Risk and reward as Ron DeSantis links arms with Elon Musk

In doing so, the Florida politician is bypassing much accepted methods of kicking disconnected a campaign, specified arsenic an in-person rally, a large TV interrogation oregon a slickly produced online video.

While helium volition yet bash each of these, opting for Twitter arsenic his archetypal prime makes a notable connection astir the benignant of run helium volition tally - and the benignant of protagonist helium hopes to prioritise.

The lawsuit - details for which are inactive unclear - is each but guaranteed to supply a affable assemblage for Mr DeSantis.

Speaking astatine an lawsuit connected Tuesday, Mr Musk said helium would not endorse immoderate campaigner "at this time".

He said helium voted for President Biden successful 2020, and has described himself arsenic a centrist, though helium did accidental past twelvemonth that helium would enactment Mr DeSantis were helium to tally for president.

Mr DeSantis' quality connected Twitter's unrecorded broadcast level known arsenic Spaces volition springiness him the receptor of Mr Musk's immense instrumentality base. Mr Musk is viewed warmly by astir conservatives aft helium bought Twitter and began utilizing the level to elevate blimpish voices.

By aligning himself with Mr Musk and Twitter, Mr DeSantis is besides aligning himself with the much assertive benignant of conservatism that has filled societal media successful caller years.

It could besides beryllium seen arsenic a digit successful the oculus of his main governmental rival, erstwhile US President Donald Trump - and a motion that the Florida politician volition not cede the online battlefield to his 2024 rival.

Mr Trump was forced disconnected Twitter aft the 6 January 2021 onslaught connected the US Capitol and started his ain competing societal media service, Truth Social.

As president, Mr Trump expertly utilized Twitter to thrust quality rhythm aft quality cycle, and helium believed it was instrumental to his 2016 run win.

"I mightiness not beryllium present talking to you close present arsenic president if I didn't person an honorable mode of getting the connection out," helium said successful 2017.

Mr Musk has rescinded the Trump ban, but the erstwhile president has yet to resume posting to his account.

Last month, Mr Musk told BBC News helium had not spoken to Mr Trump since taking implicit Twitter. "He whitethorn oregon whitethorn not travel back," helium said.

Twitter has vastly much progressive users than Truth Social - and Mr DeSantis whitethorn person spotted an opportunity.

For his part, Mr Musk volition spot this arsenic a coup - helium wants large moments to beryllium broadcast unrecorded connected Twitter. He's peculiarly funny successful Twitter Spaces, wherever millions of radical tin tune into an interrogation connected the platform.

But by seeming to align himself with Mr DeSantis, helium whitethorn beryllium opening himself up to the disapproval that helium is turning Twitter into a municipality hallway for conservatives.

Such a a adjacent narration could make pitfalls for the DeSantis run too.

Yes, Mr Musk tin springiness Mr DeSantis overmuch needed publicity. But Mr Musk is also, famously, a chaos merchant - idiosyncratic who is precise hard to predict.

He could springiness enactment to Mr DeSantis but past instrumentality it distant - helium has the level to some hype him up but besides sound him down.