If, as some recent polls suggest, Florida’s popular governor, Ron DeSantis, is able to mount a serious primary challenge to former President Trump, it will be because the governor understands political power is meant to be used. If DeSantis runs and wins, it will be because he persuaded Republican voters that he will be a more effective leader than Trump – not because he repudiated the former president’s policies or followers.
The governor’s appeal is founded on his use of power. In this, he contrasts with the many conservatives who, upon gaining power, tend to be like the dog who caught the car – unsure what to do with it. Of course, this is a feature, not a bug, for many on the right. This more libertarian vision of conservatism insists that we don’t want the vehicle of government to take us where we want to go; we just want it to be smaller, quieter, and less involved in our lives. Read more…