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Opinion: DeSantis has become a bigger threat to Trump — and not just because he won Florida

Photo by Scott McIntyre/The New York Times / Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis celebrates at an Election Night party after winning his race for re-election in Tampa, Fla., on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022.
Photo by Scott McIntyre/The New York Times / Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis celebrates at an Election Night party after winning his race for re-election in Tampa, Fla., on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022. Photo by Scott McIntyre/The New York Times / Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis celebrates at an Election Night party after winning his race for re-election in Tampa, Fla., on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022.

By The Miami Herald 3 min read


Donald Trump had better watch out. Ron DeSantis just got a lot stronger.

In the Tuesday elections, DeSantis reigned supreme, securing a historic win and carrying Democratic stronghold Miami-Dade County. That’s no small feat in Florida. But what makes DeSantis a threat to Trump isn’t only his near 20-point victory. It’s also that Trump had a less stellar night.

Trump wasn’t on the ballot but he made the midterm elections about him, anyway. The much-vaunted red wave looks more like a ripple. All of that reflects on the former president who continues to insert himself into national politics.

Florida, on the other hand, saw a red tsunami. Whether that was thanks to DeSantis, Trump, voter concern about inflation or Democratic ineptitude will be debated over the coming weeks. But DeSantis emerged as the star of Tuesday night.