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Is Ron DeSantis the heir apparent to Donald Trump? It sure looked like it on Tuesday. In a US midterm election that saw his Republican party underperform nationally, DeSantis was the spectacular outlier, turning in a dominant performance in Florida鈥檚 governor race that turned heads among friends and foes alike.

Most remarkable about DeSantis鈥檚 win wasn鈥檛 just his total margin of victory 鈥� a whopping 19 percentage points in a supposed 鈥渟wing state鈥�. Instead, it was how he did it: making huge inroads in the Latino community, flipping previous Democratic strongholds and eclipsing the share of the vote achieved by the Republicans in 2020 鈥� by double digits in some districts.

Trump鈥檚 grip on the Republican base is notoriously strong, and he remains the favourite to earn his party鈥檚 nomination. But if DeSantis throws his hat in the ring for president in 2024, Republicans could soon be bracing for civil war. This would pit ultra-Trump loyalists against 鈥渆stablishment鈥� conservatives who think it鈥檚 time for a fresh leader.

DeSantis was narrowly elected Florida governor in 2018, after serving six years in the US House of Representatives. A graduate of Yale and Harvard Law School, as well as a commissioned officer in the US Navy, DeSantis combines a reputation for wonkish intellectualism with a hard-charging penchant for pressing a hardline conservative agenda.

As a 鈥渞ising star鈥� within conservative circles, DeSantis cemented his reputation and rose to national prominence during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. While many states shuttered businesses and closed schools, DeSantis bucked the trend 鈥� to great consternation and fanfare 鈥� by mostly keeping Florida open and being quick to lift restrictions.

More than anything, DeSantis has become a household name by leaning into America鈥檚 鈥渃ulture wars鈥�. He has framed himself as the ultimate bulwark against far-left 鈥渋dentity politics鈥� that he alleges elevates race, gender, and sexual orientation over national unity. 鈥淔lorida is where woke goes to die,鈥� he has declared.

In March of this year, DeSantis made headlines for signing the Parental Rights in Education act, disparaged by critics as the 鈥淒on鈥檛 Say Gay鈥� bill. The law, which inspired 鈥渃opycat鈥� measures in more than a dozen states, placed restrictions on lessons related to LGBTQ+ issues for students in kindergarten through to the third grade (typically, ages 5-9 years old).

DeSantis followed up this victory in April by 鈥減unching Mickey Mouse in the face鈥�. The fight saw him eliminate Disney鈥檚 鈥渟pecial tax district鈥� after the state鈥檚 biggest employer took a number of public stances 鈥� including against his Parental Rights in Education Act 鈥� that DeSantis claimed were overtly partisan.

Also in April, DeSantis signed an anti-Critical Race Theory law. Dubbed the 鈥淪top WOKE Act鈥�, the reform made it illegal for primary and secondary school instructors to teach about racial diversity and racism in a way that DeSantis described as 鈥渋ndoctrination and discrimination鈥�.

Outside the cultural battlefield, DeSantis has governed largely as a 鈥渢raditional鈥� conservative. On the economy, he has advocated low taxes, restrained spending and corporate deregulation. Elsewhere, he has earned an A+ rating from the National Rife Association, supported revoking Barack Obama鈥檚 Affordable Care Act, and backed moderately pro-life positions on abortion.

As governor of a southern state heavily affected by the migrant crisis, DeSantis has taken particularly tough stances against undocumented immigration 鈥� including 鈥渟anctuary cities鈥�, which generally neglect to enforce immigration laws. In September of this year, he became a flashpoint for controversy when, unannounced, he organised flying 50 migrants to Martha鈥檚 Vineyard, a wealthy Massachusetts island, in a stunt designed to highlight the hypocrisy of liberal politicians.

Trump endorsed DeSantis for governor in 2018 鈥� but the pair鈥檚 relationship has grown icy of late. Trump, whose Mar-a-Lago residence is in Florida, said he voted for DeSantis in Tuesday鈥檚 midterms. Yet he has also sent not-so-veiled threats toward his would-be opponent and, just days go, poked fun of 鈥淩on DeSanctimonious鈥� at a rally in Pennsylvania.

Even if DeSantis runs for president in 2024 鈥� and there鈥檚 no guarantee he will 鈥� it鈥檚 still hard to bet against Trump. As celebrity conservative anchor Megyn Kelly remarked: 鈥淭rump sucks up all the energy in every room.鈥� Many conservatives still fervently believe that Trump had the 2020 election stolen from him and that he鈥檚 owed another run at the White House.

To other Republicans, however, DeSantis is precisely what the party needs to make a clean break from Trump and to widen its electoral appeal. DeSantis has plenty of 鈥淭rumpian鈥� qualities, such as his refusal to apologise and a knack for 鈥渢ough talk鈥�, especially on contentious issues such as gender politics. Yet he鈥檚 seen as more palatable for voters who have qualms about Trump鈥檚 character and aren鈥檛 onboard with election denialism.

DeSantis may or may not make a bid for the White House in 2024 鈥� it鈥檚 reported that he already has a 鈥渨ar chest鈥� of about US$200 million if he does. Regardless, he鈥檚 a force to be reckoned with inside the Republican party. The immediate risk for DeSantis: if he takes a headshot at Trump, he鈥檇 better win. In the no-holds-barred game of Trump v the World, Trump takes no prisoners.

This article first appeared in 听on 11听November, 2022.

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