Ron Desantis fights how he should not deter Trump voters as a leak reveals

leaked video material shows Ron Desantis, the governor of Florida, who fights with how he can beat Donald Trump, without "p— [ing] off" the voters of the former president.

The 44-year-old is widely considered Trump's strongest challenger for the Republican presidential candidacy 2024.

He was exposed to a verbal attack by Mr. Trump, who gave him the nickname "Ron Desancimonious", in the midst of speculation that he could already explain his candidacy next month.

But Mr. Desantis has to struggle with how he can counteract Mr. Trump and stand out from the former president without annoying his Make America Great Again base, which will play a crucial role in the decision of the GOP primary competition.

A leaked video of Mr. Desantis, who is preparing for a debate in 2018 when he was running for the governor for the first time, shows how he deals with the same problem.

In recordings that have been played ABC News, Matt Gaetz, a persistent Republican Congress Member, helps Mr. Desantis in preparations. Mr. Gaetz asks him if he did not agree with Mr. Trump on any point.

Mr. Desantis breathes deeply and replies: "I have to find out how it works."

Examination of "sympathy"

He continues: "Obviously there is because I voted against him in the congress." He added: "I have to design it so that not all of his voters deter it."

In the videos, Mr. Desantis and his team also deal with his "sympathy problems" - a weak point that Mr. Trump has already taken up.

At one point, an employee suggests that Mr. Desantis writes the word "Likeable" in capital letters at the top of his notebook when he comes into the debate phase - in order to remind him not to appear aggressive in his answers.

Mr. Desantis has strengthened his national profile by enthusiastic America's cultural wars.

The self-proclaimed "anti-Woke" governor aroused a lively interest of donors and republican strategists who were looking for an alternative to Mr. Trump, 76.

But he alerted some influential donors because of allegations that he lacks the charisma and that he is unable to participate in traditional retail policy that is crucial to win the Republican primary voters.