THEY REALIZE THIS IS HOW THEY GOT TRUMP THE FIRST TIME, RIGHT?

A couple of days ago, Fox News released its first full-length DeSantis for President campaign ad:

Ahead of the rally former President Donald Trump was scheduled to have in Arizona (later postponed due to the death of Ivana Trump), the Fox News website posted a stunning three-minute video featuring a host of Trump supporters in Maricopa County talking about ditching him in 2024 for Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL).

The incredible montage features a group of Arizona voters who — save for one identified as Beverly who enthusiastically backed a Trump 2024 bid — all said they wanted to see Trump sit it out next time and identified DeSantis as the person they want to take over the party.

Clearly the Murdochs think they can manufacture consent for a DeSantis win in the primaries two years from now. Many GOP voters appear to be on their side, but a few key people aren't on board:

Some House Republicans praised former Vice President Mike Pence for certifying the 2020 election on Jan. 6, 2021, and encouraged him to run for president in 2024 in a closed-door gathering Wednesday.

During a meeting of the Republican Study Committee, the largest caucus of conservatives in Congress, Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, stood up and thanked Pence for his “courage and standing for the Constitution and certifying" President Joe Biden's election win, according to Rep. French Hill, R-Ark., and two other Republicans who attended the meeting.

Roy's comments received "sustained applause" in the room, Hill told NBC News.....

Later in the meeting, Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., told Pence he appreciated him engaging with lawmakers and asked if he had any plans to run for the Oval Office in 2024....

Leaving the meeting, Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., told reporters “people were encouraging him in there” to run for president.

Pence is the only potential 2024 Republican candidate besides Trump and DeSantis who sometimes polls in the double digits. Right now, Trump is at 53.3% in the Real Clear Politics average, but he occasionally scores below 50%. So maybe he could be beaten. But he won't be beaten if Pence takes just enough of the non-Trump vote to deny DeSantis any victories.

Of course, if Mitch McConnell is right and Trump faces "a crowded field" in 2024, that suggests a replay of 2016. There might be more Trump skeptics than Trump superfans, but Trump's fans will still outnumber anyone else's voters.

Pence is the big problem, however, because -- bafflingly -- he still has a following in the party. (I assume it's Trump skeptics whose religious conservatism is really important to them.) So I wonder: Will Fox eventually put together a long video intended to encourage Pence to drop out?