On the trail, freewheeling Donald Trump counters scripted Ron DeSantis
Washington Post
As the former president hits the campaign trail in earnest for the first time since announcing his third White House bid, his campaign is placing a strategic bet on more unscripted, up-close-and-personal moments with his fans.
Trump is leaning into his freewheeling style in no small measure, according to advisers, to draw a contrast with his potential chief rival for the Republican nomination: Ron DeSantis. The Florida governor’s unofficial pre-campaign book tour has consisted of more scripted and stage-managed events, often where the row of cameras that Trump so loves are excluded and the rituals of more intimate politics are limited.
As DeSantis moves closer to entering the race against Trump, the emerging contrast between the two leading Republicans in the polls is more about presentation than ideology. With both seeking to tap into voter grievances with combative messages, they are offering GOP voters two distinct vessels for channeling their anger. There are risks associated with both strategies, as some voters have grown tired of Trump’s antics and say they are drawn to DeSantis’s more streamlined presentation, while others remain excited by Trump’s unpredictability.
Presidential candidates often come to be defined in the eyes of many voters on the basis of personality and relatability. George W. Bush famously became the candidate that more undecided voters wanted to have a beer with. Barack Obama was known for his soaring oratory, but also his insularity and aloofness. Hillary Clinton labored to soften her sharp edges and won the New Hampshire primary a day after tearing up in front of a group of women voters at a diner when she allowed that the pressures of the campaign were difficult.
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