Article Summary
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has suspended his presidential campaign and endorsed Donald Trump. This leaves Nikki Haley as the last standing rival to Trump for the Republican nomination in 2024. DeSantis’s decision follows a 30-percentage-point defeat to Trump in the Iowa caucuses. His campaign had become chaotic and he had lost significant support from voters and donors.
Florida Gov. DeSantis Suspends Presidential Campaign, Endorses Trump
Florida Governor, Ron DeSantis, has suspended his presidential campaign and endorsed former President Donald Trump. DeSantis, once seen as a strong Republican nominee for 2024, exited the race just ahead of the New Hampshire primary. His departure leaves former South Carolina Governor, Nikki Haley, as Trump’s only remaining rival.
DeSantis suffered a 30-point loss to Trump in the Iowa caucuses and acknowledged there was no “clear path to victory”. He announced the suspension of his campaign via a video and stated his endorsement for Trump saying, “Trump is superior to the current incumbent, Joe Biden. That is clear.”
DeSantis had shown signs of exiting the race after his defeat in Iowa and was noted for acknowledging Trump’s victory. His endorsement of Trump seems to be a strategic move to unite the conservative wing of the party behind the former president.
Despite entering the race with high expectations, DeSantis’s campaign was less than successful. His national poll numbers fell by roughly half, indicating a lack of support for his candidacy and strategy to appeal to Trump’s conservative base. Issues such as mass layoffs and controversial social media content added to the challenges faced by his campaign.
His loss support from voters and donors left DeSantis with little choice but to suspend his campaign, avoiding further inevitable defeats. His current poll numbers showed him drawing around 6 percent of the vote in New Hampshire.
DeSantis’s campaign and super PAC experienced chaos and turmoil throughout, affecting his depiction as a competent, no-drama executive. His inability to drive the day’s narrative was another challenge, as Trump’s personality dominated the race.
Despite these setbacks, DeSantis’s favorability ratings among Republicans remain high. He has three years left as the governor of Florida and has suggested that he might run again in 2028.
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