Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has made waves in the political world with his unconventional announcement of his presidential bid on Twitter Spaces, the audio platform of the social media site. DeSantis's move is a bold one, positioning him as the true anti-establishment rebel in the race, willing to shake up traditional presidential politics. The choice of Twitter Spaces exemplifies the GOP's transformation into a party that rewards gesture politics and responds to the unmoderated social media jungle while rejecting traditional standards of conduct and governance.
DeSantis's announcement is a strategic move to restore momentum to his GOP primary aspirations, which have been undermined by his own missteps and the recent political rebound of former President Donald Trump. By embracing Elon Musk and Twitter, DeSantis is associating himself with a hero of conservatives who have long claimed they are being censored on social media. He is also taking a swipe at Trump, who was banned from the platform by the previous ownership of the company.
However, DeSantis's choice of Twitter Spaces may have a polarizing effect on moderate voters who view the platform as increasingly divisive. Twitter has become a platform for untamed free speech, conspiracy theories, and unverifiable information, and with Musk's willingness to ignite his own Twitter infernos, the 2024 presidential race could be just as turbulent as the previous two elections.
DeSantis's announcement also highlights the shifting media landscape in conservative politics. His choice of Twitter recognizes the importance of the social network toright-wing voters under Musk and may quicken the shift away from Fox News as the most dynamic platform for the new champions of the conservative movement. DeSantis's move shows how far the GOP has come from its roots as a bastion of tradition and how the internet and the fragmentation of the media into partisan blocks have changed presidential campaigns.
By breaking the mold of presidential announcements and borrowing from Trump's playbook of unconventional gestures, DeSantis seeks to steal Trump's reputation as the great disruptor. He is already running to the right of Trump by targeting what he calls "woke" measures on diversity, equity, and inclusion and staking out conservative positions on social issues.
Despite the risks of associating with Musk and the untamed environment of Twitter, DeSantis's announcement on the platform shows that he is ready to bypass regular conventions of presidential campaigns and embolden the grassroots GOP primary voters who respond to gesture politics and unmoderated social media.
DeSantis's announcement comes at a time when the 2024 presidential race promises to be another head-spinning contest marked by polarization, misinformation, and gesture politics. Trump's team and his allies are already planning an aggressive operation to try to drown out the DeSantis launch and undermine his credibility among conservatives. But DeSantis has indicated that he will soon launch a relentless blitz of campaign appearances in key swing states, intended to contrast his energy with that of his older rivals, Trump and President Joe Biden.
In summary, DeSantis's announcement of his presidential bid on Twitter Spaces is a bold move that highlights the GOP's shift to gesture politics and fragmented media landscape. The move recognizes the importance of social media to right-wing voters under Musk and may quicken the shift away from Fox News as the most dynamic platform for the new champions of the conservative movement. DeSantis is positioning himself as the true anti-establishment rebel in the race, willing to shake up traditional presidential politics and steal Trump's reputation as the great disruptor. However, the untamed environment of Twitter and DeSantis's association with Musk threaten to undermine his implicit case to Republican voters that he can offer a more stable and disciplined style of leadership than that shown by Trump in his tempestuous White House term. The 2024 presidential race promises to be another head-spinning contest marked by polarization, misinformation, and gesture politics.