DeSantis was seen as a major threat to Trump at the beginning of the year but his campaign has been flagging in recent weeks. Trump has been indicted twice this year, and his poll numbers in the Republican presidential nomination race keep going up. Still, Trump dominates the Republican field, and his lead has grown stronger since the criminal charges. The problem for DeSantis and his other rivals is they have not yet worked out a way to counter a frontrunner who is facing multiple criminal charges. DeSantis has shied away from attacking Trump over the indictments, out of fear of alienating the Republican base.

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Persons: Donald Trump, Ron DeSantis, Trump, DeSantis, Will Hurd, Jack Smith, Trump's, Tim Reid, Alexandra Ulmer, Lincoln Organizations: Republican, White, Trump, Iowa Republicans, Republican Lincoln Day, Republican White House, Department, Thomson Locations: Florida, Des Moines, Texas, New York