Is a one-inch heel the secret to a DeSantis victory in 2024?

There’s an inextricable vanity to politics. People who seek elected office are definitionally asking to be judged favorably by voters. In theory, those judgments derive from the candidates’ positions and value. In practice, though, they are also judged on other metrics, like appearance.

Like height.

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This very old idea in politics has gotten a fresh coat of paint in recent weeks as new attention has been paid to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s (R) everything-but-formally-announced 2024 presidential aspirations. Reports that former president Donald Trump, one of a handful of announced candidates, is mulling the possible nickname “Tiny D” for the governor — Trump’s never been known for his subtlety — overlaps with new scrutiny of DeSantis’s predilection for heeled shoes. Perhaps, the theory goes, DeSantis is boosting his height in order to boost his 2024 chances.