The day after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) won reelection by a shocking 19-point margin, the Rupert Murdoch-owned New York Post screamed a one-word front page headline: “DeFuture.”

The celebratory photo showed a Kennedy-esque, central-casting-worthy family. Casey DeSantis, holding hands with her two small children, looked like a future first lady in her stunning gold designer gown on her way to the inaugural ball. The victorious governor held their third child with one arm, waving to the crowd with the other.

At that moment on Nov. 8, 2022, Ron and Casey DeSantis’s White House dreams merged with positive political reality.

But this reelection blowout was merely a preview for the ambitious couple, who married at Disney World in Orlando, Fla. Their ultimate happy-ending Disney movie seemed only two years away, with the soundtrack “Hail to the Chief.”

Of course, all Disney movies have a villain aiming to destroy and derail the main characters’ goals and dreams. You know his name, as he is currently “DeFeating” “DeFuture” with a 32-point lead among Republican primary voters. 

Looking back at that eight-month-old New York Post front page, not only have the powerful Murdochs reportedly soured on DeSantis, but seemingly then-unimaginable questions are being raised. Is the DeSantis presidential campaign already in a death spiral? Will the Florida governor seek an early exit to save his national political future? Will he rebrand for 2028 — presumably a non-Trump-dominated political cycle? Or could DeSantis yet star as the “comeback kid” of 2024? If not, will his 2024 failure blossom into 2028 hope?

Before discussing possible answers and scenarios, consider recent Florida history, where (full disclosure) I voted for Gov. DeSantis in 2022. After his victorious reelection, I heard legions of Trump-supporting Florida Republican voters, activists, party leaders and insiders insist that DeSantis “should wait until 2028.”

Singing the same song, they warned how Trump, with his rock-solid, loyal MAGA base, would “destroy” Florida’s rising political star. They also feared that the Republican Party — which is to say Donald Trump — “would eat their young,” which is to say DeSantis.

Should DeSantis have listened to the folks who supported his reelection but wanted him to stay on the sidelines in 2024? In retrospect, yes. For MAGA land, which will dominate the Republican primaries in 2024, everything Trump “Truths” out becomes gospel. On July 8, the former president proclaimed: “Ron DeSanctimonious is desperately trying to get out of the Presidential race, while at the same time saving face for 2028, where he has been greatly damaged.” Trump ended his “Truth” rant with the further dig, “Ron is just wasting time!”

That “truth” could be the rare case when Trump offered wise political advice to his closest rival, beneficial to both. There is no evidence that DeSantis plans to withdraw from the primary race he officially entered on May 24. However, his campaign’s early performance seems destined for a political science case study, or perhaps even a future Searchlight Pictures comedy, “How to Lose a Presidential Primary in Two Months.”

The RCP poll average showed DeSantis at peak popularity in late February. At that point, he trailed Trump by a manageable 12.8-point margin. Thus, DeSantis was always the underdog in a fight against a powerful, vengeful former president, who in the time since has only gained support among his devoted followers as a result of the two indictments brought against him.

Trump repeatedly bragged that he “made” DeSantis’s career. He warned the governor against entering the 2024 race and boasted about destroying DeSantis for the “disloyalty” of daring to become his primary rival. Trump has since spent ample time, perhaps even excessive time, savaging his “DeSanctimonious” target — no surprise to Floridians who had urged he wait until 2028. At this point, Trump is walloping Florida’s governor by 20 percentage points in Florida itself. Whence the talk of a death spiral.

To DeSantis’s credit, he is the only primary candidate who consistently polls in second place and earns double digits. Both Trump and DeSantis are statistically tied with President Biden in general election match-ups.

Thus, DeSantis has a dilemma; although he is flush with millions in campaign cash, major donors are nervous. The governor has been losing traction ever since Feb. 24, falling from 30 to 20 percent support among national GOP primary voters. DeSantis has never lost an election, but how will he continue that streak?

If, by the end of 2023, he fails to compete with Trump because he is not Trump, DeSantis should drop out of the primary race and save himself the embarrassment of losing in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina. He trails Trump in each of those early states by at least 20 points. This will let him save his future and face for 2028.

But DeSantis will require a major rebranding if he underperforms badly against this cycle’s high expectations as Trump-slayer, national rising star, Republican Party future and White House winner. The “Top Gov” also committed numerous self-inflicted wounds and rookie mistakes, such as making the culture war his only war and trying to turn America into the “free state of Florida.” He hid from the mainstream media and has refused to engage in full frontal attacks against Trump.

Until January 2027, DeSantis has a day job governing the third most populous state. This will provide him with a national platform until it is time to run for president again. In the meantime, for the 2026 midterm election, DeSantis could serve as a star fundraiser, sought-after party leader, and national speaker, earning IOUs for 2028 when he turns 50 — a prime presidential age.

Suppose DeSantis were to drop out before 2024 voting began and learn from his primary run. He might fulfill his presidential dreams while repositioning himself as more human, less fighting machine — a compassionate leader, a “new DeSantis” who aims to unify Americans and not divide them.

After Richard Nixon lost the1960 presidential election, a “new Nixon” emerged, “tanned, rested, and ready” to win in 1968. And what about Joe Biden, who flopped in the 1988 and 2008 primaries before winning the 2020 Democratic nomination?

History shows that winning the White House is a super marathon for some presidential aspirants. They just need to keep their eyes on “DeFuture.”

Myra Adams writes about politics and religion. She served on the creative team of two GOP presidential campaigns in 2004 and 2008. Follow her on Twitter @MyraKAdams