DeSantis kicks off bid to go from phenom to giant killer

Apr. 15—MANCHESTER — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis politely shrugged off two female protesters to survive his first pre-presidential campaign appearance in New Hampshire with a solid if predictable stump speech Friday night.

Now the hard stuff begins.

Can DeSantis go from hyped-up phenomenon to president, such as Barack Obama in 2008 and George W. Bush in 2000? Or will he join a much longer and sadder line of would-be frontrunners who never were — like Democrat John Glenn in 1984 or Republicans Rick Perry in 2012 and Scott Walker in 2016?

Dante Scala, professor of politics at the University of New Hampshire, said DeSantis came to the first-in-the-nation primary state after a few stumbles. Some were self-inflicted, others were seized upon by potential rivals, including former President Donald Trump.

"We have seen this before, a highly touted politician who is given frontrunner status without really having done anything," Scala said during an interview.

"He clearly has some problems dealing with the scrutiny he has received and seems in this purgatory that he put himself in. This too could well pass. He is entering a whole new and bigger arena that doesn't come easy for most politicians. It will be fascinating to see whether he can navigate it and stay the hot property."

Chloe Ezzo, a senior and president of Dartmouth College Republicans, said DeSantis' defiance of COVID-19 mandates sold her.

"I think conservatism needs to be more than tax cuts for billionaires. It's important to not have to take vaccines you don't agree with. I believe the establishment doesn't care enough about social issues at the heart of America. Americans care about their children in school, their education, sanctity of life and medical freedom," Ezzo said.

Bob Burns, the GOP's Second Congressional District nominee from Pembroke, has not been won over yet.

"It was kind of boring; I'm not going to lie," said Burns, who has never shied from criticizing the party establishment.

"If you've been paying any attention to the guy at all, you had heard all of this before. I kept waiting for a real punchline."

DeSantis began by claiming authorship for the surprising New Hampshire heat wave that preceded his visit.

"I bring greetings from the free state of Florida. I take credit for the nice warmth and sunshine I brought with me from down south to New Hampshire," DeSantis said.

There was the obligatory salute of New Hampshire's reputation as a state that celebrates personal freedom.

"More than any other state, you don't mince words when it comes to your stance on liberty. You say it very clearly: Live Free or Die," DeSantis said.

A deft operator

While his 36-minute speech broke no news, afterward DeSantis deftly worked the room at the sold-out DoubleTree Hotel in downtown like a seasoned pro, offering selfies and signing copies of his book.

Gov. Chris Sununu, another potential 2024 candidate, said it's these moments that could decide whether DeSantis really is the one.

"New Hampshire is the place where you have to sit down and have a cup of coffee, you really have to take the time, citizen to citizen, to earn that vote," Sununu said Thursday.

"Everyone has to earn it, and we are still so far away from the first-in-the-nation primary. This thing could change three or four times before it's over."

State Rep. Keith Ammon, R-New Boston, mentioned the absent but still looming presence in the room Friday night.

"He's really running in the shadow of Trump, isn't he? That's not the easiest place to be," Ammon said.

Ammon liked DeSantis' straight-ahead style on issues, contrasting it to many presidential candidates who are anxious about offending anyone.

"I love the fact that he is so unapologetic," Ammon said. "We need more of it in America."

Republican State Treasurer Alan Glassman, a photo buff, brought a shot he had taken of DeSantis kicking off a Little League baseball season in his home state.

"I'm hoping that he'll sign the picture, but I don't expect him to remember me. You never know, right?" Glassman said.

Steve Negron of Nashua, a two-time congressional candidate and former baseball player himself, chatted up the game with DeSantis, who was captain of his team at Yale University.

"He seemed really passionate, and that makes sense because you learn to love the game at your formative years," said Negron, whose uncle and godfather was once a first base coach for the New York Yankees.

"That alone makes me think he's cool."

A record return

Republican State Chairman Chris Ager said the dinner raised a record $382,000, with DeSantis delivering the last $132,000 with an appeal to his supporters to donate to the event.

Hillsborough County GOP Chairman Chris Maidment said that was a very savvy move.

"(Former Vice President) Mike Pence didn't do that. Donald Trump never did that. It was always about giving money to his campaign and not to anyone else," Maidment said.

"He just made a whole lot of instant friends by doing that. At the end of the day, New Hampshire Republicans are the ones who have to try and move the state forward after the circus leaves town."

As for the speech, Maidment agreed with the warm but not ebullient response DeSantis received.

"It seemed to be a check off all the boxes. It was what I expected, nothing better, nothing worse," Maidment said.

The strongest ovation came when DeSantis railed over critical race theory and "gender ideology," which educators say are not taught in K-12 schools in New Hampshire.

"You shouldn't be using tax dollars to teach kids to hate our country and to hate each other," DeSantis said.

"It is wrong to tell a second-grader they were born in the wrong body. It is wrong to tell someone they are of the wrong gender."

Joanna Brown of Manchester, a GOP area vice chair, said she is drawn to DeSantis' activism on parental rights.

This is an issue that's front and center in New Hampshire and will face a critical public hearing at the State House on Tuesday.

"It's a question of who has the experience and has done the work to protect parental rights, and has the mentality and wherewithal to see it through," Brown said.

A legal obstacle

Greg Moore, state director of Americans for Prosperity, said DeSantis faces an obstacle other GOP contenders do not — a law in Florida that requires him to resign if he publicly files for federal office.

Florida's Republican-led legislature appears to be moving toward at least tweaking that measure to help, but in the meantime it's a tricky dance for this non-candidate.

"He literally has to watch what he says, pull his punches, not go after Trump or even respond to him," Moore said.

Sununu is not surprised a Super PAC tied to Trump began airing millions in attack ads against DeSantis on Social Security in New Hampshire and other key states before his arrival.

"What do you expect? He's the one closest to Trump, right? That's what (Trump) does," Sununu said.

In his remarks, DeSantis alluded to Sununu. The two have jousted over who runs the freest state in America.

"Let's just say Florida and New Hampshire are at the top of economic freedom, and we are both proud of that," DeSantis said.

DeSantis continues to face more swipes than Trump from rival campaigns.

When the Union Leader posted on Twitter that DeSantis came from behind a screen to enter the room, Deputy Insurance Commissioner D.J. Bettencourt declared, "I've staffed well over 100 events for @GovChrisSununu, never seen him use anything other than a front door to enter a room."

Steve Briggs of Hopkinton said DeSantis could prove to be a sunnier, more appealing version of Trump.

"I look at the good he's doing (in Florida) and the good he's done. It's not about whether he ticks you off. The Trump haters won't vote for Trump, but they might vote for DeSantis because he's not that abrasive," Briggs said.

A pair of female protesters interrupted DeSantis just as he began speaking.

Yelling "Jews against DeSantis" and carrying homemade signs, the two quickly ran onto the stage and just as quickly were removed by security.

"You have to a have a little spice in this speech, right? You have to have a little fun," DeSantis joked right after the outburst.

"Why buy a ticket to get in and do that? I don't know, but different strokes for different folks."

An abortion ban

The state's all-Democratic congressional delegation attacked DeSantis for signing a Florida law on Thursday that outlaws most abortions after six weeks once a fetal heartbeat can be detected.

"Governor DeSantis and the rest of the Republican Party have made clear that, if they gain power, they will force through an extreme agenda that strips medical decisions away from women and their doctors, endangering the safety of millions of women in New Hampshire and across the country," they said in a joint statement.

DeSantis didn't mention Trump, but he had him in mind as he vowed to help reverse the GOP's disappointing election results of 2020 and 2022.

"It's time to end the culture of losing that has developed in our party over the past few years, and the time for excuses is over. We must get it done once and for all," DeSantis said.

klandrigan@unionleader.com