“Burned by Betrayal: How DeSantis’ Coalition Fell Flat

As of November 2020, the political reality of the potential overthrow of Donald Trump has caused a major split in the republican party right down the middle. On one side is the traditional moderate GOP establishment, and on the other, a MAGA-infused coalition of conservative stalwarts known as the “DeSantis Coalition.” This coalition, named despite it’s lack of endorsement from Florida’s governor, was proposed as a way to bridge the divide between the conservative base of the GOP and the party’s more moderate elements. The DeSantis Coalition was created to incentivize a “lower-drama” unity in the face of slight political differences and provide a simple voting bloc that could vote in unison on important issues. However, in recent days the DeSantis Coalition has been deflated due to lack of interest from the moderate GOP and MAGA Republicans. On one side, the moderates have expressed disappointment in the lack of actual policies within the coalition, instead viewing it as a “PR stunt.” At the same time, the MAGA supporters have been unenthusiastic due to the alliance with those who they view as “the enemy.” Many supporters of the DeSantis Coalition now wonder if it was a doomed effort from the start. Some political analysts have suggested that the forces behind the coalition were naïve in their assumed ability to bridge the political gap that exists between these two parts of the Republican Party. Despite the failure of the DeSantis Coalition, all hope is not lost for the Republican Party as a whole. As political divisions continue to fracture the party, it’s still likely that common ground can be found through the exploration of actual policy initiatives rather than merely trying to shift definitions of the Republican identity. In the end, it’s clear that the DeSantis Coalition has failed to bring the Republican Party together as a result of the negative responses from both side’s. Whether or not leaders of the GOP can manage to find common ground in the future will depend heavily on their willingness to consider new ideas and policies that can unite its fractured base.