In the run-up to and aftermath of the Iowa caucuses, Gov. Ron DeSantis‘s (R-FL) campaign, surrogates, and supporters debuted several excuses that were, quite frankly, Trumpy. The Florida governor did not fail when he lost to the former president by 30 points, DeSantis devotees argued, but rather, he was failed by that empty-headed electorate.

In a sophomoric throwback to former President Donald Trump’s post-2020 meltdown, DeSantis’s campaign accused the media of “election interference” for (correctly) projecting that Trump won the caucuses, which he eventually did by a record margin. But perhaps most pernicious was the lie promulgated by Team DeSantis that the polls were wrong and the ensuing media coverage of the race intentionally dishonest.