In my view, DeSantis is doing what losers, or at least those who are losing, do.
Noting that it would be terrible for GOP chances in 2024 at every level to actually shutdown the Government, the first question is, does DeSantis want to run our Government or shut it down? I mean it seems like running for president arguing the congress should shut the Government down is kind of self defeating.
But then as DeSantis has no power to influence anybody including House Republicans, it sort of frees him to pander to the crazies that are Trump’s base by saying he and not Trump is their real hero as he and not Trump wants to shut the Government down without worrying about the consequences of shutting the Government down.
So what DeSantis is really doing is using his lack of any power or influence to affect what House Republicans do as it matter not what DeSantis says, to just desperately pander for voters from Trump’s crazy base, arguing he is more crazy than Trump.
So this is anther desperate and I believe futile attempt by DeSantis at trying to win over Trump’s crazy base. It also shows how desperate and far behind Trump is DeSantis. That is Trump is less inclined to support a Government shutdown because he fears it will hurt him and Republicans in the general election whereas DeSantis is so desperate in regard to winning the nomination he cannot even see the general election.
It is also the case that “Establishment” Republicans have backed the MAGA’s into either accepting a deal with Democrats, passed mostly with Democratic votes, to keep the Government open or forego impeachment. That is regardless of any formal deal, there is no way that Republicans in the House can have both a raucous and fractious intra-party fight about ousting McCarthy while at the same time conduct an impeachment of Joe Biden. It is almost a certainty that while they will complain, MAGA will accept the impeachment of Biden and allow McCarthy to remain Speaker and keep the Government open because more than anything else that is what Trump wants. That is regardless of DeSantis and his desperate appeals to Trump’s crazy base including the MAGAs in the House Republican caucus, the House crazy caucus will go along with what Trump wants and ignore DeSantis.
But where there is life there is hope and DeSantis hope lies, opposing allowing a deal to keep the Government open, noting that shutting the Government down would be disastrous for the GOP going into the 2024 election cycle. DeSantis is taking advantage of his lack of any influence with House Republicans who will do what Trump wants which is impeachment over getting rid of McCarthy and shutting down the Government and tanking GOP chances in the general election. DeSantis desperate hope is that not shutting the Government down with Trump’s support will allow DeSantis to get to Trump’s MAGA/crazy voting base who do not understand politics or how terrible shutting down the Government would be for the GOP in the general election and also do not understand that the House cannot both impeach Biden and at the same time dump McCarthy.
But as I keep saying, I believe it is a desperate and hopeless strategy that in the end just serves to further divide the Republican Party.