Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has officially ended his presidential campaign and endorsed former President Donald Trump. DeSantis made the decision just before the New Hampshire primary, where he was trailing behind Trump and former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley in the polls.
In a video posted on Sunday, DeSantis acknowledged that a majority of Republican primary voters wanted to give Trump another chance. He also took the opportunity to criticize Haley, his closest rival for second place in the race. DeSantis stated that Republicans couldn’t go back to the old Republican guard represented by Haley, whom he described as a “repackaged form of warmed-over corporatism.”
Trump, who had previously criticized and mocked DeSantis, set aside their differences and praised the governor during a rally in New Hampshire. He expressed gratitude for DeSantis’s endorsement and looked forward to working together to defeat President Joe Biden, the likely Democratic nominee. Trump described DeSantis as “a really terrific person.”
Trump also accused Haley of forming an “unholy alliance” with liberals, never-Trumpers, and so-called RINOs (Republicans in Name Only) to secure victory in the New Hampshire primary.
When DeSantis initially entered the 2024 presidential contest, early polls indicated that he had a strong chance of beating Trump. The governor had amassed over $100 million in campaign funds and boasted a significant legislative record on conservative issues such as abortion and education. However, he struggled to connect with voters and faced numerous challenges throughout his campaign.
Technical glitches marred DeSantis’s high-profile announcement on a popular platform, and his staff and campaign strategy underwent constant upheavals. He suffered a significant setback when he lost the Iowa caucuses to Trump by a margin of 30 percentage points, just ahead of Haley.
David Kochel, a Republican strategist, downplayed DeSantis’s exit, stating that it wouldn’t significantly alter the course of the campaign. He believed that DeSantis’s support had already plummeted and that the race needed a more dramatic shift.
Trump currently holds a double-digit lead over Haley in New Hampshire, making his nomination seem all but inevitable. His campaign team is urging Republicans to rally behind him and dismissing Haley as “the candidate of the globalists and Democrats.”
Haley, however, remains determined to challenge Trump. She has sharpened her attacks on the former president, blaming him for Republican electoral losses and criticizing his admiration for authoritarian leaders. Haley emphasized that voters deserved a say in the direction of the party and encouraged them to consider a new conservative road.
DeSantis’s withdrawal from the presidential race also raises questions about his political future. As Florida’s governor, he is limited to serving two terms, and his current term ends in January 2027.
The race for the Republican presidential nomination continues to heat up, with Trump and Haley emerging as the main contenders. As the primary season progresses, it remains to be seen who will ultimately secure the nomination and face off against President Biden in the general election.
