MEGHAN MCCAIN: You’re blowing this, DeSantis – Cyclone Donald’s coming for you AND your donors

President Donald Trump’s struggling presidential campaign got the shot in the arm it desperately needed.

Well done Alvin Bragg!

Trump’s staunchest supporters and most of his vocal critics, from Senator Mitt Romney to New York Times columnists, denounce Trump’s impeachment as a terrible political hit. And the liberal news media — for all their hand-wringing over another Trump term — are more than happy to shove him down America’s throat.

Trump runs all news outlets and tops all websites. Why? Because it brings Trump’s critics the fantastic ratings they’ve been missing since he left office. Whether these left-wing talkers realize it or not, their attention elevates him. It makes him a martyr.

And suddenly The Donald is back.

At Mar-a-Lago on Tuesday night, we witnessed Trump at his best. He was in his element as he stood in front of an adoring crowd and ranted against an elite establishment bent on getting him by any means necessary. And they are.

The ludicrous indictment, the unprecedented raid on Trump’s Florida home, the mountain of lawsuits and investigations, testify to the determination of the hysterical left to ban Trump from public life. These snobs cannot leave it to the American people to vote Trump into oblivion. They fear that the deplorables will make the wrong decision. And Trump benefits from all of this.

I don’t count Ron DeSantis and neither do you. That is – unless he screws up. And he’s starting to worry me.

He says: Look what the corrupt establishment is doing to me. They’ve been doing it to you for years. Put me back in the White House and I’ll end this once and for all.

It’s an incredibly effective, deeply rooted political message. Hell – I’m being rejected by Trump. And it’s compelling to me.

How long this adrenaline rush lasts is a mystery. But Trump’s team takes full advantage of it and goes for the jugular vein of its most dangerous adversary.

Joe Biden doesn’t.

Ron DeSantis.

Nearly seven months after the first Republican primary, a memo from Trump’s campaign leaked to the media. It reveals a strategy to cut Ron’s legs out from under him by peeling away his biggest political donors.

The message from the Trump team to DeSantis’ top backers is: jump ship now and join the winner. Trump becomes the GOP nominee.

It’s not a huge range. Many political commentators come to the same conclusion.

A recent new Quinnipiac national poll for the 2024 Republican nomination shows that support for Trump is on the rise. 46 percent of registered Republican voters say they will vote for Trump, while 32 percent will vote for DeSantis.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis with his wife Casey and their three children after his election victory in November 2022

Donald and Melania Trump together at Mar-a-Lago after the former president launched his 2024 election campaign

Last month the race was much tighter with Trump leading DeSantis by 8 percentage points. The difference is now 14 points.

Yes, it’s hard to fathom which candidate is up against the media-driven cyclone that is Trump, but it’s a long way to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

I’m not counting out DeSantis and neither are you. That is – unless DeSantis screws up. And he’s starting to worry me.

First of all, the good news for Ron.

It hasn’t been long since Trump suffered an incredible defeat and DeSantis rode high after the 2022 midterm elections.

Republicans, by any historical measure, should have stormed to victory against the backdrop of Biden’s unpopularity, skyrocketing inflation, rising crime, lawlessness on the southern border, and American optimism in the toilet. But the red wave turned out to be a drip.

Trump-backed flunkies for Senate flopped. Dr. Oz was defeated by a man who survived a stroke during a campaign. And the Democrats retained control of the US Senate.

Republicans barely managed to pull out a majority in the House, leading to a devastating leadership squabble between the parties that left the country looking like a banana republic.

I then wrote: ‘Here is a simple and easy conclusion to draw. Trump’s MAGA is cancer and it’s killing my party.” I still believe that to be true.

The message from the Trump team to DeSantis’ top backers is: jump ship now and join the winner. Trump becomes the GOP nominee.

And think about the status of DeSantis just 5 months ago.

He was overwhelmingly reelected as governor of Florida by flipping historically Democratic Miami-Dade County from blue to red for the first time in decades. He obtained about 65% of the vote in the majority of Spanish districts, proving his appeal among Spanish voters is undeniable.

But that was then. Now the bad news.

DeSantis makes mistakes. So, here’s my advice to Ron to clean it up and fast. Otherwise those big money supporters may look for another horse in this race.

Beat Trump at his own game: Ron – you’ve been MIA. Declare your candidacy for president today and withdraw media attention.

Are you on a book tour or running for president? Choose a lane!

I, like the rest of America, watched Trump suck the oxygen out of the room during the 2016 Republican primary.

It pulls matter in like a black hole. All conversation revolves around him. Everyone is forced to respond to him. Round him. That attention seems credible to voters. He makes his opponents look small. And he can do it again.

You’ve been straddling the fence for too long, it’s time to jump into this race with both feet, bring in the liberal media and become the center of attention.

DeSantis makes mistakes. So, here’s my advice to Ron to clean it up and fast. Otherwise those big money supporters may look for another horse in this race.

Otherwise, Trump could continue to gain momentum.

America is so thirsty for something other than a choice between two eighties that we’re willing to drink sand. Stake your claim!

Don’t be Trump-lite: You looked funny when you said you wouldn’t cooperate with a hypothetical extradition of Trump to New York City while his indictment is pending. That was below you.

Anyone paying attention knew this was hypothetical, but you came across as a flattering Trump lackey. We all know you fell in favor with his base, but are you running for vice president or the top job?

You blundered when you told Fox News’ Tucker Carlson in a questionnaire that the war between Russia and Ukraine was a “territorial dispute” not in the “vital” interest of the US. Then you walked back when you got to Piers Morgan.

“Well, I think it’s been mischaracterized,” you said.

What? Come on, Ron. That’s gibberish.

We know why you said these things.

You’re trying to be Trump-lite. But like any diet alternative, they don’t taste like the real thing. A copy of an original is still just that: a copy.

President Joe Biden and wife Jill visit Hurricane Ian-affected Florida area with DeSantis and wife Casey in October 2022

Be your own man: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is an effective administrator. And the state is a model for the country. Let your record speak for itself.

You have created a safe haven for pandemic-weary Americans fleeing draconian lockdowns. You kept schools open while other states closed. Your pandemic policies kept workers at work as terrified governors across the country forced businesses to shut down.

Even Trump criticized states, like Georgia, for opening too quickly, and praised you for resisting lockdowns when all the dust had settled.

And finally, Florida is where Wake is going to die. It’s the culture war of our time – and you’re leading the way. Start telling that story and step out of Trump’s shadow.

Let us get to know you: You have a lovely family and a smart, beautiful wife, who is a cancer survivor and an incredible public speaker. Put her out there.

You’re incredibly savvy in your press conferences, but most of America only knows you through soundbytes. Bring that energy to Bill Maher on HBO, Dana Bash on CNN or DailyMail.com! You can’t become president just by appearing on Fox and Friends.

DeSantis needs to understand that he’s not just competing against Trump. He competes with Trump in a media frenzy that favors the former president. He can’t afford to keep waiting in the face of mounting odds against him. To survive in politics, you must recognize that your career is fast or dead.

It’s time to launch this campaign, Ron. America will not wait much longer.