Smerconish show just explained tfg's growing support among republican voters

[karynnj]

28. That makes sense, but another possibility is that no viable number 2 has shown up

The goal of some Republican powers that be was that De Santis would become that viable alternative. I suspect that the reason he was number two and at one point even looked like a potential threat is that many who wanted an alternative selected him knowing very little about him as a person. However, to know him is NOT to like him - so the more visibility he was given, his numbers imploded to a point, where several people could become number 2. Unfortunately for the Republicans, some of his support went to Trump rather than undecided or another candidate.

If Trump becomes the nominee, it may be that one reason is that people like the Koch brothers backed the wrong horse - a very lame one. Had DeSantis' numbers improved as he campaigned and became equal of higher than Trump's AND had he polled better against Biden than Trump, it is entirely possible that Trump, not DeSantis, would have imploded. Both of those things would have needed a better politician/person than DeSantis could even be taught to be. It is hard to be that those powers that be could not have found a better ultra conservative politician, who could be billed as MAGA politics without that baggage and corruption.