Former President Donald Trump took a victory lap on social media on May 17, following the defeat of two candidates endorsed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in races in Kentucky and Jacksonville, Florida.
“Ron’s magic is GONE!” Trump declared on his Truth Social account on Wednesday. A day earlier, Trump-endorsed Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron won the Republican nomination in the Kentucky gubernatorial race, defeating DeSantis-endorsed Kelly Craft, a former ambassador to the United Nations.
Craft finished third with 17.5 percent of the vote, trailing Kentucky’s Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles (21.9 percent) and Cameron (46.9 percent).
In his victory speech, Cameron thanked the former president and added, “The Trump culture of winning is alive and well in Kentucky.”
Cameron will face incumbent Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear in November, in a state that Trump carried with more than 62 percent of support in both 2016 and 2020.
“Congratulations to a ‘star’ in Kentucky, Daniel Cameron, who easily won the Republican Nomination for Governor. He had my Complete and Total Endorsement,” Trump wrote.
“The DeSanctimonious backed candidate came in a DISTANT third. He also lost, shockingly, in Jacksonville last night (Mayor),” Trump added. The former president began calling the Florida governor “Ron DeSanctimonious” days before the 2022 midterm elections.
DeSantis also endorsed Republican candidate Daniel Davis in the mayoral race in Jacksonville, who lost to Democrat candidate Donna Deegan in a May 16 runoff.
Deegan’s victory flipped the Jacksonville mayor’s office, which has been under GOP control since 2015 when incumbent Mayor Lenny Curry was first elected. Curry could not seek reelection this year because of term limits.
Trump claimed that Davis’s defeat was “a big upset” and “a shocker,” in a separate Truth Social post.
“If they would have asked me to Endorse, he would have won, easily. Too proud to do so. Fools! This is a BIG LOSS for the Republican Party. Remember, ‘Rob’ only won because of me!!!” Trump added. In 2018, Trump called DeSantis “strong on Borders, tough on Crime” in endorsing the then-congressman to become the next Florida governor.
By Frank Fang
