THE UNLIKABLE IN SEARCH OF THE DEPLORABLE:

A few months ago, DeSantis was celebrating his landslide reelection to chants of "two more years!" as enthusiastic fans begged him to run for president. But that momentum has rapidly cooled, confronting DeSantis with a considerably more difficult political outlook for the campaign he is expected to launch after the Florida legislative session ends in May.

Donors, activists and other supporters are increasingly voicing worries that DeSantis has made unforced errors or embraced extreme positions that could hurt him in a general election, including the abortion ban he signed last week. He's had to clarify comments on Ukraine that prompted some criticism in the party. He has struck some Republicans as distant in personal interactions. And Trump has relentlessly attacked DeSantis and expanded his lead over the governor in national polls, while accruing a string of influential endorsements in Florida and beyond. [...]

Rep. Greg Steube, another Florida Republican, told Politico he endorsed Trump after DeSantis regularly left him out of events in Florida and didn't call when he was hurt earlier this year, even though Trump called immediately to check on him.

Some Republicans traced DeSantis's struggle to lock down endorsements in part to his insularity and said he should have done more to cultivate relationships. One person in DeSantis's orbit said a dearth of warm interactions -- even with staff and traditional allies -- has hurt him with endorsements, lawmakers and donors. "He doesn't like talking to people, and it's showing," said this person, who is a vocal supporter of DeSantis.

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