Alex's Asteroid Astrology

Well, they did what they could.  They tried to produce a unique, groundbreaking announcement of a presidential run by scheduling Florida Governor and GOP presidential hopeful Ron DeSantis to make his big announcement with Elon Musk on Twitter’s audio platform.  The wisdom of that decision aside (I mean, who wants to share the spotlight with a notoriously maverick, highly polarizing eccentric billionaire who won’t even endorse you, in a format where nobody can actually see you?), the DeSantis team had the timing right, in theory.  They successfully avoided the Mercury retrograde, eclipse season, Pluto station energy that clouded Joe Biden’s re-lection bid, but the production went seriously sideways regardless.

Set for 6 PM EDT on May 24^th, manifold tech glitches and site crashes led to a 26-minute delay, not exactly the mood you want to set for a campaign focused on DeSantis’ ability to deliver the goods.  So the chart for the rollout becomes 6:26 PM EDT in Tallahassee, Florida.

The delay may in fact have given a bit of a boost to the campaign’s official beginning.  As the minutes ticked by, the Ascendant moved closer to DeSantis’ (born 14 September 1978, no time available) natal Venus/asteroid Whitehouse 4036 pairing, at 6 and 7 Scorpio respectively.  The 6 PM time would have yielded 2 Scorpio rising, still within orb, but the 6:26 time makes it 8 Scorpio, right in the thick of things, with both points now above the horizon, in the full light of day.  Venus/Whitehouse certainly says a lot about DeSantis’ desire to attain the Oval Office, but it will be hard to achieve this without support from women (Venus-ruled), and the Florida governor’s hardline stance on abortion restrictions in the Sunshine State likely precludes that.

In contrast, the shift adversely affected the Midheaven region, moving the MC from 5 to 11 Leo in the interval.  Yes, the transit Mars/Moon conjunction at 2 and 3 Leo is de-emphasized, still within orb but rather broadly, but it also removes natal Jupiter at 1 Leo from a more advantageous placement.  Closely aligned with the campaign MC, Jupiter, AKA “the Greater Benefic,” could have added lots of luck and favorable outcomes; at ten degrees in orb, it’s more of an afterthought.

Mars/Moon also speaks to an angry electorate, or at any rate, angry women, and while a little bit of that goes a long way toward activating the GOP base, it’s probably not a signature you want in a successful campaign, which is usually one based in optimism for the future.  Grudge and grievance (both Mars) can only take you so far.  Natal Jupiter here, though removed from the Angle, is still leaning heavily on transit Mars/Moon, exacerbating whatever negative effect that might have.  Worse, the pair opposes transit Pluto at 0 Aquarius, which is about as tricky an energy to manage as can be.  Ruling empowerment, transformation and regeneration, but also death, decay and devastating outcomes, Pluto is a mixed bag at best.

What was made more prominent by the shift in timing is asteroid Muskau 29053, closest point we have for Elon Musk.  At 13 Leo, Muskau now hugs the 11 Leo MC, making Musk the star attraction of the moment, somewhat eclipsing DeSantis.  An opposition to asteroid Icarus 1566 (known for rash, reckless acts heedless of the consequences) at 19 Aquarius confirms that, yes, involving Musk in the rollout was a risky move.  Icarus’ exact square to Uranus at 19 Taurus on the fulcrum of a T-Square, pinpoints tech (Uranus) as the source of the risk, with glitchy connections delaying the announcement by an embarrassingly long interlude.

In other regards, though, the area of the Descendant, now at 8 Taurus, was enhanced by the postponement.  The change still activates transit Jupiter at 1 Taurus (though obviously the 6 PM 2 Taurus Descendant would have been a more direct hit), giving off some of that “lucky” vibe.  Note that transit Jupiter is also squared that transit Mars/Moon pairing, reinforcing the natal Jupiter conjunction, for good or ill.  And Jupiter’s exact square to its natal place is no accident, coming just as DeSantis looks to increase his national profile and job title.

But the shift does place the transit Mercury/asteroid Whitehouse conjunction at 9 and 10 Taurus firmly on the Angle, an enhancement for sure.  Mercury with Whitehouse is the perfect time to announce (Mercury) a run at the presidency (Whitehouse), and the angular placement ensures notice.  But as always, there’s a cosmic fly in the ointment; in this case, it’s the fact that this Mercury/Whitehouse conjunction lies at the fulcrum of a T-Square with the Mars/Moon-Pluto opposition.  How that all plays out is anybody’s guess, but it’s a complication DeSantis doesn’t need at this point.

And we haven’t even gotten to the best part – May 24^th saw the exact conjunction of the Sun with asteroid Nemesis 128!  At 3 Gemini, the conjunction is squared by a staggering stellium in early Pisces, comprised of asteroid Troemper 28130, Damocles 5335, Disneya 4017, Karma 3811 and Saturn, at 1, 3, 5 and 6 Pisces respectively.  Sun/Nemesis is bad enough – it relates to ruin and destruction, often self-created, as well as adversaries, enemies and competitors.  True, DeSantis could flip the script and act in that role for someone else (like Donald Trump, represented here by asteroid Troemper), but it’s not a likely outcome.  Damocles denotes some form of threat looming unsuspected overhead; Disneya was named or Walt Disney, creator of the family theme park with which DeSantis is currently, and unaccountably, at war; Karma is reaping the results of our actions; and Saturn often brings hardship, restriction and loss, though it also symbolizes career success and advancement.  That’s a tough row to hoe, however you slice it.

This square also fits into DeSantis’ nativity in ways which are less than comforting.  The Pisces stellium is honing in on natal asteroid Rone 8680, closest to Ron, at 11 Pisces; not there yet, but closing fast.  More to the point, it forms a T-Square with a natal Saturn/Mercury conjunction at 6 and 7 Virgo, with transit Saturn/Karma, both at 6 Pisces, exactly opposed natal Saturn.  This natal pair is already causing consternation in the DeSantis camp, worried about the governor’s lack of the common touch which the iciness and reserve of a Saturn/Mercury combination can preclude.  This is where DeSantis’ (Rone) inability to speak the honeyed word (Mercury) or play nice with others (Saturn) comes back to bite him in the ass (Karma).  And it is just this aloof quality (Saturn) which is highlighted by the Sun at the campaign’s inception, and which could prove self-defeating (Nemesis).  DeSantis’ natal Saturn/Mercury has worked out recently in another way as well – that would be the book (Mercury) banning (Saturn) in Florida schools, with attempts to excise all reference to LGBTQ individuals and systemic racism.

Having covered the Lights and the Angles, it’s time to look at stationary bodies, those points which are standing stock still in the heavens, and become the energies upon which the rest of the chart revolves.   In this instance, we’re looking at asteroids Kassandra 114 at 2 Libra, and America 916 at 7 Libra.  With America about to turn direct less than a week later, on May 30^th, the nation is ready for a change, and that’s something that neither a Biden re-elect or a Trump revival is going to provide.  So DeSantis, as a new face on the national stage, has hit the sweet spot here, and just in time – the effects in real time won’t last all that long, but embedded in the campaign’s rollout chart, it remains a force to be reckoned with throughout the Primary season.  In that context, it’s obviously more of a threat to Trump than Biden, who won’t be competing in a GOP primary.

Kassandra’s status is more problematic.  Her theme is credibility – can I trust and believe you?  Kassandra has already made her direct station on May 12^th, but remains at that degree in the campaign chart, effectively impinging upon DeSantis’ ability to inspire confidence in his pronouncements and plans.  Natal asteroid Kassandra is highlighted by this chart as well – at 6 Leo, it conjoins the campaign MC, and squares natal Venus/Whitehouse.  Thus women, in particular, are not likely to find DeSantis credible, particularly if he attempts to roll back his uncompromising abortion stance (with a statewide ban enacted after six weeks) in the general election, something he’ll pretty much have to do if he hopes to win over independent voters.  His record on this issue is excellent for the hardcore wingnuts that populate a Republican primary electorate, but devastating to the voters as a whole.  This circumstance is well portrayed by Kassandra’s exact conjunction with natal asteroid Achilles 588 at 2 Libra, a point representing weakness or vulnerability, highlighting credibility issues as DeSantis’ potential Achilles heel.

Let’s take a look at PNAs (Personal-Named Asteroids) for DeSantis at the rollout, and how “winning” asteroids Nike 307 and Victoria 12 (named respectively for the Greek and Roman goddesses of victory) factor into the equation. 

Asteroid Disanti 15630 is closest to DeSantis, and appears at 27 Aries, conjunct transit Jupiter at 1 Taurus.  This boosts his national profile and celebrity and inclines DeSantis personally to a positive outcome from the experience.  That could extend to actually winning this Primary, or just enhancing his national profile preparatory to a subsequent presidential run in future, should he fail in this attempt.  A square to asteroid Victoria at 22 Cancer helps to cement his chances of winning the nomination, should he prove capable of wresting the brass ring from Trump’s tiny hands.  However, there’s also an out-of-Sign square to transit Pluto at 0 Aquarius, which unsettles the landscape, but in tandem with Jupiter, could bring an increase in personal power.  Transit Disanti also forms a T-Square with natal asteroid Washingtonia 886 at 26 Capricorn and a natal Troemper/Mars pairing at 23 and 26 Libra, which neatly encapsulates the situation – a battle (Mars) between DeSantis (Disanti) and Trump (Troemper) for the chance to take control of the US capital (Washingtonia).

Asteroid Rone at 13 Aries makes an even more emphatic statement of impending victory, exactly conjunct asteroid Nike, and opposing America, setting the table for the winning (Nike) national (America) campaign DeSantis (Rone) is hoping for.  The caveats with the natal chart, however, are less than encouraging, with a T-Square formed by opposition to natal Pluto at 15 Libra, asteroid NOT 2857 on the fulcrum at 6 Cancer.  NOT acts a general disqualifier or block to progress, a cosmic nolle prosequi which might not allow for DeSantis’ elevation to the highest place in the land, whatever Nike has to say about it.  And Pluto, as we’ve seen, is terribly difficult to control or manage, a true celestial wild card in this endeavor.

Ron DeSantis’ aspiration to become president is self-evident, and as we’ve seen, borne out by that Venus/Whitehouse conjunction at 6 and 7 Scorpio:  he really loves the idea of being Commander-in-Chief.  But what else can that placement tell us?

For one thing, it’s part of a natal T-square, opposed TNO Chaos 19521 at 1 Taurus, with Jupiter at 1 Leo and Kassandra at 6 Leo on the fulcrum.  This paints DeSantis as a political (Jupiter) opportunist, ready to take advantage of disorder and turmoil (Chaos) in the system, to attain his goal (Venus/Whitehouse).  DeSantis has already shown his stripes in his initial 2018 run for Florida governor, where he cleaved so tightly to Trumpism that he starred in campaign ads indoctrinating his children into building the wall, and read them Trump bedtime stories, a fawning gimmick that won him the support and endorsement of the then-President. 

His subsequent break with Trump and willingness to run against him in the 2024 GOP primary has led to charges of disloyalty and betrayal from The Donald, and here we see the latent potential for animosity in that natal Troemper/Mars conjunction assert itself.  DeSantis has transformed from Trump champion to Trump competitor (if not quite detractor – yet), both Mars keywords.  The dystopian view of America under the Biden administration that both men paint is also connected to Chaos, but with Kassandra in the mix, this vision may not be accepted by Americans other than hardcore Trumpers, who aren’t about to jump ship from their original idol to a false one.

Also within orb of Whitehouse is Uranus at 13 Scorpio; DeSantis’ occupancy of the office is likely to be as erratic and unsettling as Trump’s has been, chock full of controversy and shocking developments.  An exact square from Mars at 26 Libra to Washingtonia at 26 Capricorn suggests DeSantis has the will and drive (Mars) to reach DC (Washingtonia), but may make a lot of enemies (also Mars) on the way, and will likely leave the capital a more fractious, divisive (Mars again) place than he finds it.

There’s also an implied threat of disaster in a pairing of asteroid America at 23 Leo with Nemesis at 27 Leo, opposed Damocles at 23 Aquarius.  This could spell real trouble for the nation under a DeSantis administration.

The Sun at 21 Virgo squares Neptune at 15 Sagittarius, suggesting that fraud or deception may be part of DeSantis’ makeup.  At a minimum, his grasp on reality could be tenuous, with wishful thinking (Neptune) replacing realistic appraisal of the facts.  Neptune also indicates the religiosity of DeSantis’ policy, with its Pro-Life, anti-LGBTQ mania, and the support of the fundamentalist Christian community, which will be vital to his success in the primary.  If he can convince this voting bloc that he’s Trump Lite without the sexual misconduct baggage, he may be able to turn this vital constituency against the former president.

A tight square from asteroid Disneya at 22 Gemini to the Sun indicates his rift (square) with Disney, which he seems to view as a positive, but which is mystifying to others (and has already cost his state a new billion-dollar development and 2000 jobs, when Disney pulled out of a project to relocate offices to Florida, citing adverse business conditions).  Natal connections to the Sun show an ability to strongly, directly affect the life and biography of the individual, for good or ill.  Disney’s ongoing importance in the campaign can be seen in the form of transit asteroid Achilles for the rollout, that point of weakness and vulnerability, which at 27 Gemini conjoins natal Disneya, implying that his treatment of Disney might not sit well with voters. 

But there’s a strong signature of winning here, too, with the Sun exactly squared asteroid Victoria at 21 Sagittarius, and opposed asteroid Nike at 24 Pisces, completing a Grand Cross. And DeSantis does have a good record of winning in Republican politics, with successful runs as US Representative for Florida in 2012, 2014 and 2016, a winning bid for Governor in 2018, and an impressive re-election in 2022, trouncing his Democratic opponent by nearly twenty points. He’s certainly someone to be reckoned with, electorally.

Should Ron DeSantis win through to the Republican nomination, what do his chances for ultimate victory on Election Day 2024 look like?  5 November 2024 is a fraught day, with a Grand Cross of the Sun at 13 Scorpio opposed asteroid Washingtonia at 15 Taurus, squared asteroid Karma at 11 Leo and asteroid America at 12 Aquarius.  It’s a fated (Karma) day for the nation (America) certainly, with its focus (Sun) on who voters send to DC (Washingtonia), but DeSantis’ PNAs don’t really resonate strongly to it.  Asteroid Rone at 20 Leo feeds into the Grand Cross, albeit with some fairly wide orbs, but asteroid Disanti at 17 Libra is somewhat isolated.  It does sit on the rough midpoint of a square between asteroid Nike (victory) at 1 Virgo and Mercury (ruling the voting process) at 3 Sagittarius, but these are the only aspects it makes in the chart.

However, there are some strong ties back to DeSantis’ nativity.  The transit Sun exactly conjoins natal Uranus, so an upset win is not inconceivable.  Transit Victoria at 8 Sagittarius lies on the fulcrum of a T-Square with the natal Saturn/Mercury-Rone opposition, affording another connection between DeSantis (Rone), the vote (Mercury) and the principle of winning (Victoria) the presidency (Saturn).   As well, transit asteroid Karma exactly conjoins the 11 Leo MC of the announcement chart, reconnecting the campaign with its Primary roots (though it will gain a new face once the nominee accepts his or her nomination at the Republican National Convention that summer).

None of these are really standout indicators of ascension to the US presidency.  But candidates have won before, with less.