DeSantis Plots Comeback With 'Surreal' Food Tour as Trump 'Leaking Brain Matter': Report

The Florida governor is attempting to reinvent himself through a restaurant tour series called 'Diners, Drive-Ins & DeSantis'.

Apr. 14, 2026 at 3:05pm

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A surreal, abstract painting featuring the fractured, overlapping image of Ron DeSantis' head in shades of red, white, and blue, conveying the unconventional nature of his food tour series as he positions himself for a potential political comeback.As DeSantis plots his political comeback, his 'Diners, Drive-Ins & DeSantis' food tour series reflects a strategic effort to rebrand and appeal to a broader conservative base.Cocoa Beach Today

Former presidential hopeful Ron DeSantis, the Republican governor of Florida, is seemingly plotting a political comeback as he nears the end of his term. DeSantis has established an online series called 'Diners, Drive-Ins & DeSantis' where he visits local restaurants across the state, mirroring the format of Guy Fieri's long-running show. The series appears to be a savvy pivot for DeSantis as he positions himself for the post-Donald Trump era, with the governor steering clear of partisanship and projecting a more 'ordinary Republican dad' image.

Why it matters

DeSantis' political profile evaporated after losing the 2024 Republican primary to Trump, but with the former president now 'rapidly leaking oil (and brain matter)', the Florida governor may be envisioning a comeback. The 'Diners, Drive-Ins & DeSantis' series seems to be part of DeSantis' effort to rebrand himself and appeal to a broader conservative base beyond the hardcore MAGA supporters.

The details

In the nine episodes of 'Diners, Drive-Ins & DeSantis' uploaded so far, the governor is shown dining at local hot spots across Florida, from Naples to Cocoa Beach, and giving his reviews of the cuisine. The series mirrors the format of Guy Fieri's long-running 'Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives', with DeSantis dressed in a suit and flag pin as he stuffs fried seafood and pizza into his mouth. While largely steering clear of partisanship, the series does seem to have a political intent, reflecting the newly 'defanged' image DeSantis has been projecting on social media with tweets about baseball, Ronald Reagan quotes, and fiscal policy musings.

  • DeSantis is nearing the end of his term as Florida governor.
  • The 'Diners, Drive-Ins & DeSantis' series has been uploaded in the past few months.

The players

Ron DeSantis

The Republican governor of Florida who is attempting to reinvent himself through an online restaurant tour series called 'Diners, Drive-Ins & DeSantis'.

Donald Trump

The former president who defeated DeSantis in the 2024 Republican primary and whose political influence is now said to be 'rapidly leaking oil (and brain matter)'.

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What they’re saying

“DeSantis has begun to sound like a fairly ordinary Republican dad, far removed from the hardcore firebrand of the Joe Biden years.”

— Luke Winkie, Slate writer

“If DeSantis is envisioning a comeback, maybe he believes that — in 2028 or beyond — America might be ready to once again pull the lever for a boring, polo-and-khakis conservative, rather than whoever can do their best Trump impression.”

— Luke Winkie, Slate writer

The takeaway

DeSantis' 'Diners, Drive-Ins & DeSantis' series appears to be a strategic effort to rebrand himself and appeal to a broader conservative base beyond the hardcore MAGA supporters, as he positions himself for a potential political comeback in the post-Trump era.