Rupert Murdoch unimpressed with 'loser' Ron DeSantis’ campaign: Rolling Stone

11 July 2023

Fox News owner Rupert Murdoch is starting to lose interest in backing Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis in his pursuit of the 2024 presidency, Rolling Stone exclusively reports.

Per the report, five different anonymous sources spoke with the publication about the right-wing billionaire's "doubts and frustrations," regarding the governor's campaign, "in private discussions and calls, at times wondering if a DeSantis 'comeback' is possible at this point."

As the Florida GOP leader attempts to win voters across the country, Rolling Stonenotes, "Since 2021, the network has been vital in building DeSantis' national name-ID among conservatives, heralding him as a fast-rising political star and touting him as the future of the Trumpified right."

However, according to the sources, the "Murdochs have grown increasingly displeased with the DeSantis campaign's perceived stumbles, lackluster polling, and inability to swiftly dethrone Trump," and "have also seriously questioned whether the governor is capable of defeating Trump in the 2024 GOP presidential primary."

Former Republican National Committee communications director, Doug Heye, told Rolling Stone, "Ron DeSantis was built up as the Trump-slayer. So if he's not immediately leading Trump in the polls, it's easy to see how that can easily be spun as a let-down.There are a lot of people who are trying to write the obituary of a well-funded and popular figure in the party before the debates have even started. Ron was the designated dragon-slayer — and because he hasn't slayed the dragon before the debates have begun, he's being portrayed as a failure. And I think it's too early for that."

Here emphasized, "whether you're the Murdochs or anybody else, if you're worried about Trump being the nominee, there's ample reason to be so, because of his dominance in the polls now. I don't think that Trump is inevitable, but I am certainly worried he's going to be the nominee [again]."

Furthermore, Rolling Stone notes:

According to two of the sources, Murdoch has privately winced at DeSantis' nonstop cultural-grievance strategy, arguing that it is being executed sloppily. In his repeated attempts to outflank the already hard-right Trump on the right, DeSantis and his team have waged an aggressive messaging operation to paint the Florida governor as a much more extreme culture-warrior as compared to the former president — most recently via a bizarre, bigoted video lauding the governor for his anti-LGBTQ attacks. This strategy has for months attracted criticism from fellow Republicans for being unsavvy and 'too online' to connect with the median voter.

A top Fox source told the publication, "[Rupert's] understandable worry is that we may end up being stuck with Trump anyway," adding, "And DeSantis is underperforming. Anybody can see that…[and the Murdochs], they're seeing it, too."

Another Fox source, "referring to Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch, and top Fox News executives," added, "They are transactional and can smell a loser a mile away."

Rolling Stone's full report is available at this link (subscription required).

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