By Alexandra Ulmer

ORLANDO FL (Reuters] – A sea of Trump merchandise was on display at a Florida conservative weekend event. There were pink cowboy hats for sale, as well as purses and T-shirts promoting Trump’s 2024 election campaign.

But hidden among the Trump merchandise in The MAGA Mall were hats that featured another figure. Ron DeSantis of Florida, a Republican governor, is being viewed as a possible rival for President Donald Trump. He has repeatedly hinted that he would like to run again.

Ronald Solomon (owner of The MAGA Mall) claims that he only sells merchandise for DeSantis. Trump shouldn’t be concerned if sales at the store are predictive of his political win. Solomon claimed that he has 50 Trump-themed hats for each DeSantis cap sold.

Solomon told a group young ladies about Trump’s Republican Party, as he was speaking to them in front of his table at the Conservative Political Action Conference, (CPAC), an event of American right-wing luminaries, which took place in Orlando. Orlando is more well-known as being the birthplace of Walt Disney. Disney World theme park.

According to interviews conducted with over a dozen Republican voters and right-wing media personalities, this was the undisputed maxim of the CPAC gathering, which concluded on Sunday.

Trump addressed a large crowd Saturday to underline his control over the Republican base in advance of the November congressional elections.

Trump’s results slightly improved from the Orlando gathering poll, and he received 59% support in straw polls on potential 2024 White House candidates.

CPAC is more likely to be drawn from the Republican Party’s conservative wing. However, its polls may not accurately predict who will become the next nominee.

Trump has not yet confirmed his run for the White House. However, he has hinted heavily at the possibility – calling himself in recent social media videos the “45th” and “47th” Presidents of the United States. In his Saturday speech, Trump mentioned it once more, saying that “we’re going be doing it again. A third time.”

Nevertheless, Trump’s obsession with falsely claiming he has been the victim fraud in 2020’s election is making some Republicans nervous. They fear he may be more concerned about grievances than charting his party’s future.

Trump’s appeal with the base, his rallies draw large crowds and many candidates for Congress want his endorsement, means that establishment concerns could eventually be irrelevant.

We will again make America proud! America will be safe again. “And we’ll make America great!” Trump stated this as he concluded Saturday night’s speech to cheers.

CPAC is a gathering of the most powerful and influential conservatives worldwide. It gives candidates national media coverage and generates buzz.

Trump’s dominant position means that only congressional, criminal, and civil investigations seem likely to stop the former real estate magnate, 75, from running for office, according to Doug Heye (an ex-aide to the Republican Party).

Trump has to deal with both a New York State civil inquiry into his family’s business and a congressional committee investigating the Jan. 6th, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol that was carried out by supporters of overturning the election results.

Heye said, “It’s more than that it can knock his off the pedestal.” He could be forced to take himself off of the pedestal.

We listen to Trump

Nicole Bommarito, a 49-year-old Republican activist, was seen at The MAGA Mall in an offensive T-shirt. Nicole bought a TRUMP WON cowboy hat.

Bommarito said Trump is who we listen to. She moved from New York to Florida last year to better reflect her beliefs. Solomon’s alternative candidate for 2024 was still her first choice: “If Donald Trump isn’t running, DeSantis would be our first pick.”

This isn’t a coincidence: DeSantis was voted by 61% when asked who they would vote for if Trump does not throw their hat in.

Solomon, the MAGA Mall owner who travels across America to sell merchandise at Trump rallies was sure that Trump would run. He has publicly attacked Biden and endorsed many midterm candidates.

He won’t give it to someone else. Solomon spoke of Seymour Durst, the late real estate mogul.

CPAC attendees remarked that DeSantis (a former lawyer of 43 years, with three children, and a wife who is battling breast cancer) could wait to run for President in 2028.

DeSantis gave no hint about his plans for his CPAC speech. It did not make any mention of Trump nor 2024. DeSantis positioned himself instead as a principled fighter to keep Florida open in the face of all the hype over COVID-19.

DeSantis received a positive reception for his speech, but he was only given a Thursday slot, the less well attended day one of the conference. By the end of the weekend, there was little to no buzz around him.

Bommarito, back at The MAGA Mall decided to not buy any DeSantis merchandise. She stated, “I’ll have it tomorrow”.