will turn off at least 50% of the MAGA base so much that they’ll probably never support him again.

Trump is being persecuted by the Deep State from all directions – is DeSantis going to join them in attacking Trump? Does he realize what that will make the MAGA base think of him? These people don’t forget.

I know these grassroots voters extremely well and my #1 rule for any MAGA leader is “Never cross the Base.” If you cross the base just once, they will write you off forever. Just ask Mike Pence, Nikki Haley, Chris Christie, Jeb Bush, etc.

As it stands, DeSantis is the lead horse for 2028 by a mile. But if he enters this primary and gets into a nasty battle with Trump (who will easily win anyway), he may destroy his chances forever. The base will find a new hero for 2028.

I believe he knows this, but is being coerced by powerful GOP establishment forces. Don’t listen to them, Governor. Play the long game and you’ll be President one day. Play the short game and you’ll just be a really great Governor.

Mr. O’Handley is a husband, patriot, and lawyer exposing corruption on both sides. He tweets @DC_Draino