Dallas businessman Doug Deason announced he could see Trump anointing Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to take on the national MAGA torch.
He spoke to DailyMail.com in the offices of his financial empire soon before the former president arrived to address conservatives in Dallas.
Once again, Trump delighted the crowd by trailing the notion of a 2024 run without confirming that he would definitely stand.
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Deason announced Trump had a lot to lose by running.
"I think Donald Trump is enjoying life," he stated. "And I think that he is in a position as the power broker."
"He's the kingmaker and why would he want to go back and get the crap beat out of him all the time, and have all the responsibility and not be building his empire?"
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"He's had to go back and help rebuild it and you know, why let it deteriorate?"
"Why would it fall apart again? Because he's just gonna get attacked just like he was."
"And he can be the kingmaker without being the king."
Trump retains a strong hold on the grassroots of the Republican Party.
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So Deason's remarks will be seen as a hint to the former president that powerful party backers would rather see him step aside rather than risk defeat.
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Deason was a key player in helping Trump secure Texas. He was co-chair of the state's Trump Victory fund in 2020 and in 2016 he and his father Darwin Deason donated over $900,000 to help elect Trump and different Republicans.
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This time around, he stated he was not turning his back on Trump, who he announced would still probably win the Republican nomination if he chose to run.
Yet he talked up the appeal of DeSantis and his wife Casey.
"I think Ron DeSantis would be Donald Trump without all the baggage."
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"I mean Donald J. Trump had the best policies of any president in my lifetime, including President Reagan."
"But you know he could be petty about things, and he wouldn't let things go. And you know, you love it and hate it."
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Deason has held fundraisers for DeSantis as he campaigns for another term as Florida governor.
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43-year-old DeSantis's emergence on the national scene has triggered talk that he could represent a changing of the generational guard.
His attempts to keep Florida open through the pandemic and his leading role in the country's culture wars have kept him in the headlines.
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