DeSantis blowing it with key Republican women's group after 'rookie move'
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis' first attempt at a national campaign has made a major stumble in a key early-voting state that could cripple his chances of knocking Donald Trump off of his frontrunner perch.
Coming just days before an NBC poll showed the Florida conservative's polling numbers have taken a precipitous 9 percent drop since April, he is now facing the ire of a powerful New Hampshire women's group that began with a scheduling conflict before turning into a war of words.
As Politico is reporting, the DeSantis campaign scheduled an appearance in the state on the same day as the New Hampshire Federation of Republican Women was holding their annual fundraising luncheon and, after the group criticized the timing, DeSantis' people fired back.
That was labeled a "rookie move" by one campaign advisor.
As Politico's Lisa Kashinsky and Meridith McGraw reported, the DeSantis campaign already saw New Hampshire, an early primary state, as a challenge and this latest battle is not helping matters.
"DeSantis world was quick to dismiss the group’s complaints," the report stated, and then went on to note that DeSantis is just beginning to see the blowback.
According to one campaign adviser, the battle was a "rookie move," and angering the GOP women's group could be fatal.
“If there’s one thing you don’t do in New Hampshire, it’s piss off the grassroots women,” they said before adding, "Don’t mess with them, they remember everything."
New Hampshire-based Republican strategist Mike Dennehy agreed.
“It’s the worst strategic move he has exhibited thus far,” he explained. “It’s just stupid, actually. You don’t take on the New Hampshire Federation of Republican Women. If he doesn’t turn it around, it could be death by a thousand cuts.”
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