While Ron DeSantis tries tonight at the second GOP debate to revive his flagging campaign, one where he’s literally been running backwards for months, some things about the GOP have become abundantly clear. Ron DeSantis campaign based on elitism, “high-class” racism and a lack of concern for the working class is imploding.

DeSantis finally said out loud on Glenn Beck’s program what’s gone wrong – Other’s GOPers don’t have the “confidence” to speak as directly on race as he does. Similarly we must assume those 88% or so of GOP primary voters currently rejecting DeSantis per national polls don’t understand the importance of race-baiting and deliberately inciting extremists the way he does. They don’t have the “courage” to deliberately hurt people based on race and ethnicity or to pull stunts like fooling immigrants onto planes they way he does.

What DeSantis fails to get is while race has been a factor for years in the GOP electorate, dating back to Barry Goldwater’s “hunt where the ducks are” comment in 1964, it’s a lesser issue for working class voters today than it is for the rich elites DeSantis pals around with.

Donald Trump did play on racial animus in a little more direct way than Nixon or Reagan had. But whether liberals like to believe it or not, much of Trump’s appeal was always economic (though I personally think his view of the global economy is very dangerous). On the other hand, DeSantis has made race the centerpiece of his campaign and his economic programs harkens us to the days of out-of-touch Herbert Hoover-styled GOPism or more simply donor-driven oligarchy.

He’s more George Wallace than Ronald Reagan. He’s more Herbert Hoover than Teddy Roosevelt.

DeSantis has been running a campaign based largely on racial grievance and polarization combined with elitism to please his donors. Don’t be fooled, his “populist” Covid stance (which ironically other GOPers haven’t gone as far on) is based around the convenience of his donors and the elites who have been “inconvenienced” by wearing masks and vaccinations.

The reality of pandemics is it hurts the working class and minorities disproportionately as well as those in urban areas, the same places DeSantis openly expresses contempt for.

On a broader note, it would be wise for Democrats to understand why Trump’s appeal is beyond race and elitism. To comprehend why his populism, which now includes taking a more “moderate” stand on abortion than most GOPers drives so many voters to him. Understanding this is the key to victory in 2024. Otherwise I fear he’s going to walk back into the White House.

The good news is the Democrats still have 14 months to figure it out…