The political landscape in the United States is heating up as rumors swirl about Florida Governor Ron DeSantis dropping out of the 2024 presidential race to instead run for the U.S. Senate. These rumors were fueled by former President Donald Trump, who took to his social media platform, Truth Social, to make the claims on August 28, 2023.[0] According to Trump, DeSantis’ presidential run is in shambles, with his poll numbers crashing and placing him in third and fourth place in some states.[1]
However, DeSantis’ camp quickly dismissed these rumors as “fake news.” DeSantis’ press secretary, Bryan Griffin, stated that Trump and his team are panicked about DeSantis’ winning debate performance and the strong momentum he has gained.[2] Griffin emphasized that the primary race is between Trump and DeSantis and that they are confident of securing a win.
Despite the denial, recent polls have shown a decline in Trump’s support following the GOP debates, which he chose not to participate in.[3] An Emerson College poll revealed a slight decrease in Trump’s support among Republican primary voters, dropping from 56 percent to 50 percent after the first debate. However, Trump still remains the clear frontrunner.
DeSantis has long been seen as a viable opponent to Trump for the Republican presidential nomination.[4] In previous polls, he has consistently ranked second to Trump, although by a significant margin.[5] However, his campaign has faced challenges from the beginning, and recent weeks have not been any smoother.[5] This has led to speculation about the effectiveness of DeSantis’ campaign team, which has undergone multiple changes throughout his political career.
The Wall Street Journal’s polling showed Trump holding a significant lead over DeSantis, with a 46-point advantage in the most recent poll. This marks a doubling of Trump’s lead since April. Other polls, such as CNN’s, also show Trump with a substantial lead over DeSantis. These numbers indicate that DeSantis has an uphill battle to gain ground on Trump in the primary race.
Political strategist Alex Conant, who worked on Marco Rubio’s presidential campaign in 2016, noted that a campaign that hits the reset button multiple times during the summer is not a sign of success.[4] Conant emphasized the difficulty of changing the trajectory of a presidential campaign once it is underway, especially when the candidate is facing constant attacks.[4]
Despite the challenges, there is still a portion of the Republican Party open to an alternative to Trump.[5] If DeSantis wants to regain his position as a serious contender, he will need to prove that he is a better candidate than his campaign has shown so far.[4] This will require addressing the trust issues within his campaign team and demonstrating his ability to navigate the intense political landscape.
As the 2024 election draws closer, the race for the Republican nomination remains highly competitive. The rumors surrounding DeSantis dropping out of the presidential race to run for Senate highlight the unpredictable nature of politics. Only time will tell how these rumors will impact the dynamics of the race and whether DeSantis can overcome the challenges he currently faces.
0. “Donald Trump Slammed After Suggesting Ron DeSantis Will End Campaign” OK!, 28 Aug. 2023, https://okmagazine.com/p/donald-trump-slammed-rumors-ron-desantis-dropping-out-race/
1. “DeSantis spokesman says Trump team rumors show they’re ‘panicked'” Colorado Springs Gazette, 29 Aug. 2023, https://gazette.com/news/wex/desantis-spokesman-says-trump-team-rumors-show-theyre-panicked/article_2330bf78-311a-56a0-91e4-49e1adbfcb81.html
2. “Team DeSantis shoots down rumor of running for Senate against Rick Scott, spread by Trump” Florida’s Voice, 28 Aug. 2023, https://flvoicenews.com/team-desantis-shoots-rumor-of-running-for-senate-against-rick-scott-spread-by-trump/
3. “‘Fake News’: Donald Trump Accused of Spreading False Rumor About DeSantis As He Panics About Declining Poll …” Radar Online, 28 Aug. 2023, https://radaronline.com/p/donald-trump-accused-panicking-ron-desantis-poll-numbers-spreading-false-rumor-dropping-out-race/
4. “Ron DeSantis’s campaign struggles with staff issues in effort to beat Trump” NPR, 5 Sep. 2023, https://www.npr.org/2023/09/05/1197565074/ron-desantis-campaign-trump-republican-candidates-staffing-issues
5. “DeSantis’ presidential campaign has struggled and it hasn’t gotten any smoother” KNAU Arizona Public Radio, 5 Sep. 2023, https://www.knau.org/2023-09-05/desantis-presidential-campaign-has-struggled-and-it-hasnt-gotten-any-smoother
