DeSantis: Dems Planning to Go 'Scorched Earth' on Trump

As if myriad indictments and failed "lawfare" attempts to disqualify former President Donald Trump on the ballot in some Democrat-held states were not enough, GOP primary rival Ron DeSantis is warning the worst is yet to come in the way of Democrat attacks on Trump.

"They're going very easy on him right now," DeSantis told CNN's "State of the Union" on Sunday. "I mean, they're not saying much. The minute if he were to be the nominee, I mean, you're going to see scorched earth.

"You're going to see all this stuff brought up from the past, and the whole election will end up being a referendum on Donald Trump and Biden will be able to hang out in the basement, and I think he'll be able to get away with it again."

DeSantis was pitching himself as a "prime" age presidential candidate who should be picked over Trump, 77, or President Joe Biden, 80.

"The presidency is not a job for somebody that's pushing 80 years old," DeSantis told CNN. "I just think that that's something that has been shown with Joe Biden. Father Time is undefeated.

"Donald Trump is not exempt from any of that. I think with somebody like me, you go in, you know, I'm in the prime of my life. I go in day one, I'll serve two terms, deliver big results and get the country moving again. That's what Republican voters want to see."

DeSantis' pitch to GOP primary voters is not only age, but the potential to serve two terms over one, he added to CNN.

"Donald Trump's a high-risk proposition as a nominee, because I think the chance of him getting elected is small," he said.

"But it's a low reward, because he's going to be a lame-duck on day one even if he could get elected. He would not be able to attract the type of talent to work in his administration, and he'd be saddled with all these distractions, that it would be virtually impossible to get the job done."

• Trump Reminds Iowa: 'My Attitude Is What Gets Us There'
• DeSantis Hits 'Real Nikki Haley' on Support of 'Liberal Cause'