Former Rep. David Jolly (R-Fla.) has no doubt that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) would be far more dangerous leading Donald Trump s base and as president than the former president himself.

Hes more savvy. Hes more coy. And he doesnt have the pitfalls that Donald Trump does, Jolly, who left the GOP in 2018, told MSNBCs Nicolle Wallace on Tuesday during a discussion about rising tensions between Trump and DeSantis over potential rival 2024 Republican runs for the White House.

DeSantis used Trump to win the Florida governorship before stepping from the Trump shadow, and will run in 2024 on this notion of the free state of Florida, said Jolly.

The former lawmaker then explained why thats a fallacy:

Floridas not free if your kids cant be exposed to the full curriculum that would make them smarter and better-educated students. Floridas not free if you cant get a test or treatment for COVID. Floridas not free if you dont have access to the ballot box. Floridas not free if youre a voter and you vote and by a majority, determined home rule and then Gov. DeSantis says, Im not going to let you do that and he kneecaps local voters.

Floridas not free, Jolly continued. Its a narrative that Ron DeSantis is very successfully selling, which is what makes him dangerous.

Its Ron DeSantis narrative of freedom, he added. Hes really kneecapping democracy right now for people of Florida, and he will successfully do it on the national stage should he get to the White House.