As the 2024 US presidential race begins to take shape, one name that keeps popping up is that of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. Insiders say he’s privately discussed his campaign plans “without any caveats that would suggest he’s still deciding.”[0] He’s toured the country to tout his book and his record as Florida governor. He’s visited Iowa and New Hampshire.[0] He’s laid out his foreign-policy vision.[0] He’s received endorsements from elected officials.[0] He’s directly attacked Donald Trump and claimed he could beat President Biden.[0] Trump has already bestowed upon him a range of unpleasant nicknames.[0]
However, DeSantis has not yet actually announced he is running for president in 2024. Oh, sure, with his trips to DC to drum up Republican support, the memoir he released in February, and the overseas tour he’s currently on, he sure seems like a guy who is quite obviously gunning for the White House, but officially, he is not.[1] And according to a new report, the Florida governor’s backers are desperate for him to jump in ASAP—with some fearing it might already be too late.[1]
Although it’s obvious that he’ll run in 2024, DeSantis hasn’t formally announced. Politicians have been known to play coy about their presidential ambitions for years, but the governor has dropped some pretty strong hints about when he’ll make things official.[0] Here’s everything we know about the timing of DeSantis’s 2024 campaign announcement.[0]
DeSantis has been the subject of intense rumors about his possible ambitions.[2] Donald Trump loathes Ron DeSantis for the Florida governor’s “disloyal” challenge to Trump’s iron grip on the Republican Party.[3] The former president’s ire, however, is dwarfed by the intense desire harbored by some of Trump’s key aides and allies to see DeSantis politically ruined.[3]
DeSantis’ spokesperson did not respond to Rolling Stone’s request for comment on this story.[3] However, multiple reports suggest that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis plans to launch a presidential exploratory committee in mid-May ahead of a possible mid-June announcement.[4] This is the latest indicator that he will enter the 2024 GOP primary race as former President Donald Trump leads him by double digits in most polls.[5]
DeSantis, long viewed as Trump’s strongest Republican challenger in 2024, has traveled far outside Florida in recent weeks to raise his profile.[6] But some of DeSantis’ allies have started to question his readiness as his poll numbers have lagged and he has fell victim of a series of self-inflicted wounds.[6]
Despite the rumors and speculation, DeSantis has not publicly confirmed he is considering a presidential bid in 2024. The governor has been the subject of intense rumors about his possible ambitions, but he has remained tight-lipped about his intentions. It remains to be seen whether he will formally announce his candidacy for president, but one thing is clear: he has the potential to be a formidable rival to any opponent.
0. “Has Ron DeSantis Announced His 2024 Candidacy?: Updates” New York Magazine, 24 Apr. 2023, https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/ron-desantis-announced-2024-updates.html
1. “Ron DeSantis Backers Urge Him to Jump Into 2024 Race ASAP, as Pudding Boy’s Poll Numbers Bite the Dust” Vanity Fair, 27 Apr. 2023, https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2023/04/ron-desantis-backers-urge-him-to-announce-2024
2. “DeSantis says reports on campaign launch dates are ‘inaccurate’” The Hill, 28 Apr. 2023, https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/3978790-desantis-says-reports-on-campaign-launch-dates-are-inaccurate/
3. “‘Destroy This Guy’: Why Trump’s Campaign Against DeSantis Is So Personal” Rolling Stone, 23 Apr. 2023, https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/donald-trump-campaign-ron-desantis-personal-attacks-explained-1234722045
4. “Ron DeSantis reportedly planning first steps of campaign launch for mid-May” The Independent, 27 Apr. 2023, https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/desantis-presidential-campaign-may-b2328185.html
5. “2024 GOP Presidential Contenders: DeSantis Eyes Mid-June Campaign Launch, Trump Challenge” Forbes, 27 Apr. 2023, https://www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2023/04/27/2024-gop-presidential-contenders-desantis-eyes-mid-june-campaign-launch-trump-challenge/
6. “Ron DeSantis Is Set to Jump Into the 2024 Presidential Fray in Mid-May” NBC 6 South Florida, 27 Apr. 2023, https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/ron-desantis-is-set-to-jump-into-the-2024-presidential-fray-in-mid-may/3022941
