Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida is widely expected to announce his candidacy for the US Presidency in 2024. While DeSantis was once a close ally of former President Donald Trump, he has increasingly come under fire from the former president as he gets closer to a potential run.[0] As DeSantis prepares for his campaign, he has taken a major step by severing his connection to his long-standing state political committee and the tens of millions of dollars that it now controls. This move was necessary because federal law has stricter fundraising rules than Florida, meaning he couldn’t use the money donated to that committee.[1] However, the near $86 million currently in the committee funds could be moved to a super PAC supporting DeSantis only if he’s not directly involved with the committee.[1]
DeSantis’ Super PAC, Never Back Down, which is formally “independent” of DeSantis’ political operation but is chaired by one of DeSantis’ closest friends, former Nevada attorney general Adam Laxalt.[2] Phil Cox, previously a senior advisor to DeSantis’ 2022 reelection campaign, has transitioned to become a senior advisor for Never Back Down.[2] Similar to Ron DeSantis’ supporters, Super PACs have the ability to receive unlimited contributions from both individuals and corporations.[2] Recently, pro-DeSantis donors have been directing their focus towards the Never Back Down PAC as their predominant choice.[3] While DeSantis is prohibited from legally coordinating the spending of the super PAC, his presidential campaign has primarily relied on the ads created by the group.[3] DeSantis was presented to voters in important early primary states through one advertisement while others criticized Donald Trump, who is anticipated to be DeSantis’ primary opponent for the Republican nomination in 2024.[3]
DeSantis’ potential candidacy has been met with both support and criticism. Some see him as the best bet for the GOP and the nation, while others criticize him for bringing Florida back to the early 1950s and having no business trying to destroy US democracy. DeSantis has also faced criticism from some Republicans over his characterization of Russia’s war in Ukraine as a “territorial dispute” along with his ongoing dispute with Disney.[4]
As the nation watches and waits for DeSantis’ announcement, one thing is clear: he is making moves and taking steps towards his potential candidacy. With the severing of his connection to his long-standing state political committee, DeSantis has cleared a major hurdle in his campaign. The next few months will reveal more about his plans and his strategy, but one thing is certain: Governor Ron DeSantis is a serious contender for the US Presidency in 2024.
0. “‘You Ain’t Ready, Baby’: Ex-RNC Chair Gives Ron DeSantis A Blunt 2024 Warning” HuffPost, 12 May. 2023, https://www.huffpost.com/entry/michael-steele-ron-desantis_n_645de316e4b094269bb36ccf
1. “DeSantis Separates From Main Political Committee, A Step Required Before His Presidential Bid” Forbes, 9 May. 2023, https://www.forbes.com/sites/mollybohannon/2023/05/09/desantis-separates-from-main-political-committee-a-step-required-before-his-presidential-bid
2. “Ron DeSantis is about to make a mockery of campaign finance law” Popular Information, 11 May. 2023, https://popular.info/p/ron-desantis-is-about-to-make-a-mockery
3. “Could DeSantis use $86 million of state campaign money to run for president?” Tampa Bay Times, 11 May. 2023, https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/2023/05/11/desantis-trump-haley-ramaswamy-2024-campaign-billionaire
4. “Leubsdorf: Curious case of DeSantis” The Columbian, 7 May. 2023, https://www.columbian.com/news/2023/may/07/leubsdorf-curious-case-of-desantis/
