CULTURE WARRIOR TO ROAD WARRIOR
Young Ron set to hit trail hard vs. old man Don
Newly declared presidential candidate Ron DeSantis said late Wednesday he plans to crisscross early voting states with a dizzying schedule of campaign stops beginning next week — a direct challenge to former President Donald Trump’s endurance.
The initial barnstorming blitz, sources told The Post, is meant to deliver an early impression of the 44year-old DeSantis as a youthful, vigorous counterpoint to Trump, 76.
“When we work, we work very hard,” the Florida governor said in a call with reporters. “We’re not just going to show up once in a blue moon. I mean, we’re there. We’re going to paint every corner of these early states. And that will start in earnest next week.”
ABC News reported Thursday that DeSantis will hold a “campaign kickoff” in Des Moines, Iowa, on Tuesday, triggering a four-day swing including 12 stops in states including New Hampshire and South Carolina.
While Trump’s stamina and breakneck schedule has often been remarked upon, sources said DeSantis’ advisers see the 45th president’s age as a potential handicap as the former allies vie for party dominance.
“Trump outworked [Hillary] Clinton,” a DeSantis source told The Post. “Trump outworked [Joe] Biden. He’s not going to outwork us. That’s one aspect we can control here.”
Trump has made relatively few public appearances outside his Mar-a-Lago resort since announcing his third consecutive White House bid this past November.
He held a rally in New Hampshire in late April before returning to the Granite State this month for a controversial CNN town hall.
He opted to postpone a scheduled Des Moines rally due to the threat of severe weather.
Poll deficit
The ex-president strafed DeSantis on social media Wednesday night as his rival unfurled his candidacy, tarring the Sunshine State governor as everything from a closeted RINO to an awkward ingrate.
DeSantis fired back, building on one of his central lines of attack — questioning Trump’s commitment to conservatism.
DeSantis downplayed Trump’s daunting lead in most polls, attributing the margin to the former president’s celebrity and name recognition.
The governor said he expects to chip away at Trump’s advantage once his campaign begins to pick up speed. “This thing is just starting,” he said.