Following Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ decision to suspend his presidential campaign, Fox News contributor Kayleigh McEnany suggested that Donald Trump should take a more “conciliatory” tone if he wanted to attract moderate Republicans and independent voters in the November election, Fox News reported.
In his video announcement on January 21, DeSantis said he couldn’t ask his campaign staff to continue giving their time and energy “without a clear path to victory.” DeSantis said it was clear that Republican voters wanted to give Donald Trump another chance at the White House and said he was choosing to endorse Trump so the party would not “go back to the old Republican guard of yesterday” typified by the “repackaged form of warmed-over corporatism” of Nikki Haley.
At a campaign stop in New Hampshire following DeSantis’ announcement, Trump showered praise on the Florida governor and said he looked forward to working with DeSantis to defeat Biden in the General Election.
During a panel discussion on Fox’s “The Big Weekend Show,” the group was discussing DeSantis leaving the race when co-host Kayleigh McEnany suggested that if Trump wanted to beat Joe Biden in the General, he would have to take a “conciliatory” tone.
Trump’s former press secretary said while DeSantis voters would probably shift to supporting Trump in both the primary and General, the challenge for Trump would be winning over moderate Republicans, Nikki Haley’s voters, and independents, all of whom Trump would need to beat Biden.
McEnany said winning that support made Trump’s choice of running mate “so important.” She argued that Trump would have to choose someone who could help him with the voting blocs Trump doesn’t attract naturally, including independent voters and suburban women.
Co-host Guy Benson agreed, saying a “conciliatory tone” would be necessary to achieve the “unity on the right” that Trump needed to win in November.
As sensible as McEnany’s suggestion might have been, Donald Trump did not appreciate it.
In an angry post on Truth Social last Tuesday following his New Hampshire primary win, Trump said he didn’t need advice from “RINO Kayleigh McEnany.” He suggested that his former press secretary should save her advice for “Birdbrain” Nikki Haley.
