Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is expected to announce his candidacy for the 2024 presidential election during a Twitter Spaces event with Elon Musk on Wednesday night, according to several sources.[0] The event, a live audio chat hosted by Twitter, will be moderated by David Sacks, a tech entrepreneur and DeSantis supporter who is close to Musk.[1] DeSantis is expected to file presidential candidacy paperwork with the Federal Election Commission this week, with a formal announcement planned for next week in his hometown of Dunedin, Florida.[2]
The announcement has drawn criticism from some quarters, with a spokesperson for the pro-Trump super PAC, Make America Great Again Inc, calling it “one of the most out-of-touch campaign launches in modern history.” However, DeSantis’ team will likely view the event as an opportunity to gain credibility with Musk’s 140 million Twitter followers, while also appealing to right-wing influencers who have praised the tech billionaire for his stance on media bias and alleged online censorship.[1]
Musk, who has not formally endorsed DeSantis, has previously expressed a desire for a “fairly normal and sensible” president, rather than a polarizing figure like former President Donald Trump. Trump was banned from Twitter in 2021 following the Capitol riots, but Musk reinstated his account when he took over the platform.[3] Trump has since decamped to his own social media site, Truth Social.[4]
DeSantis, who has been in talks with Musk for the past few weeks, is expected to release a campaign launch video on the same evening as the Twitter Spaces event.[5] The governor will then embark on a swing through several early primary and caucus states after Memorial Day on Monday. His candidacy is likely to set up a confrontation with Trump for the Republican nomination.[6]
0. “Ron DeSantis to announce presidential bid in Twitter chat with Elon Musk, sources say” CBS News, 23 May. 2023, https://www.cbsnews.com/video/ron-desantis-to-announce-presidential-bid-in-twitter-chat-with-elon-musk
1. “Ron DeSantis ‘to announce presidential run on Twitter with Elon Musk’ – as it happened” The Guardian US, 23 May. 2023, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2023/may/23/debt-ceiling-deadline-biden-mccarthy-yellen-politics-live-updates
2. “Donald Trump Megadonor Abandons Him as He Predicts Collapse in Support” Newsweek, 22 May. 2023, https://www.newsweek.com/ron-desantis-donor-support-trump-2024-1801698
3. “DeSantis to announce 2024 presidential bid on Twitter Spaces with Elon Musk” The Washington Post, 23 May. 2023, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/05/23/desantis-elon-musk-2024-president
4. “Ron DeSantis to kick off 2024 presidential campaign in conversation with Twitter owner Elon Musk” CNN, 23 May. 2023, https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/23/politics/ron-desantis-elon-musk-president-announcement/index.html
5. “DeSantis expected to launch 2024 bid on Wednesday” The Hill, 23 May. 2023, https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4017518-desantis-expected-to-launch-2024-bid-on-wednesday/
6. “DeSantis to Launch 2024 Presidential Campaign on Twitter Spaces May 24” Bloomberg, 23 May. 2023, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-05-23/desantis-to-announce-2024-run-during-twitter-spaces-with-musk
