As the 2024 Republican presidential campaign season heats up, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis continues to refuse to engage in a name-calling contest with former President Donald Trump. That much is clear. What’s also clear is when DeSantis does go after Trump, his efforts are generally effective — or should be.

We’ll get to the “should be” part, later.

The DeSantis campaign has released a six-minute video featuring a string of left-wing media personalities describing the Florida governor as “more dangerous,” or “far more dangerous” than the former president.

The video — “6 MINUTES Of The Left Admitting They Fear DeSantis More Than Trump” — features commentary from CNN political commentator Van Jones, “movement lawyer, political commentator, writer, and abolitionist thinker” Olayemi Olurin, and other left-wingers who make it clear they fear a DeSantis nomination more than a Trump redux.

“This guy is worse than Trump,” Jones says in the video. Translation: “This guy presents a more formidable challenge to the left-wing agenda than Trump” (in Jones’s estimation, I’m suggesting).

Adds Frost: “If you thought Donald Trump was bad, you got another thing coming.”

Olurin went bottom-line:

I honestly believe DeSantis was forged in Hell. There’s no doubt in my mind. He’s honestly more sinister [than Trump], you know why? Because there’s less buffoonery to it.

“Forged in hell.” That right there was quite an honor for DeSantis, given the source.

🚨🚨

MUST WATCH: 6 straight minutes of the Left admitting they fear DeSantis more than Trump. pic.twitter.com/0DOZqKUJXE

— DeSantis War Room 🐊 (@DeSantisWarRoom) July 23, 2023

Left-wing talk show host David Pakman agreed:

The Trump agenda would be far more likely to be carried on by people less cartoonishly problematic, and Ron Desantis is a perfect example of such an individual.

Former Republican Rep. David Jolly asks a thought-provoking question — with an ulterior motive:

Based on what he’s done in five years in Florida, what would he do with all the levers of power in the White House?

The ex-Republican is far from a fan of Ron DeSantis — and far from a fan of the governor’s wife, Casey. As we reported in early July, the former congressman pathetically smeared Florida’s First Lady as “America’s Karen,” while also saying she’s more effective than her husband:

Casey DeSantis is a fairly compelling political figure in Florida, and now nationally. For many, she’s the brighter side to Florida’s angry governor. For others, she’s become America’s Karen. And I think that’s the ultimate disconnect here with a campaign that needs to embrace more constituencies to get to the White House.

But she is a more effective messenger than Ron DeSantis, but if all she is doing is amplifying the wrong message, she’s actually clarifying Ron DeSantis’s weaknesses. And so this, this ideology, the DeSantis doctrine, if you will, that our culture wars of the most pressing moment, and we are going to invent these culture wars to terrify voters, that’s simply not a message that resonates.

So as I like to say, it doesn’t matter if it’s presented in heels or boots, the DeSantis doctrine’s a losing one. We’re going to learn that, the more Casey DeSantis gets out there.

Did I mention that the pinched-up ex-Republican supports Joe Biden?

The ‘Should Be’ Part

This is where the wicket gets sticky. And, of course, my opinions are my own, as the disclaimer at the top of all RedState articles and op-eds clearly states.

If there was ever a presidential election in which Republican voters should look beyond the primaries to the general election, and vote for a candidate with the best opportunity to kick the Democrats the hell out of the White House, widen the GOP lead in the House, and make a serious run at gaining the majority in the Senate — down-ballot elections matter — I’m unaware of it, at least in modern history.

Why? While the reasons are many, the one that stands out is to avoid nominating a candidate who will cost the Republicans votes in 2024, simply because of the candidate, him or herself.

A perfect example existed in the 2016 presidential election — on the other side of the aisle — when “not-Hillary” votes helped propel Trump to victory. With so much at stake, the country as polarized as at any time in modern history, and a likely-close election, it’s clear that the Repubs must cover every base possible if it is to rid America of Joe Biden & Co.

The Bottom Line

Put simply, Republican voters would be wise to heed the words of the left while completing their ballots.

Again, in my opinion. Then again, what do I know?