Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Florida governor Ron DeSantis's efforts to become the new Donald Trump have set him at daggers drawn with the old one, according to this rollicking debut study of cutthroat Republican politics. NBC News reporter Dixon recounts DeSantis's career as a Republican congressman and his 2018 election to the governor's office thanks in part to an eagerly sought endorsement from Trump. Much of the book explores DeSantis's subsequent courting of Trump's MAGA base with right-wing populist initiatives in Florida. For example, he largely eschewed Covid public safety measures, and championed laws that banned or cracked down on drag shows, gender-affirming care for youth, and schools teaching LGBTQ issues or material that makes students "feel guilt" about the past. These policies, and his triumphant 2022 reelection, made DeSantis a Republican star and initially Trump's chief rival for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. Dixon narrates a lively blow-by-blow of that battle to date, with Trump landing most of the blows--including false allegations of sexual improprieties and the coining of the nickname "Meatball Ron." In Dixon's well-observed and cutting assessment, DeSantis is "a charmless battering ram" with a "nasally, whiny" voice and a "weird" demeanor. It's a shrewd and entertaining portrait of MAGA Republicanism. (Jan.)
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
Inside the rise and (likely) fall of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' 2024 presidential ambitions. As the leader of one of the country's most politically divided states, DeSantis has gained (and chased) national attention for his pugnacious attacks on Disney, public health officials, and LGBTQ+ youth. Dixon, a national politics reporter for NBC News and former Florida bureau chief for Politico, doesn't have much to share about his main subject's inner feelings, but that's less a function of the author's reporting chops than DeSantis' notoriously aloof demeanor (he "has a social circle that could fit in the back seat of a Mini Cooper"). Instead, Dixon focuses on Sunshine State realpolitik, explicating Florida's recent political history and DeSantis' skill at strong-arming the state's legislature and leveraging wealthy donors, his constant Fox News appearances, and the early support he drew from Donald Trump. Dixon also has a deep well of sources to explain--if not humanize--the governor. As his presidential ambitions accelerated in 2022, DeSantis sought to brand himself as a "sensible" alternative to Trump, but with Trump leading the race, DeSantis has struggled to separate himself while still kissing Trump's ring. Dixon goes deep on the governor's efforts to land endorsements and find a message that might resonate with voters, which is mainly a chronicle of missteps. (His glitchy candidacy announcement on Twitter was just the start.) Add to that a growing reputation as being a bit odd--Dixon offers a host of details about when DeSantis was seen gobbling down the contents of a pudding cup with his fingers--and DeSantis is unlikely to capture America's heart in 2024. Still, the book is valuable as a time capsule of the right's recent obsession with culture wars and how DeSantis was able to take advantage--for a time. Trump once called DeSantis a "brilliant cookie." Read within to watch him crumble. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
