Like most people, my top two choices are Desantis or Trump for 2924 ( leaning DeSantis)

My question is however, how much of a grain of salt can we take out of a Governor race since that is more local with people more willing to break party ties that they wouldn't do in a national race?

Ie. Larry Hogan in Maryland would have a very small chance if he ran for Senate since the state is so blue Maryland would vote blue no matter what.

Or a not as extreme example, Glenn Youngkin won in a 10 point Biden state in Virginia but I don't know if he would win Virginia in a Senate race.

TLDR: while I love DeSantis' major win in Florida, I do think he got some voters that would vote for him in a governor's race that he wouldn't get in a presidential race.

To what extent? I don't know

Look at it broader. The governors who took unapologetic anti-Left stances very notably won: Youngkin last year, DeSantis, Abbott, and Noem this year.

What this says is you need a fully committed anti-Left party separating from the equivocation split the difference kind because that is what is wanted--- a champion of the counter view.

To be fair, Youngkin would have gotten smoked if he was running in this election.