.
Subscribe to the daily Inside Washington email to receive exclusive coverage and analysis of the United States directly to your email inbox.
Receive our complimentary email newsletter, Inside Washington.
The 2024 presidential campaign for Ron DeSantis has been suspended.
“Due to the lack of a viable strategy for winning, I have decided to suspend my campaign,” stated Mr. DeSantis. “I take pride in fulfilling all of my promises and will continue to do so.”
The governor of Florida publicly supported and endorsed former President Donald Trump for the nomination.
“I have had disagreements with Donald Trump, particularly regarding his handling of the Coronavirus pandemic and his support for Anthony Fauci,” he stated. “I believe Trump is a better choice than the current president, Joe Biden.”
“I have made a commitment to support the chosen Republican candidate and I intend to keep my word,” he stated. “I am endorsing him because we cannot revert to the previous establishment of the Republican party, nor can we accept a recycled version of corporate interests that Nikki Haley exemplifies.”
According to Nick Corasaniti from The New York Times, Mr. Trump’s campaign released a statement in reply.
“The statement expressed gratitude for the support of Governor Ron DeSantis and several former presidential candidates as President Donald J. Trump’s victory in New Hampshire draws near.”
The statement urged voters to make a wise choice between Mr. Trump and former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley.
The statement asserted that Nikki Haley, the candidate supported by globalists and Democrats, is determined to thwart the America First movement. Her policies, such as raising taxes and undermining Social Security and Medicare, align more with the beliefs of Democrats rather than Republicans.
In the meantime, Ms. Haley expressed that Mr. DeSantis “ran a fantastic race” upon learning that he had withdrawn from the New Hampshire campaign event.
On Sunday afternoon, Ms. Haley expressed her well wishes for the current governor, stating that he has been effective in his role. However, she also acknowledged that there are now only two remaining candidates, one male and one female.
On Sunday afternoon, California Governor Gavin Newsom added his commentary, stating, “There’s a fire sale on all Ron DeSantis merchandise today!” The two governors have had a longstanding feud and recently debated on Fox News’ Sean Hannity show last month.
Sarafina Chitika, the national press secretary for the Democratic National Committee, issued a statement in reaction to the decision of the Florida governor to halt his campaign.
According to a statement given to The Independent by Ms Chitika, Ron DeSantis relied on the same radical MAGA platform as both Donald Trump and Nikki Haley for his campaign, and he has now joined the ranks of other GOP members in supporting the original MAGA brand.
Mr. DeSantis made his announcement only two days before the New Hampshire Republican primary. He was polling in third place with only a single-digit percentage of support, after coming in second place in the Iowa Republican caucus. If Mr. DeSantis had received less than 10% of the votes, as predicted by the polls, he would not have been eligible for any delegates according to the rules of the state primary.
Prior to the announcement, Mr. DeSantis cancelled his scheduled media appearances on Sunday, citing scheduling conflicts according to press secretary Bryan Griffin. This raised speculation about the fate of his campaign just hours before the confirmation on Sunday afternoon.
The governor of Florida encountered numerous challenges well before the start of primary season in Iowa.
About a year ago, the initial warning sign appeared when Mr. Trump’s campaign released an attack advertisement focused on speculation that Mr. DeSantis ate pudding with his fingers. This rumor, which stemmed from a story published by the Daily Beast in March 2023, continued to spread for several months. The governor even mentioned it during a conversation with CNN’s Jake Tapper, using the saying “the proof is in the pudding” to defend his electability.
The DeSantis campaign encountered further difficulties from that point on.
During the campaign, Mr. DeSantis appeared to steer clear of mentioning Mr. Trump, possibly anticipating the former president’s defeat in the nomination race, according to analysis by The Independent’s Bureau Chief in Washington, DC and Senior Correspondent, Eric Garcia.
Last month, Jeff Roe stepped down from his position as the chief advisor for Never Back Down, a super PAC supporting the DeSantis campaign. This decision was made shortly after The Washington Post released an article discussing conflicts and mistrust within the PAC, the campaign, and DeSantis’ supporters.
“I am unable to maintain my association with Never Back Down due to the recent statements published in the Washington Post,” stated Mr. Roe on X. “These statements are false and causing unwarranted interference during a crucial period for Governor DeSantis.”
On Sunday, NBC News released an exclusive article discussing the challenges faced by the DeSantis campaign.
According to a previous advisor to the governor, the situation caused major issues as they were not prepared for the launch. Despite having six months to plan and address critical strategic concerns, such as how to handle Donald Trump, they were unable to come up with solutions. Now, nine months later, the issue remains unresolved.
That same report revealed a peculiar behaviour by Scott Wagner, who took over as CEO of Never Back Down in December: He spent a significant amount of time constructing a 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle at the PAC headquarters in West Des Moines, Iowa.
If Mr. Trump is chosen as the 2024 Republican nominee, there is a possibility that Mr. DeSantis could be considered as a potential vice presidential candidate. However, Mr. Trump’s decision is still unknown as he has stated that he has already selected a running mate, but has chosen not to disclose their name.
Donald Trump Jr. announced last week that Mr. DeSantis and former Fox News host Tucker Carlson are being considered as potential vice president candidates for his father, the former president.
The oldest son of the previous president, on the other hand, stated that he would ensure that Ms. Haley was not considered as an option.
He stated that the former governor of South Carolina is not currently being considered.
The Independent has reached out to Mr. DeSantis’ campaign and Never Back Down for further response.
Source: independent.co.uk
