Welp, it’s official. While there are now nine declared candidates in the race for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, there could be 90 or more, and at the end of the proverbial day, the steel cage (political) death match is set: former President Donald Trump vs. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Barring unforeseen circumstances, when it’s over, the Republican Party we know it will be over, as well.

As RedState reported in multiple articles, DeSantis made his all-but-certain run for the White House official, on Wednesday — and the popular Florida governor is in it win it. And by in it to win it, I don’t mean he’s auditioning for second place. Here are a few of our relevant articles:

Ron DeSantis Announces His 2024 Candidacy (VIDEO)

The Hot Takes Flow as Ron DeSantis ‘Breaks the Internet’ With 2024 Campaign Announcement on Twitter

Ron DeSantis Has a Path, but He Also Has Hurdles

Needless to say, Trump was not thrilled by Governor DeSantis’ announcement. The former president has obsessively attacked DeSantis for weeks, with sophomoric names, blatant misrepresentations of the state of Florida under DeSantis, and at one point claimed in a campaign email:

Under Ron DeSantis, Florida has become among the worst states… to live… find economic opportunity… work… retire… raise a family… pay taxes…be safe… rent a home… have a baby… afford energy… die… be a teacher… be a doctor… be a police officer.

Trumpism at its “best”?

Trump has continually claimed that if not for him, DeSantis would never have become the Florida governor. In one bizarre attack, Trump even claimed he “appointed” DeSantis to the Florida governorship. And now that DeSantis has officially declared his candidacy, Trump has stepped “up” his game.

In a post to Truth Social on Wednesday, Trump wrote:

‘Rob,’ My Red Button is bigger, better, stronger, and is working (TRUTH!), yours does not! (per my conversation with Kim Jung Un, of North Korea, soon to become my friend!)

Um, huh? I have no idea how to translate that into a coherent message. From “Rob” to “My Red Button” to Kim Jung Un [Previously “Little Rocket Man,” to Trump] soon to become his friend, it’s just bizarre.

🇺🇸A Message from The President Of America🇺🇸

😂👇
Rob,” My Red Button is bigger, better, stronger, and is working (TRUTH!), yours does not! (per my conversation with Kim Jung Un, of North Korea, soon to become my friend!). pic.twitter.com/LtX9pYGpH5

— GH17TAFKAG (@GH17TAFKAG) May 24, 2023

Matthew Brodsky, a political strategist and senior fellow at the Gold Institute for International Strategy, tweeted, in response to Trump’s post: “Bonkers,” as reported by Fox News.

Conservative writer A.G. Hamilton tweeted:

DeSantis has been talking about detailed and substantive policy issues for the last hour.

This is what you get from Trump.

If people want idiocracy and entertainment, Trump might be the better option. If you want substance on the right, DeSantis is it.

“If people want idiocracy and entertainment, Trump might be the better option.” Bank that.

DeSantis has been talking about detailed and substantive policy issues for the last hour.

This is what you get from Trump.

If people want idiocracy and entertainment, Trump might be the better option. If you want substance on the right, DeSantis is it. https://t.co/sSPetaMwvZ

— AG (@AGHamilton29) May 24, 2023

Look, whether one prefers Trump over DeSantis, or vice versa, A.G. was right: DeSantis talks policies while Trump is busy calling Republican colleagues sophomoric names and lying about their records, such as he did when he declared Florida under DeSantis to be “one of the worst states to live in.”

The Bottom Line

In my opinion, Donald Trump is incapable of stopping his sophomoric personal attacks against those with whom he disagrees. Even worse, the former president appears oblivious to the fact that he’s driving away former supporters as a result of his silliness, and likely increasing the chances for a Democrat win in 2024.

(EDITOR’S NOTE: This piece was edited post-publication for clarity.)