‘Trump Is Wearing Him Down’: Fox’s Watters Says Former President Could Take DeSantis and ‘Absolutely Blow Him Out of the Water’

Jesse Watters offered a grim assessment of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ presidential campaign on Thursday’s edition of The Five.

DeSantis is challenging Donald Trump for the Republican nomination, which the former president has taken as a personal affront. Trump has relentlessly attacked the governor on a variety of serious and not-so-serious matters.

The governor has largely resisted attacking Trump, but he has responded to some of the broadsides the former president has sent his way.

“I have to respect the discipline of Ron DeSantis for not counterpunching for six months,” Watters said. “He’s finally counterpunching and the counterpunches are strong. I respect the counters, but Donald Trump is wearing him down. And I’m curious to see the poll numbers of Ron DeSantis once he started counterpunching.”

Trump maintains a large lead over DeSantis, who has been a lock in second place in most of the GOP primary polls.

“When Trump attacks you, it’s almost like he swarms you with negativity,” Watters continued. “And he’s hitting you on territory that he is choosing.”

He went on to say he hopes Trump does not decide to “coast” by boycotting Republican debates.

“But I want to see him debate Ron DeSantis,” Watters said. “I want to see him debate all of these guys because it’s so fun to watch. But Trump can’t coast… This guy is a very aggressive campaigner”

He concluded, “I don’t want him to get in this thing where he just says, ‘You know, my poll numbers are great, I’m not debating.’ But he has what it takes to just absolutely blow him out of the water he wants to.”

Watch above via Fox News.