Florida GOP turns page

Shots at DeS backfire

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — They want The Donald replaced by The Ronald.

Former President Donald Trump is losing support on his adopted home turf — with fed-up Floridians turning their backs on the MAGA movement as its leader throws relentless and unprovoked rhetorical jabs at their wildly popular governor, Ron DeSantis.

In ruby-red St Johns County — which voted for the 45th president by 27 points over Joe Biden in 2020 — loyalists are starting to change their tune.

“I think Trump has too much baggage,” contractor Alberto Aguilar told The Post. “We need a clean start, a fresh start with someone new. It’s DeSantis’ time now.”

“I think we need to move on from Trump at this point,” admitted a stay-athome mom of four who declined to give her name.

“We have seen what DeSantis has done for Florida, and the proof is in the pudding with the election. We need someone like him in Washington.”

DeSantis, 44, won a second term in a sensational blowout Tuesday, walloping his Democratic challenger Charlie Crist by nearly 20 percentage points.

So while MAGA flags still whip from boats and golf carts in this part of North Florida, Trump’s cheap shots at DeSantis are thinning out his fan base.

A former New York City resident who moved to St. Johns County last year said he enthusiastically jumped on the Trump train in 2015 and voted for him twice.

But the finance executive, who also declined to give his name, said that support came to an abrupt and permanent end this week.

But the break with Trump is far from total, with several St. Johns locals saying they are torn in their support for both — but would ultimately stick with the 45th commander in chief.

For others, it is too early to decide.

Alberto Ibarra, head of the Miami Young Republicans, said many voters are just now beginning to weigh a potential matchup.