Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has yet to officially launch his 2024 presidential campaign but has already received the backing of a prominent Republican in New Hampshire ahead of the state’s first-in-the-nation GOP primary.[0] With his drive, energy, and proven record of success, DeSantis is emerging as a top contender for many Republicans keen to see someone other than Donald Trump challenge Joe Biden for the US presidency in 2024. However, pre-launch efforts have produced an accelerated drop in his poll numbers, and Republicans ultimately want a candidate who is electable, with many viewing DeSantis as a tougher opponent for Joe Biden in a general election.
DeSantis has gained a reputation in Florida as not the most personable of politicians, and his detached reputation persists in Washington, where he has failed to cultivate friendships with fellow Republicans, especially in his inability to attract support from fellow Florida Republicans.[1] Although DeSantis has not officially announced his candidacy for president, there is heightened anticipation that he will enter the race.[2]
To win in 2024, Republicans need a leader for New Hampshire and for America to rally behind, and DeSantis is seen as exactly the candidate America needs. He understands the importance of reaching out to suburban voters and bringing them back into the Republican Party, which has struggled to connect with them in recent years.[3] The manner in which he led and his achievements in Florida can act as a blueprint for Republicans seeking to regain the support of suburban voters nationwide.[4]
DeSantis has not yet launched a presidential campaign, but a super PAC called Never Back Down has so far served as an attack dog for him and run ads hyping his potential run.[5] It has raised tens of millions of dollars to encourage DeSantis to get in the race, but has not yet had to report publicly, so it’s unclear exactly how much the group has raised.[5] Additionally, an organization at the state level called Friends of Ron DeSantis possesses over $85 million in funds, which will probably be relocated to an external super PAC in the next few weeks.[5]
DeSantis has also been waging a battle with Disney, one of the state’s top employers and a leading force in the state’s tourism industry.[6] Disney publicly opposed DeSantis’s controversial and divisive “Don’t say gay” bill last year, which was met with the governor eliminating Disney’s unique self-governing body and replacing it with his hand-picked board.[6] Disney responded with a discreet development deal that undercut the governor, who in turn escalated the fight by threatening to raise tolls and taxes and openly pondering building a jail adjacent to the theme park.[6] They are currently engaged in a legal battle against one another.[6]
In the polls, DeSantis sits in a clear second place to Trump, with other current and prospective candidates stuck in single digits.[7] According to a CBS News poll conducted in late April, 58% of probable Republican primary voters expressed their preference for Trump if they were to vote today, whereas 22% opted for DeSantis.[8] When voters were given the option to select multiple candidates they are considering, Trump had a lead over DeSantis by a margin of two digits.[8]
DeSantis has made it clear that he wants to focus on the good work that he has done in Florida and not short-circuit it before making any decisions about running for president. But with his drive, energy, and proven record of success, many Republicans believe that DeSantis is the leader that America needs to win back the White House, Congress, and state legislatures, continuing the work of making America great again.
0. “N.H. Republican leader to DeSantis: ‘Get into this race’” The Boston Globe, 5 May. 2023, https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/05/05/metro/nh-republican-leader-desantis-get-into-this-race
1. “Leubsdorf: Curious case of DeSantis” The Columbian, 7 May. 2023, https://www.columbian.com/news/2023/may/07/leubsdorf-curious-case-of-desantis/
2. “‘Educated Evangelicals prefer DeSantis to Trump’ – CCU heads” The Jerusalem Post, 29 Apr. 2023, https://www.jpost.com/christianworld/article-741623
3. “OSBORNE: Ron DeSantis, The Leader America Needs in 2024” NH Journal, 4 May. 2023, https://nhjournal.com/osborne-ron-desantis-the-leader-america-needs-in-2024
4. “New Hampshire House majority leader endorses DeSantis” KXAN.com, 4 May. 2023, https://www.kxan.com/hill-politics/new-hampshire-house-majority-leader-endorses-desantis/
5. “Ron DeSantis backers see his legislative victories as rocket fuel for 2024” NBC News, 5 May. 2023, https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/ron-desantis-legislative-victories-rocket-fuel-2024-rcna82537
6. “DeSantis’s Disney battle is setting him up for failure in 2024” The Hill, 5 May. 2023, https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/3984106-desantiss-disney-battle-is-setting-him-up-for-failure-in-2024/
7. “Gov. Ron Desantis addresses potential 2024 presidential run: ‘You either gotta put up or shut up'” Fox News, 5 May. 2023, https://www.foxnews.com/politics/gov-ron-desantis-addresses-potential-2024-presidential-run-you-either-gotta-put-up-or-shut-up
8. “Inside Ron DeSantis’s prep for his 2024 presidential announcement” The Washington Post, 6 May. 2023, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/05/06/ron-desantis-2024-presidential-announcement-fundraising/
