Republican presidential candidate Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks at a marketing campaign occasion on the Chrome Horse Saloon on January 14, 2024 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Chip Somodevilla | Getty Pictures
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis dropped out of the 2024 presidential race and endorsed front-runner Donald Trump on Sunday, two days earlier than the New Hampshire major.
“If there was something I might do to provide a good consequence — extra marketing campaign stops, extra interviews — I might do it, however I can not ask our supporters to volunteer their time and donate their sources if we do not have a transparent path to victory,” DeSantis stated in a Sunday social media publish. “Accordingly, I’m immediately suspending my marketing campaign.”
“Trump is superior to the present incumbent Joe Biden. That’s clear,” DeSantis stated. “I signed a pledge to help the Republican nominee and I’ll honor that pledge. He has my endorsement as a result of we will not return to the outdated Republican Guard of yesteryear, a repackaged type of warmed-over corporatism that Nikki Haley represents.”
The Trump marketing campaign stated in a Sunday assertion it was “honored” to obtain DeSantis’ endorsement, together with “so many different former presidential candidates.”
DeSantis joins a rising listing of defunct 2024 candidates, like North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., who endorsed Trump after suspending their campaigns.
At a New Hampshire rally Sunday night, Trump congratulated Ron for bowing out and giving him his endorsement.
“As you recognize, he left the marketing campaign path immediately at 3 p.m. and in so doing, he was very gracious and he endorsed me, so I recognize that,” Trump stated. “I additionally stay up for working with Ron and everyone else to defeat crooked Joe Biden.”
I recognize that. And I additionally stay up for working with Ron and everyone else to defeat crooked Joe Biden.
Minutes after he introduced his exit from the 2024 race, DeSantis canceled a marketing campaign occasion he had scheduled in New Hampshire. The marketing campaign stated that he would as an alternative stay in Tallahassee, Florida.
Regardless of claiming a victory on the Iowa caucuses on Jan. 15 the place he edged out former Haley for second place, DeSantis has severely lagged his opponents in New Hampshire.
DeSantis was polling at 6% within the Granite State, in comparison with Trump’s 50% and Haley’s 39%, in keeping with a CNN/College of New Hampshire ballot carried out between Jan. 16 and 19.
In response to DeSantis’ announcement, Haley stated the GOP major contest is now a “two-person race.”
Since Iowa, the DeSantis marketing campaign has gave the impression to be winding down. The professional-DeSantis tremendous PAC, By no means Again Down, laid off workers earlier this week and DeSantis canceled a number of media appearances he had scheduled Sunday.
DeSantis’ exit marks the top of a marketing campaign that originally confirmed promise however has been rife with inside drama and strategic blunders. Experiences of infighting seasoned almost the whole timeline of the DeSantis marketing campaign and workers had been typically quoted as having misplaced religion within the marketing campaign properly earlier than it ended.
Beginning Monday, the Florida governor will return to his day job the place he has confronted criticism for neglecting his duties in pursuit of the presidency.
“Our governor roams the political world (Florida be damned) in search of the presidential nomination,” a Florida resident wrote within the Sarasota Herald-Tribune earlier in January.
This can be a creating story. Examine again for extra updates.
