I'll say. I did not realise that you were married when he reached out you Emily are in turn, found you man and then I found you and then I restart you. Both then you're, like oh, actually, we're married Well, hello and welcome to the five thirty politics podcast, I'm doing the usually when a party is locked out of power in Washington, like the Republican Party gives tonight. There's plenty

internal debate about policy messaging and who should leave the party next think back to this time. Four years ago, the twenties sixteen post mortem was practically its own. John and democratic senators were jockeying for air time in public hearings, trying to get that viral campaign launched moment. That hasn't quite been the case for the GEO key after the twenty twenty election. Many republicans don't acknowledged that the party legitimately loss to the presidency and former president tromp remains both popular within the party and eligible for another turn so introspection at least publicly is rare, and the expectation is that if Trump wants the twenty twenty four nomination, it's hits, but some republicans- are still jockeying for position to be the next leader of the party. After all, electoral politics are fickle and hard to predict, and it certainly

of all the next presidential nominee of the Republican Party is not trouble so who else may try to guide the GEO P out of the wilderness and on what platform? Well, flora, Governor Rhonda Santa's has some ideas and today we're going to take a look at his politics, how he shaped Florida and how he could shape the Republican Party he's considered to be in the political mold of Trump but more discipline, and this week he closed out a state legislative session full of conservative culture war priorities that may well be geared towards a national audience. To help understand this, says: politics has to local reporters to come on. The show so here with me, is state government reporter for the Miami Harold, honestly values. Welcome. Thank you for having me also with us. Is bureau chiefs of Political Florida, Matt Dixon welcome to the shop thanks to me. So, as I mentioned, Florida ended its too. me, twenty two legislative session on Monday and much of what was past had to do with the country's culture worry. So let me know if I

as any big ones, but some new bills ban abortions after fifteen weeks limit how and when teachers can address race, sexual orientation and gender identity in schools and how companies can address race and diversity. Trainings penalize companies that transport immigrants who are in the country illegally into Florida and create a new unit in the Department of State to investigate voting irregularities. One was the test for this sessions? Priorities kick off is a mouthful of culture, a kickoff. Issues. So what to keep in mind with our legislature. Here you know it's it's dominated by Republicans. As the leader of the Party of governor on dissenters and a lot of these legislative items on the wish list, where at the request of governor on the scene and You have to think about it as

see that is being looked at through a national lens right. I mean there's a lot of the discussions that were being in committee rooms rule at the sixty day. While the discussion were not very focused on floors, specific examples, but there was an impetus if you will have action based on what is being talked about at the national level. What is popular among conservatives and we started seeing the cultural fights brewing in School board meetings, for example when on issues with curriculum since last summer, the State Board of Education here in Florida, at the request of governor on defense, It is anything that had to do with the concept of critical race theory. So then it was also.

irritation over the masking issue, so School board meetings became pretty much a battleground and when the legislature came back for session, it was pretty much reflected on the policy that they were trying to implement. Statewide, don't understand. This is exceptionally good at reading to base his political base. So on his right when things like that sort of percolating up at the local level, when school board, you know, fights were happening and things like that. Those are signal same those accused him and he's really really good. At reading those moments, and not only understanding them but amplifying them, so we have school board, fights all of a sudden. There's this big legislative, statewide, fight over masks and parental empowerment is his conservatives. talking about it and not only does he expanded at the state level, but he has essentially at this point unfettered access to like Fox NEWS, see if he wants to go on Tucker if he wants to go on Hannity, the governor doesn't have to ask the governor says I'm coming on tonight it's sort of a dino works up that way from the level things that he's seeing at a grass roots in Florida and things like school boards- and it goes,

the state level, where they talk about policy and, and then the sudden he's talking about it on Fox NEWS and getting being directly in the conservative households across the country, and I think that something that the scientists has created here. We have met a government whose had the ability or access to do that, and this is really used very well. So I didn't Florida isn't usually thought of as being all ideologically extreme. You know it's traditionally been a battleground state. It's diverse has lots of transplants. When it comes to hot button issues, it's traditionally been lenient on abortion restrictions for a southern state. It has a really visible LGBT community. Even republicans talk about environmental issues in the state because of the realities of Florida. How did it become sort of ground zero for these culture wars like do you chalk it all up to Ronda Santas. Are there other changes going on with the makeup of the Florida electorate? I think it's so as explicit around Sansa meteorite, this used to be a purple swing. State

it's without question centre right now, I'm not even sure if it's its it fits within the swing state category at this point in a former governor Rick, Scott who's. You know now a US senator was here for two terms. He was governor for eight years, very, very conservative, very republican, but more of in the mold of you know, taxes, low small government. He wasn't necessarily at home and ecosystem of culture. Wars are under sense, is it's where he lives is where he This is where he breeze, so any in these become very popular. So when governor dissenters talks about these issues, the race comes with impairment heard a governor. They ever heard a leader of the Republican Party floor to talk this way in a very long time or maybe ever so. I think that his slowly standard to edge of Florida in its in a growing up fucking bass to the right and before the Democratic Party is notoriously bit of a circular firing squad, the growth of Republicans here, most of and aided by a lack of a real opponent. When you talk about Republicans who are advocating for smaller government, just kinda rat tape, which was pretty much straight Rick Scott had just after happened,

this eight years. There is definitely a lot of criticism that is coming now from democratic criticising all these cultural issues, because they are creating more restrictions on businesses, for example, they are saying that Florida is not no longer going to become like the business friendly state, because there's people were I might be able to sue them over diversity. Trainings, for example, there's just so many examples of cause of action. Proposals were proposed this year that businesses don't necessarily want a lot of the culture issues. The the broader themes have gotten a lot of national attention, but they did come embedded with with language and provisions I would just mention that would allow people to sue companies over this right and any other others say. Regulations in terms of Turkey, Lamb, for example, the parental rights go. There's a new sections on the instruction for caveat three classrooms on sexual orientation. If a parent happens to disagree with that, they can sue the school district and

there is the same provision for companies on individual freedom bill that is called in response to the sea, our teeth of That also would allow employees to sue their employer if they feel, like their individual freedoms, are violated based on what was said about race into that degree like and among the vanguard of this. This new conservative woman too. I guess there less Chamber of commerce focus in more cultural work this and I think to some degree I mean we're seeing that nationally, right, like there's, organizations that are starting to say, will corporations will corporations we're not going to cater to anymore. Instead, going away from the Republican Party's roots of being very business friendly, Interesting, a lot of that Florida. Very recently, a governor Santa has gotten up a fight with Disney at which Disney the name you know for in the movies and theme parks, but it's also a political giant in Florida as a huge donor, it's always been very politically. We fully understand that does not pay any mind to that. Some of the same

considerations. The past republican governors have have made, as far as being business friendly, passing policies that the business he wants is something that is no longer really. His talk consideration in more in fact used. bill a fight, those organizations and you use that energizes base So it sounds, like dissenters has moved away from the old Republican Party. Many people in the party have how have Floridians responded to it's been super divisive. Republican. The Democrats have always gotten along, but now they hate each other, I mean. Even you can see them on the state legislature. They used to be sort of a more collegial feel like they make laws maybe in the floor. They been committing afterwards and serve the bars and restaurants around the capitol ever be hanging out you don't. That is most in that's anecdotal, but I mean that covered a bunch of these legislative sessions and I think it's very real,

so. I think he has been divisive, but I don't think it's gonna hurt him at all. Politically, it's important to know. Government scientists is a strong, strong, favorite headed into his twenty twenty two reelection. Honestly, I think most of his team is already looking at twenty twenty four, because the democratic field here isn't all that strong in these base energy as in bills, I don't think are going to hurt him at all. I think they were designed and I think they will effectively make him stronger yeah, and I really do think that when you think about the sentence, you have to acknowledge that he's serious, We track he's really smart guy, who knows how, to talk to his days for example, the so called Jonesy gave was not even a bill that he personally proposed. This was something that came out out of the legislature. He didn't I about it. All the Wednesday started getting national headlines once distance are getting involved, he more than double down on that proposal, and he has people around his tea that problem.

we telling him whether or not these policies are popular among the base or with voters in general, and so you are not going to see Desantis great something, is much if he doesn't think that he can fully embrace it as part of his platform, and I think that's something that we saw with the it don't say gay bill, which is like called officially the parental rights bill, he's framing it. As this is a parents' issue, This is a thing that parents want, and this is something that we saw during the pandemic when schools were close, so he's trying to tap into that type of voter right. You want you control over your kids curriculum nearby? I am your fighter. Looking at a couple. Different poles brought us

His approval rating is somewhere between the low and high fifties and his disapproval rating is somewhere between the high thirties and low forties, and it seems, like Floridians, approve of the job he's doing. Sixty percent of independents approve of the job that he's doing. What should we attribute the popularity to while one in Florida, specifically, the republican portion of the electorate is growing and the best example of Republicans just recently overtook Democrats and registered voters here and that's pretty much. The first time in modern political history, Florida has had more registered Republicans and Democrats going back.

When President Obama won here in two thousand and eight Democrats had a seven hundred thousand voter registration advantage, so Republicans have overcome a seven hundred thousand vote registration deficit and you know GOSH a decade, so Florida is getting much much redder. So I think naturally, some of the policies that Governor SAM in Florida are going to be popular. It really is kind of notable because Rick Scott spent most of his eight years at under fifty percent and sort of post tea party. It's it's just generally a very anti incumbent mood, the era of sixty percent approval ratings. Don't really exist any more. So the fact that governor to Santas is generally over fifty percent is, you know, he's been in one of the more popular governors. Florida has seen in well over a decade and it's a I think, it's a signal that the status is headed in one direction politically, and I think a lot of that has to do with the pandemic. We're coming out of two years now or at outright. It's been two years. Time does we're coming off two years of something that

one experience and in Florida Santos has taken full credit of being. A leader and keeping schools up and keeping businesses open, not allowing vaccine passports. He brags about the state being the free state of Florida, and that is something that she is fully embracing, as he runs for reelection. That is something that really resonated with a lot of Floridians here and even now he says once more into foreign, I right because they want me to free, say their sick and tired of the states where they are in there, policies, and so what I'm doing is the thing: that's bringing everyone back to the sunshine state. So there is definitely a dynamic has allowed him to really rise.

And popularity, not just in the state but across the country yeah. That can't be overstated enough as it's a it's a good point, the pandemic and the way he handled it was rocket fuel for him nationally and there's pictures of him at bike week in Daytona Beach holding up a beer that is like sort of become the picture they like to use a lot talking about the free state of Florida and that's really what caught him fire nationally with with republican conservative types. The people who pay attention to politics throughout the year the pandemic is is what put the Santas on on the map too to a degree. This certainly sparing is trump level. Sort of popularity was above against. Can we talk a little bit about Rhonda Censuses, biography in front of how he formed the political identity, that door describing today he was a sort of born out of the tea party. He self published a book poking fun at President Obama and he was found by a Republican, consulting firm going around to local tea party meetings selling this book,

He told himself really well talked about the constitution and liberties and sort of the things you know again. He speaks to the base really really well and this prominent consulting firm in floor I saw sort of plucked him out of obscurity. There was during Florida's redistricting process, so there's A new congressional map was drawing a new congressional district, exceedingly strong, where the Santer lived he ran for Congress have found. The Freedom Party was always very conservative. Member got the Fox news play folks, like Sheldon Adolf sin in some large donors, like the sentences brand of conservatism and from there those guys helped him get into position, Regan afforded to run for governor, but he's always been to his Party's right and he sort of been forged from the you know: conservative politics from the get go, but I think that the his governor, dances and routes are really sort of in the early tea party movement. He was as Trump likes to call him a little guy Congress who is running for governor, so he

sorry that's like his my augury and their new twenty atm, and he decided to run for governor. She was I running against what you would call an establishment republican right. Everyone thought this guy named Adam Putnam is going to be. The next governor and then there came in triumph and Tweed Ed, this harbour trained Congress Iran Desantis is a great guy. You should all support him and the rest is history. You know it's

with a total ally of Trump and he ended up winning when you say he was sort of born out of the tea party movement. I think of potentially people like TED Cruz, who had actually served at some points, as sort of a foil to President Trump as being more conservative, more ideologically, driven more aligned with the evangelical parts of the party, whereas Trump frustrated. Some of the party's alliances, like you mentioned with the Chamber of Commerce even early on aspects of the parties, even will base. So how does Rhonda Santa's navigate? All of that being perhaps ideologically very conservative but

seemingly wanting to to mimic trump and he he frustrated some of those ideologies. I honestly don't think he tries to navigate anything he's the most blunt force politician, I've ever covered, I genuinely to a degree, don't think he makes some sort of calculations he wakes up in the morning. Sort of you know sees what the field the bases and does what he wants, and he he isn't as susceptible to sort of finger to the wind politics or or one of their traditional special interest groups that you're kind of talking about her or coalitions might be a better term. Some of the coalitions his perspective is, if you're a coalition, that's historically been with Republicans you're going to be with my brand of republicanism or you're the enemy. So I don't know that he'd necessarily caters to organizations like that he'll be with them if they're with him. But the moment it turned on him or or come on its policy of, as he has no problem cunning ties. He sees not known as the world's most loyal soldier. I dont know that he she makes those considerations

which which is, I guess, sort of novel. I I have not seen a major politician operate the way governor Santas does he doesn't have a huge political. Do. That's one of the things people note about a potential twenty twenty four and he doesn't have a big political circle. He doesn't have be looked at what, but he doesn't have a poster on doesnt haven't a you know, a general consultant him and his wife case he was kind of his top advisor really just met If the decision on what they want to do and do it and you're either with him or you're not and if you're not, he doesn't care, and I think we saw that a lot of terrain the legislative session he had there asap the things he had here. At Disney. Traditionally, you know you don't see Disney getting in the crosshairs of a politician, so high profile like up near longest Andreas and there's also, for example, the immigration proposals. I work that came out of bunch of which you have indulged call sorry coming out against the proposal, because a lot of those they face organisations take care of company minors, which they felt the policies will be targeting, but

in the day. Yes, there were like hundreds of delegates that came out to the capital against the immigration policy, but this is just a few days later hosting an event at Evansville well Church in Miami Dade, and he knows who will be with him and then he just trust has got and what whatever he knows about what he wants to do and just goes through it. I actually don't think he has one in what I mean is introduced a coalition would be you know very special interest groups, event elbows business groups, certain politicians, he doesn't have close friends, political ally, as he sort of an army of one and he's really unique. In that sense, if there were coalition. It would be the loudest voices in the party, I suppose, some of the interpretive social media influencer types, many of whom have now very loudly and famously moved to Florida, some of them. Of the folks who are are hundreds of thousands of twitter followers and youtuber types have sort of made their personal brand. Now being

What are people that move to Miami and the very loudly talk about how governor's stances policies drew them there? The free state of Florida, that's become. You know a brand amplifier for him and, I would say, a collection of youtubers and twitter celebrities. If anything are much closer to a Santas coalition than any traditional coalition, you would associate with a large prominent politicians cause he simply doesnt abide by the traditional political role and being hampered traditional political ends, often sort of false flat knows imitate Disney's a good example there, because Disney, has decided in this fight they're going to suspend all political contributions for the time being the to be able to raise money were already hearing from Republic, state. Lawmakers people from his own party, saying hey. This is going to cut off a big source of political contributions for us and the governor. Doesn't care doesn't think about those calculations? It's getting it's sort of an army of one face on a series of proposals that came out

want to say this- I shall you can tell that a lot of the concerns that he's responding to, at least with the policy that he personally prioritize were proofs of parents who are just like in reality just local. activists who are mobilizing at the local level on school issues that they feel passionate about, and that's what he's tapping into the local pockets of they're, not all necessarily activists, but it is a coalition of organizing this, the conservatives and they are getting in this year. We a lot about culture, war issues, but one of the possible appeals of President Trump all the way back in two thousand. Sixteen was-

basically rejecting some of the least popular policy positions of the Republican Party on economic. So, for example, basically saying I'm not gonna privatized, social security, I'm gonna invest a trillion dollars and infrastructure, which of course, didn't happen under president tromp talking about funding public health CARE Medicare and things like that. What has dissent, as is approach been too kitchen table politics there is, it must have a decision to stop Those issues he he almost exclusively focuses on somebody should we've talked about and coming out of this most recent legislative session is actually a good example. Florida's property insurance market is imploding, it's in really rough shape. The insurance commissioner agrees is very dire. The law makers were unable to agree the house in the Senate you're unable to grant any properly transposed to fix it at the end

session and it's a very, very big, pocketbook issue here. It's it's a number, probably the top bullet point. Pocketbook issue in Florida, governor to Santos, has asked about the legislature's failure to pass a property insurance bill and it was clear he he just wasn't really prepared to talk about the issue didn't address it directly and shifted to binding inflation and how everything is becoming more expensive. So I thought that was a good, snapshot of the pocket book issues. You're talking about tax policy, property insurance reform. Some of those things you know a traditionally may be being again. There's we'll house just arc his main focus we've been comparing him to Trump, because I think that's the natural comparison to make, given that, if he does run in two thousand and twenty four, he could,

essentially be running against the former president and the former president, obviously still has just massive sway over the republican Party. So, looking at an analysis from Bloomberg in two thousand and twenty one quote a fifth of the fifty five million dollars that dissenters has raised this year came from hedge fund billionaires, private equity bankers, investment managers and other finance industry donors, Trump, who got less than two percent of his twenty twenty reelection funds from Wall Street, has raised the bulk of his one hundred million dollar War chest from small donors, we have suggested that run. Diseases is also not a chamber of Commerce Republican. Like Trump wasn't either. Is he a populist? What relationship does he have to the grass roots verses, maybe a money that we believe that much of populist that aid very ancient about the Santer says we were putting on a magazine profile or something is

he started, gets annoyed by millionairess. He doesn't like talking to millionaires. He thinks Easter transactional donor class, but when he's talking to billionaires, that's when he gets excited and someone using plainly sort of the billion I whispered, the Sheldon aid or sins of the world he really likes, but between billion heiress. He has no use for you and you brought up. I think that our selves from twenty one one. He really has sorted turned on the small dollar donor. Spigot he's he's gotten at this point contributions from all fifty states. a ton of them are really small dollar. His political committee at the state level has to report every month in in the month of cash. I forget what month it was, but he filed a four hundred page political committee report, which is something I had never seen

when it was all it was reams and reams and reams of small dollar donors. So without question, he still getting six figure pie, five figure checks from from folks like you had mentioned, but I do think recently. He has started to think up his small money game and his campaign is, is really putting a focus on that and sort of trying to capitalize on the national brand with grassroots types across the country who do give twenty twenty five dollars at a time and- and those are are it's starting to roll in for him in a real and serious way, yeah and a lot of times. He see all these fundraising emails come out right after he held a press conference on policy and that's how he's tapping into the small donors across the country, not just in Florida. I guess they could see the strategy of nationalizing every single issue that he's pushing for, because he's not only trying to implement something here in Florida. He's also trying to get five bucks from someone in California who agrees with his policies or someone in Texas, and if you look

his contributions on his website? There are a lot of small dollar donations, but there's also a lot of money coming in from billionaires like, I believe, people who are moving now into Florida as well are now giving him a lot of money. So how do you compare him to trump? What are the areas of overlap and how is it different? I think he's a slightly less charming Donald Trump. I described him earlier start of a brute force and then what he is. He speaks to the Maga voter that there is a ton of overlap. I guess the middle of the Venn diagram between Trump and the San Francis Borders is probably a circle, but they do interact with them slightly differently. I think the comparison is apt. A lot of people make that comparison and I don't think that's the wrong way to go, but but the Santas doesn't really even pretend to have a sense of Humor, that's just really not his thing, as he doesn't have no a large friends circle or anything remotely regarding what you see

is that especially in the south's about politicians, here have been along, sometimes been, you know, charming southern that's been their Vive, and that is so not rounded Santas so to bluntly, put it a less charming, titled Trump might be. Where I would go that I mean he's and he's really good at branding that it is all about combativeness right he's all this field by like every time he can take a stab at the media. He'll do it if he doesn't like the framing of a reporter's question. Oh you're, not going to answer the question he's going to talk to reporter for asking it that way and it's becoming part of his brand, and I think that even though some not think he's charming. I think it is russian owning with the conservative base, who like seeing a fighter on tv and impress conferences and fighting for what they think. It's me, even if they would have been like. I would have said another way. They like the fact that he sent that message in that way or delivered there was example that went viral. I think it a two weeks ago

where there were some kids behind a podium where he was going to have a press conference that were right masts and he told them to take off the mask- and a lot of people might have agree with that. But the way that he did it will see this wagging his finger and time saying it in a tone that struck some people live Some people around way and ban all became a bow, the media. How do the media like criticise the Santer is like he was just telling them that they have the option to take off the mass like? While if you listen the video is a little bit more combative and some parents were upset about how he was talking to children. So it's all about branding for him and his combativeness is I think a little bit different than tramp tramp was a little bit funnier ere he can make people C B army risotto harmless, like you, said something that I do not agree with, but he thought of it

It's funny way the mask incidents, actually a really good example for the world, without a political trait they very much share in common, is find an enemy defined the enemy and relentlessly attack it never back down, never apologize, one of the kids moms, who is yelled at and by the governor, to take the mask off, didn't interview with the local television stations Hossain. How upset she was said. I asked my son to wear it Now- should do that in rather than doubling down their resists, especially in those pants empowerment moment, rather than backing and saying, oh sorry, we could have handled it differently. His press secretary, created a meme making fun of the mother, so there is absolutely sort of a strain that Trump into Santa's share of? Never apologize, never back down up. I'm not sure that the I think we got a chance to ask them when we were doing a magazine profile of your apologized for anything- and I don't recall him coming up with an answer that is very-

the commonality between the two, so I mentioned at the top that ambitious Republicans have to be perhaps even more coy than you normally would be. When you have designs on, you know trying to be the nominee of your party because of President Trump Santa's manage that, and do you have any doubt that he's going to run in twenty twenty four? I guess I go back It was on an hour out that seatback and it's without question from the activists lens. The republican party is still very much Donald Trump's. It was trump everywhere in a little bit of the Santa stuff. So from that perspective, I lean towards no because I don't think he can win, but Rhonda Santas he's having a moment. Yes has tons of momentum, and he has an incredible sense of self he's got a big ego and I think he thinks he can beat Donald Trump and I don't think, there's anyone who can

necessarily talk him out of it. He's got an orbit around him and I have noticed the degree they listened to him. So I guess I go back and forth depending on the day on my certainty of him running in two thousand and twenty four, I think without question. He wants to ease gearing up forties, doing everything he needs to do, but he's got a huge hurdle in his way as of today- and I don't honestly at this moment- I don't totally know how that is going to play itself out. I think he thinks smart and not checking all the vices. He needs in case they're half Athens at for him to around twenty twenty four, but like Matt Nanshan. I think there is still this very cemented idea within that. applicant party, that Trump is their guy. I mean one thing that I kept hearing acts Ipad, for example, is oh my gosh trump is we love him and we also love to see Angeles, but he's young trump is not.

That young and if we want him to be president again, this is his time. Twenty twenty four is Trump's time. Just scientists can wait in line a little bit longer and we will still love him when he decides to run so there's definitely a cue that conservatives are very much aware of. You said that We want it. How is he differentiating himself from trouble? The best single issue is back since tromp is still has talked about operation warp, speed and easiest advocated very recently people they back scenes in the Santer took what was, I guess scene a slight shot by doubling down on. He would cringe at that Anti Vax, but asked. Certainly all of his rhetoric does not encourage people to get vaccine, so there is a very big separation between the two of them. On that issue There's been some personal grapes behind the scenes. Where that you don't have the best relations should be they used to, but from a policy perspective, I'm not sure these necessary try,

until he's he's doubling down and leaning his shoulder into some of the biggest policy fights that the Maga CUP really likes, but big picture, I'm not sure he's tried to detach himself from that. Necessarily what about the results of the two thousand and twenty election? Has he backed trump up on the idea that the election was fraudulent and that trump? In fact, one he's tried to total why he hasn't said that folks, who say the election was stolen or wrong trump on here by three point: two: it's which is a landslide in Florida. Florida has a one point states where Trump won here in a big way, so he has done things like you'd mentioned at the top. He pushed to create this elections investigation unit, but he hasn't done things like call for an audit.

He tried to toe that line by not saying that that segments of the party is wrong because he wants their support, but he's also hasn't gone. Full throated like in Wisconsin, for instance, where they have a former Supreme Court justice of the state. You know doing this widespread election audit. None of that's ever been in play here in Florida. I think the voting bill that we saw this year was a great example: F Cat, his time at lions, traded, a body to investigate voting regularity spot like this all came about after getting a lot of pressure from conservatives to do in on it, and he didn't call for an audit, and so it's software talking along the line, has also been asked whether pence or trump are right in terms of how the certification should gone.

Do you really want to answer that question thinking twice? They others taken five and that specific issue in so publicly, like he's not one to amplify that issue for himself wrapping up here. Usually, when you run for president, you try to get a bunch of different parts of the party to back you up donors, different interest groups, different pieces of the broad coalition. You ve said that he doesn't pay too much attention to sort of does. What are you it wants? But what is his relationship like with the rest of the party? Does somebody who has no working relationship whatsoever with President Trump like Mitch? Mcconnell have an interest in potentially supporting someone like Ronda Santos and twenty twenty four. The answer is, I don't know that they're cited enough, so I don't know if Mitch Mcconnell around LOS Angeles, where they are personally, but I would say philosophically, there's Mitch Mcconnell's not around his interest Republican. I do think he is going to get some of the biggest donors.

Hordeum biggest party donors from across the country. Writing him checks simply because they do agree with him. Philosophically it's not necessarily that these catering or pandering to them, but the free state of Florida. The staying open during the pandemic resonates on the conservative end of the party from the grassroots up to the donor elite. Everyone likes that message and I think the more you talk to people on the far right. After the party they're, going to support him just because of that he's not catering or coalition building or trying to join anything, that's outside of Ronda San, his comfort zone, but because he acted the way he did in theirs. The liberty, the free state of Florida

that's, going to attract money and attention from donor elites and party bigwigs, but I don't believe that he's the sort of guy that a Mitch Mcconnell type or a more establishment sort of Republican is really going to get behind unless they have to and there's also the example of his last year before there is like a break from the law makes concession, but he was traveling all over the country holding fundraisers, so he's not really having any problems. Finding supporters and other parts the country, and he was in New Jersey. He was in California, he was raising millions and millions and millions of dollars every month and if that is an indication of how he could build his own national coalition. Based on that alone, I think it's their stuff like signs that, even if some members of the party might not totally agree with him, he can die

We pulled his weight and raising some money and gaining support at the national level. Alright! Well, let's leave it there. Thank you so much for joining reach of our great. Thank you. Your is thank you and Israel is a state government reporter for the Miami Herald and Matt Dixon is the bureau. If of political support, my name is Galen drugs, Claire Bitter Gary Curtis is an audio editing. Chadwick Matlin is our editorial director and Emily Husky is our intern. You can get into the. Mikey mailing us a pod cast at five, thirty, eight dot com. You can also course tweeted us with any questions or comments. If you're a friend of the M a rating or review in the Apple podcast store or someone about us thanks for listening and the