Laura Ingraham’s Call for Gov. DeSantis to Step Aside and Endorse Trump Signals Fractured Relationship with Fox News
A rift between Fox News and Republican presidential hopeful Ron DeSantis has escalated, with the network’s host Laura Ingraham urging the Florida governor to step aside and endorse Donald Trump. This move comes on the heels of DeSantis’s second-place finish in the Iowa caucuses, which was met with mockery and derision by his aides.
DeSantis’s campaign’s rapid response director, Christina Pushaw, questioned why the governor would take advice from the opposing campaign. Jeremy Redfern, spokesman for the governor’s office, called Fox News a “PAC.”
DeSantis himself accused Fox News of bias toward his rival, Trump, calling conservative media outlets, including Fox, a “Praetorian Guard” for the former president. His campaign manager denounced Fox as “full-blown Trump TV.”
Despite the apparent ill feelings, DeSantis has continued to appear on Fox News. However, the once-admiring coverage he received from the network has shifted, posing challenges to his presidential bid.
In hindsight, DeSantis openly regretted his early media strategy, acknowledging that he should have engaged with news outlets beyond Fox News. Political experts warned that a presidential race against a rival as well-known as Trump would require a wider aperture.
His antagonistic posture toward the press amplified his weaknesses as a candidate, according to Democratic strategist Lis Smith, who oversaw Pete Buttigieg’s victory in Iowa four years ago.
In planning his run, DeSantis may have miscalculated the staying power of Trump with the Republican electorate. While he initially enjoyed hours of Fox News coverage, Trump’s resurgence in popularity within the Republican Party reshuffled the dynamics.
Despite being featured on Fox News, DeSantis found himself in direct competition with Trump’s presence on the network. This shift in Fox News’s programming schedule during the Iowa caucuses underscores the challenges DeSantis faces in carving out his place in the Republican presidential race.
Historically, Fox News has been a powerful ally to Republican candidates. However, as the network repositions itself, DeSantis’s campaign faces the challenging task of adapting to the evolving media landscape and building a broader reach beyond conservative outlets.
In conclusion, the evolving dynamic between DeSantis and Fox News signals a fractured relationship that poses significant hurdles for the governor’s presidential aspirations. As the race unfolds, DeSantis must navigate a complex media landscape and seek broader engagement beyond his once-loyal network.
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