The largest drivers of electoral outcomes are beyond anyone’s control — the mood of the country, the state of the economy, world events, etc. There are two factors, however, that a candidate can ostensibly control — their performance on the stump and their campaign strategy. I spend a lot of time in this newsletter and on Pod Save America, gleefully documenting Ron DeSantis’s shortcomings as a candidate. He lacks charisma, presence, humanity, and oratory skills. The Florida governor is the political equivalent of a baseball player who cannot throw, catch, or bat. In other words, what does Ron DeSantis bring to the table?

Sometimes, good candidates run bad campaigns. Other times, candidates are so lacking in talent that even an incredible strategy executed perfectly is insufficient. Ron DeSantis is a bad candidate running a very bad campaign. In fact, his campaign seems designed in a lab to make Donald Trump more electable...