Silent Majority Chose One To Lead; Establishment Chose The Other To Thwart

DeSantis' popularity with voters, however, was based on the conservative media's promotion of his outstanding performance in government, as opposed to Trump's base of support. And while it's difficult to imagine circumstances in which publications like the Journal or National Review would completely turn against DeSantis, it's entirely conceivable that in trying to win over a portion of Trump's largely immovable base, he could alienate the very institutions that helped him build his brand and lose a larger portion of the rest of the party to other candidates.