海角大神

Gov. Ron DeSantis is having a 鈥渕oment.鈥� The Florida Republican鈥檚 latest high-profile action 鈥� flying migrants from Texas to the wealthy, liberal resort island of Martha鈥檚 Vineyard, Massachusetts 鈥� captured national attention and added yet more buzz to an expected 2024 presidential bid.聽

To liberals, last week鈥檚 maneuver was a cruel stunt that exploited desperate human beings by turning them into political pawns.聽

To conservatives, Governor DeSantis鈥� move was a stroke of political genius, highlighting the waves of migrants crossing the southern border and supercharging the immigration issue ahead of November鈥檚 midterm elections.聽

Over the weekend, Mr. DeSantis received 聽at an event for conservatives in Kansas. And former President Donald Trump, a fellow Floridian who promoted Mr. DeSantis鈥� 2018 run for the governorship, that his mentee has grabbed the media spotlight on one of his signature issues.

But even as Mr. DeSantis shows what he鈥檚 learned from Mr. Trump, he鈥檚 also doing things differently 鈥� for better or worse.

鈥淧ersonally, I see it as showboating,鈥� says a conservative political strategist, speaking on background to preserve his relationship with both men. 鈥淏ut it鈥檚 great for national fundraising, and it raises DeSantis鈥� presidential profile.鈥澛�

Rebecca Blackwell/AP

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks during a press conference to announce expanded toll relief for Florida commuters, Sept. 7, 2022, in Miami. He is expected to run for president in 2024.

Mr. DeSantis, who is currently running for reelection, believes he鈥檚 hit on something. Last week, 聽to expect more such flights to 鈥渟anctuary communities鈥� 鈥� localities that won鈥檛 turn migrants without legal status over to immigration authorities. The governor said he has $12 million designated by the Florida Legislature to transport migrants to 鈥渟anctuary destinations.鈥� Records show the Martha鈥檚 Vineyard flights cost $615,000.聽

To some, the calculated way in which Mr. DeSantis planned and orchestrated those flights shows a key difference between him and Mr. Trump, who is known for operating more on instinct.

鈥淒eSantis is much more strategic,鈥� says Susan MacManus, a聽professor emerita at the University of South Florida and veteran political observer. 鈥淗e looks carefully at a big issue and sees what needs more attention, from his party鈥檚 and his own ideological perspective. Then he picks a location and timing to maximize media attention.鈥�

In their dealings with reporters, Mr. Trump and Mr. DeSantis have some similarities but also differ in key ways. Both men express antipathy toward the news media 鈥� Mr. Trump famously referred to the press as 鈥渢he enemy of the people鈥� 鈥� and use reporters as foils to score political points. Both men also know how to play to the cameras.聽

But their overall media relations strategies are quite different. For all his complaints, Mr. Trump actually seems to enjoy sparring with reporters, and as president carried on the tradition of having the press 鈥減ool鈥� travel with him both in Washington and on the road. Mr. DeSantis makes covering his administration much more difficult 鈥撀燼t least for the mainstream media. The Florida governor doesn鈥檛 release his daily schedule until the end of the day, and while press conferences are usually announced a few hours in advance, they can be anywhere in the state.聽

鈥淗e does not like questions,鈥� says Aubrey Jewett, a political scientist at the University of Central Florida. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know how much he believes he鈥檚 being treated unfairly [by reporters] and how much is a political act. But he seems to believe it鈥檚 true.鈥�

The big exception is Fox News, whose favorable coverage helped propel Mr. DeSantis to the governorship four years ago, while bringing him to Mr. Trump鈥檚 attention. Today, some media observers have noted that Fox seems to be backing away from Mr. Trump, while Mr. DeSantis is still a regular on the network.聽

But while some see Mr. DeSantis as a younger, savvier version of the former president, others say he lacks the showmanship and charisma that made the reality TV star such a hit with crowds.聽

Mr. Trump is much more of a 鈥減eople person,鈥� say conservative operatives who know both men. Mr. DeSantis has made notable improvements delivering speeches to large crowds, but in smaller settings he can be aloof and struggle to connect, they add.聽

In the run-up to the midterms, both men have been traveling the country, appearing at events to rally conservatives, raise money, and support Republican candidates in competitive races. Much is at stake 鈥� control of the House and Senate, as well as numerous governor鈥檚 seats, including Mr. DeSantis鈥�.

Chris O'Meara/AP/File

President Donald Trump (left) stands with Florida Republican gubernatorial candidate Ron DeSantis during a rally in Tampa, Florida, July 31, 2018. In their dealings with reporters, Mr. Trump and Mr. DeSantis have some similarities but also differ in key ways.

But at the moment it鈥檚 Mr. DeSantis who appears to have captured conservative imaginations 鈥� and ignited liberals鈥� ire 鈥� by shining a light on the nation鈥檚 immigration problem, just as Mr. Trump did in 2016.聽

Divergent reactions to the Martha鈥檚 Vineyard flights 鈥渃learly reflect the polarization in this country,鈥� says Professor MacManus.聽

Island residents were applauded for their outpouring of compassion and material help when about 50 migrants, mostly from Venezuela, showed up last Wednesday in two small planes with no advance warning.聽

At the same time, Vineyard residents also faced criticism when the migrants were quickly relocated to a military base on Cape Cod, leading some to accuse the liberal islanders of being hypocrites. Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker 鈥� a lame-duck, moderate Republican 鈥� , saying the migrants would have more access to the services they need.聽

Here in Florida, where Hispanics are a critical component of the electorate, the fact that most of the migrants sent to Martha鈥檚 Vineyard were Venezuelan left some people scratching their heads. Florida鈥檚 Venezuelan community leans Republican, in part a response to its native country鈥檚 socialist regime.聽

It鈥檚 too soon to say how Mr. DeSantis鈥� larger project of transporting migrants to 鈥渟anctuary communities鈥� will ultimately play out politically, both in his home state and nationwide. For now, conservatives express enthusiastic support, while liberals are horrified.

鈥淚n our community, it is toxic,鈥� says state Sen. Annette Taddeo, the Democratic challenger to Republican Rep. Maria Salazar in a South Florida congressional district. Senator Taddeo is Colombian American, and Representative Salazar is Cuban American.聽

But two women handing out DeSantis lawn signs at a street corner in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea are fully behind the governor鈥檚 tactic.聽

鈥淒eSantis couldn鈥檛 have made a better move,鈥� says Mary Reid, who runs a business from home in nearby Fort Lauderdale.聽