What could a loss of Trump support mean for the DeSantis campaign?

Sept. 19--This was not supposed to be "Trump's still my bud" week in the RonDeSantis campaign.

But, DeSantis had to take time at an Orlando campaign stop Wednesday to declare, "I don't think anything's changed. I think we're good," when asked about his relationship with President Donald Trump.

He also would not say if he's spoken to Trump recently, saying his conversations are private.

Trump's previously positive relationship with DeSantis has reportedly soured over DeSantis' refusal to back Trump's claims that Democrats have inflated the number of Puerto Ricans who died due to Hurricane Maria.

So instead of talking about his education plan this week, which calls for more school choice and for 80 percent of all education money to be spent in classrooms, DeSantis is trying to shore up his support from Trump's supporters.

"If the base of Trump supporters becomes less enthusiastic about Congressman DeSantis, then I think that is a problem, but it's a little too early to think that's likely to happen," said Kevin Wagner, a Florida Atlantic University political science professor who has run several polls on the race for governor. "It depends how long this is an issue for. Politicians have moments, and then they make up. The president is supporting Ted Cruz, and I think they had a slightly larger rift than the one with DeSantis."

Trump memorably referred to Cruz as "Lyin' Ted" Cruz during the 2016 presidential primary and theorized that the Texas senator's father may have been involved in the Kennedy assassination.

But DeSantis' warm relationship with the president propelled the congressman to victory in Florida's Republican governor primary. Trump endorsed DeSantis on Twitter -- twice -- before coming to Tampa for a rally on July 31.

That relationship has gone south, according to a report by Politico.

The infamously mercurial Trump is reportedly angry at DeSantis for his break with the president over the death toll of Hurricane Maria.

Trump took to Twitter Sept. 13 to push back on new official reports that list the number of dead in Puerto Rico due to Hurricane Maria at 2,975.

The president, who has previously embraced conspiracy theories such as "birtherism" -- the notion that former President Barack Obama was not born in the United States, speculated that Democrats had inflated the numbers to make him look bad.

The study that concluded 2,975 more people died in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria than would have died over the same time period on the island if not for the storm was conducted by George Washington University's Milken Institute School of Public Health. The study and its methodology are available online for anyone to read.

DeSantis was among several prominent Republicans in Florida, including senatorial candidate and Gov. Rick Scott, who broke with Trump over his new "deatherism" conspiracy theory.

A campaign spokesperson said DeSantis is "committed to standing with the Puerto Rican community, especially after such a tragic loss of life. He doesn't believe any loss of life has been inflated."

Florida's large Puerto Rican population, burgeoned by refugees from the very hurricane at issue here, are expected to play a significant role in the upcoming election.

But Trump reportedly considers DeSantis' break a sign of disloyalty.

A general election break from Trump is unlikely to have the positive benefits of a move to the middle that so many politicians undergo after primary season.

"Since the president is what helped him rise to prominence, it's pretty hard to distinguish him from that. That's not easy to undo in just a few weeks," Wagner said. "This is likely to be a base election. The Democrats chose a progressive candidate, the Republicans chose a candidate close to Trump."

DeSantis faces Democratic candidate Andrew Gillum in the Nov. 6 general election.

Orlando Sentinel staff writer Steven Lemongello contributed to this report.

dsweeney@SunSentinel.com, 954-356-4605 or Twitter @Daniel_Sweeney

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