The upcoming 2024 Republican presidential nomination race is already heating up, with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis emerging as a top contender. In a recent poll from Echelon Insights, a GOP polling firm, Trump is trouncing DeSantis by 15 points after only leading by 2 points in January.[0] In the latest Fox News poll, Republican primary voters indicated their preference for Trump over DeSantis with a 43% to 28% margin.[1]
DeSantis was long thought to be the main challenger to Donald Trump for the GOP presidential nomination, and a recent University of New Hampshire poll found DeSantis held a 42 percent to 30 percent lead over Trump among Republicans in that state.[2] However, DeSantis has yet to confirm his bid for the White House in 2024.[3]
DeSantis recently took a shot at California’s Democratic Governor, Gavin Newsom, for being “preoccupied” with DeSantis and Florida.[4] He then traveled to California, where he’ll appear at the Reagan Library and deliver a speech at a fundraiser for the Orange County Republican Party.[4]
In his address to potential financial backers, DeSantis showcased his policy victories in Florida as a roadmap for the entire nation. He also insisted that Republicans need to not shy away from fights with the media and the Left, even if they are called names.[5]
DeSantis has long been a media target, yet he continues to rail against the “legacy media” and brands them as the “pretorian guard of the nation’s failed ruling class”.[6] He also praises Trump for ‘enhancing his name recognition’ in a new book.[3]
Although DeSantis has not confirmed his bid for the White House in 2024, his recent actions suggest he is kicking off the 2024 presidential campaign with a slow burn.[7] With his strong polling numbers and his media savvy, DeSantis is set to be a major player in the upcoming nomination race.
0. “DeSantis readies de facto presidential campaign with national book tour” Axios, 28 Feb. 2023, https://www.axios.com/2023/02/28/desantis-campaign-launch-book-tour
1. “Can Ron DeSantis beat Donald Trump in GOP’s 2024 race? No.” USA TODAY, 2 Mar. 2023, https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/columnist/2023/03/02/trump-beat-desantis-2024-republican-primary-poll/11377639002
2. “Ron DeSantis ‘Will Destroy Our Democracy,’ Says Fascism Expert” Newsweek, 27 Feb. 2023, https://www.newsweek.com/ron-desantis-fascist-ruth-ben-ghiat-1784017
3. ““The 2024 Dry Ron.”” Crooked, 28 Feb. 2023, https://crooked.com/podcast/the-2024-dry-ron/
4. “Ron DeSantis knocks Republicans who act ‘like potted plants’ in remarks to GOP donors” CNN, 3 Mar. 2023, https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/03/politics/republican-donors-club-growth-ron-desantis/index.html
5. “DeSantis, addressing top donors, chastises Republicans who act like ‘potted plants’ in ‘woke ideology’ fight” Yahoo Life, 3 Mar. 2023, https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/desantis-addressing-top-donors-chastises-044251264.html
6. “Opinion: Ron DeSantis’ new book offers a powerful warning to the US electorate” CNN, 1 Mar. 2023, https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/01/opinions/ron-desantis-book-courage-review-parini/index.html
7. “It might not be obvious, but Ron DeSantis just soft launched his 2024 presidential campaign” The Boston Globe, 1 Mar. 2023, https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/03/01/nation/it-might-not-be-obvious-ron-desantis-just-soft-launched-his-2024-presidential-campaign/
