"DeSantis ran a horrible campaign!"
99% of the time, the folks who mindlessly repeat this 'horrible campaign' talking point are doing just that - repeating something they have no clue about, to feel like they're part of the crowd.
You'll notice that they'll never provide specifics as to what was done wrong. They can't point to anywhere where he zigged when he should have zagged.
At best, they simply parrot "Bush! Rove! Boots!" stupidity or, if they are 'influencers' (particularly those angling for invites to Mar-a-Lago) just outright lie.
Today, your typical Trump supporter has been told that, as Florida's Governor, DeSantis could 'block' the Federal and other states' indictments against Trump.
They have gleefully spread the lie that DeSantis is working with the DOJ to persecute Trump or repeat
@julie_kelly2's Constitutionally insane lie that he (but never Trump) has the power but that he refuses to pardon J6ers.
The best two arguments I've seen (and both are wholly disingenuous) are;
1. by folks who claim that DeSantis' misstep was that he did not make his campaign a never-ending praisefest of Donald Trump.
2. by folks who claim that, paradoxically, DeSantis misstep was that he did not attack Trump enough.
Argument 1 is belied by the fact that Vivek's campaign - which has been a wholly fellatial exercise toward Donald Trump never took off.
When you push, you realize these are folks who would never have voted for anyone but Trump - so the only misstep DeSantis made was running in the first place.
Argument 2 is belied by the fact that Chris Christie has been attacking Trump from the moment he launched, and the people pushing this argument are now backing Haley, who has attacked Trump far less than DeSantis and only entered the race after seeking his permission.
In other words, the "horrible campaign" thing is nothing more than a bullshit talking point put out by the Trump campaign and opportunistic posturing by Nikki supporters who think the massive infusion of cash by corporate interests is going to be the deciding factor.
Meanwhile, Trump's paid 'influencer' operatives like
@Timcast,
@JavManjarres,
@julie_kelly2,
@BlueBoxDave,
@charliekirk11, etc. covered up and made excuses for attacks on DeSantis by senior Trump campaign officials and surrogates while claiming DeSantis supporters drove them into the arms of Trump.
This is while many turned a blind eye or laughed at Trump accusing DeSantis of pedophilia and encouraging gangbang and rape memes targeting Casey DeSantis and DeSantis' kids, while pretending attacks by @ILikeDeSantis4987 are beyond the pale.
It's all a lie.